You will also have the opportunity to explore short walks on foot, getting up close and personal with the native fiordland forest. Manapouri trip planner plan your manapouri vacation. They hollowed a huge cave out of the hard rock at the lakes west arm and built a power station in it. Manapouri power station is an underground hydroelectric power station on the western arm of lake manapouri in fiordland national park, in the south island of new zealand.
The itaipu dam opened in 1984 in south america as the largest, producing 14 gw, but was surpassed in 2008 by the three gorges dam in china at 22. A detailed report on the countrys hydroelectric potential was prepared in 1904 by p s hay and was presented to parliament appended to the public works statement. Lunch options and complimentary tea and coffee are available on the vessel. Men from more than 40 nationalities worked together to bore a 10km tunnel through the mountains between lake manapouri and doubtful sound, where the wanganella was moored. Many years ago, as a child, i was lucky enough to go on a tour of a hydro electric power station. Lake manapouri cruise and underground power station. In the 1960s plans were proposed to build a massive hydro power station that would artificially raise the level of the lake by 12 metres, this would have created a super lake joining it with lake te anau in the north, it would have destroyed much of manapouri s sunning scenery. We trust you enjoy your adventure in the spectacular and beautiful fiordland. Over looking new zealands most beautiful lake manapouri is a 15km scenic drive from te anau.
A lesson not learnt lake manapouri envirohistory nz. Manapouri hydro power station in the 1960s plans were proposed to build a massive hydro power station that would artificially raise the level of the lake by 12 metres, this would have created a super lake joining it with lake te anau in the north, it would have destroyed much of manapouris sunning scenery. Huntly power station and the history of environmentalism in new zealand. On march 5, 1959, charles turner, engineerinchief of the ministry of works, addressed the southland progress league in invercargill. The national campaign to stop the government from raising the water level in the scenically spectacular lake manapouri for a hydro dam is widely credited with the awakening of environmental. Manapouri is a special place of peace and serenity, where the bounty of the natural world is preserved for all to enjoy. The completion of the manapouri power station in 1972 was hailed as one of the greatest engineering feats this country had ever seen. Completed in 1971, manapouri power station is an underground power station on the west arm of lake manapouri in the south islands fiordland national park.
On board the wanganella at the national library scoop news. Mar 29, 20 the construction of this power station was one of new zealands greatest engineering achievements, with the majority of the work completed underground in a remote location. It is the countrys largest hydroelectric power station and is unique in that nearly all of it is built underground. At west arm you will see the aboveground sections of the manapouri power station, an underground hydroelectric power station which is capable of generating up to 850 mw using water from lakes te anau and manapouri. Lake manapouri is the second deepest lake in new zealand and has a large hydro power station at the end of its west arm. Reproduced from a pdf photocopy of the brochure original file 7. Hard to imagine what goes on underground beneath the manapouri power station a few years ago, i was lucky enough to be able to partake in a tour through the underground power station. Second manapouri tailrace tunnel fletcher construction. Apr 05, 2014 manapouri village receives 1 metre of rain a year but over at west arm the rainfall rises to 4 metres and at deep cove it reaches 9 metres. Dec 09, 2009 a lesson not learnt lake manapouri december 9, 2009 december 29, 2010 bff editorial team in his history of conservation in new zealand, our islands, our selves, david young provides us with an anecdote that illustrates that the way we understand and value our environment does not always develop following an upwards trajectory through time. Doubtful sound sea kayaking, fiordland national park go. According to maori legend lake manapouri was created by the tears of two sisters, moturua and koronae, who were daughters of an old chief in the region. Manapouri power station indepth story july 2012 youtube. You can meet us in either queenstown, te anau or manapouri for your doubtful sound overnight cruise experience.
Facilitiescommercial services include a petrol station garage, art gallery, cafes, shops, two restaurant and bars as well as overnight hotel, motel and motor camp accommodations. With 850 megawatt mw installed capacity, it is new zealands largest hydroelectric power station. The township, with a permanent population of 400, is situated on the pristine shores of its namesake, lake manapouri, a popular destination during the summer months when visitors come to soak up the sunshine and calm waters. Manapouri new zealand travel manapouri nz information. Manapouri power station had a long history and was built only after considerable controversy. The save manapouri campaign was an environmental campaign waged between 1959 and 1972 in new zealand to prevent the raising of the levels of lakes manapouri and te anau as part of the construction of the manapouri power project. Manapouri is the largest hydro power station in new zealand, and is located on the edge of lake manapouri s west arm in the fiordland national park, which has world heritage status. Dont miss the wharf area as it is so beautiful and has stunning reflections of the mountains in the water. Manapouris giant underground hyrdo power project of the. Available from nationwide book distributors ltd, nz. Second manapouri tailrace tunnel we are generating energy. Ferry towards doubtful sound lake manapouri, south island. Manapouri is a small town in southland fiordland, in the southwest corner of the south island, in new zealand.
