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WANAKA INFORMATION

Wanaka is a town in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter seasons and is based around the many outdoor opportunities. Due to the growing tourism business and the increasing number of retirees in Wanaka, there is massive growth occurring, up to 50% in 10 years.

The town is part of the Queenstown-Lakes District and was originally settled during the gold rush excitement of the 19th century. The lake was first seen by a European in 1853, Nathanial Chalmers, but he was guided by a sketch map from Chief Te Huruhuru at Waimate. This area was first settled by Europeans in the 1850s, with initial settling focusing around Albert Town. This was the only spot to ford the Clutha River. First surveying of the current Wanaka site occurred in 1863[2] Settlement increased in Pembroke (the old name for Wanaka) in the 1870s because of the amount of time milling in the Matukituki Valley and the use of Lake Wanaka for transport. Tourism started in the town in 1867 with the opening of the first hotel, by Theodore Russell. The site proved very popular for tourism because of its temperate climate and easy access to snow and water.Pembroke was renamed Wanaka in 1940.

The town of Wanaka is situated at the Southern end of Lake Wanaka. It is surrounded by mountains. To the southwest of the town is Queenstown(120 km (75 miles)), to the north Haast Pass cuts through the Southern Alps near Makarora. To the northeast are the towns of Omarama and Twizel. Very close to Lake Wanaka there also is Lake Hawea, in a parallel glacial valley, which also has a recently developed settlement of about 1,500 people. To the south of the town lies more of the Southern alps but close to the town is the Glendu Bay motorpark, leading into the Matukituki River valley. This gives access to the Mount Aspiring National Park

The centre of the town is on flat , floodwater at the head of the lake. Parts of the town then grow up into the hills around the town and also around the lake in both directions. This lake makes parts of the town prone to occasional flooding in spring, when heavy rain and snowmelt can cause the lake to rise dramatically, such as those in November 1999.

Wanaka is one of the few areas in New Zealand to enjoy a continental climate, with four distinct seasons.