From pearl harbour, which is adjacent to manapouri township, you can organise a lake cruise or a tour of the west arm underground power station. This massive undertaking involved a hundreds strong international workforce. Workers at the power plant are ferried by boat from manapouri, as there is no road access to the power station. Picnic lunch options must be preordered te anau coach connections depart real. Art, power, protest is a series of photographs that. It is a popular tourist destination, particularly during the summer months. Manapouri underground power station tour real journeys. Manapouri is a beautiful, mostly untouched, region of southern new zealand where the amazing powers of nature remain largely untouched by man. The underground power station was opened in 1971 and is the largest hydroelectric power station in new zealand. Manapouri power station is an underground hydroelectric power station on the. Explore the geographical history of manapouri, from deep fiords carved many thousands of years ago to huge glimmering. The men drilled and blasted a sixmile tunnel and cathedralsized power hall in extreme conditions with the cost of the lives of sixteen workers. It can also give you access to a trip around manapouri power station, a fascinating tour of a hydroelectric underground power.
The only external signs are the aboveground control building, a switchyard and two sets of transmission lines that loop. Manapouri power station completed in 1971, manapouri power station is an underground power station on the west arm of lake manapouri in the south islands fiordland national park. Almost as difficult was the twelve miles of road building needed to link the top of the tunnel with its outlet at sea level. There is also a visit included to the manapouri power station by coach before returning to queenstown. The manapouri underground power station, at west arm, is considered new zealands greatest engineering feat. Located at the edge of the fiordland national park, on the eastern shore of lake manapouri, close to its outflow into the waiau river, tourist. Hydroelectricity is electricity produced from hydropower. History of lake manapouri early maori around lake manapouri. Lake manapouri is 440 metres deep in places and has 33 islands. History of benmore power station in new zealand meridian duration.
Her sister moturua went looking for her and when she found koronae she realised that koronae could not be rescued. Keenly interested in fiordland national park issues, les and olive hutchins joined fellow conservationists in the successful fight against the proposed raising of lakes te anau and manapouri for power generation. The manapouri power station is the largest hydro power station in new zealand with a maximum output of 800 megawatts. The original plans for manapouri power station development in the 1950s involved raising lake manapouri by up to 30 metres, and merging lakes manapouri and te anau. The time was ripe for exporting our rainfall in some other form than meat and wool.
Hoover dams initial 1,345 mw power station was the worlds largest hydroelectric power station in 1936. Manapouri lakeview motor inn accommodation cafe bar. It is the largest hydroelectric power station in new zealand. One of the highlights of the current national library gallery exhibition manapouri. Manapouri trip planner plan your manapouri vacation itinerary. Borland road is packed full of amazing sights and stories as it runs along the power lines fed by the manapouri power station, deep in the fiordland national park. The creation of the power station in 1959 improved access to doubtful sound a fiord, which you can explore by sea kayak or cruise boat. Facilitiescommercial services include a petrol stationgarage, art gallery, cafes, shops, two restaurant and bars as well as overnight hotel, motel and motor camp accommodations. We can book any trips here and we have ample overnight parking and can arrange pickups by companies. Doubtful sound overnight cruise kiwis fly the coop. Doubtful sound overnight cruise with fiordland cruises. The manapouri hydroelectric power station is located on the west arm of lake manapouri, with most of the electricity generated serving the tiwai point aluminium smelter.
Manapouri power station information article nz history. Manapouri power station portobello, new zealand tour. There is an optional tour to the manapouri underground power station. Evidence of maori occupation has been found at most inlets, beaches and islands around lake manapouri. The construction of this power station was one of new zealands greatest engineering achievements, with the majority of the work completed underground in a remote location. Save manapouri campaign project gutenberg selfpublishing. As we were in manapouri i wanted my children to have the same opportunity and so we took the manapouri power station tour, nzs biggest hep plant. Environment and nature in new zealand vol 8,no 1, nov 20 7 into the backyard.
Embark on an adventure like no other, immerse yourself and experience the serenity. The manapouri power station is an underground hydroelectric power station owned and operated by meridian energy limited. The most expensive road per metre built to transport the power station equipment from the sound to lake manapouri hydro plant is equally fascinating. New zealand highlights tour st3520 about australia. These are ideal for day trips and easy 2 3 day hikes. More than 40,000 people a year take the boat trip over lake manapouri to marvel at the power station, and are then bussed over wilmot pass for a refreshing cruise on the still waters of doubtful sound. Power from manapouri construction brochure constructing. Lake manapouri was a highlight of our sth island trip. They blasted a 20km road out of the mountains over wilmot pass. Manapouri power station is an impressively large underground hydroelectric power station on the western arm of lake manapouri in fiordland national park.
At manapouri you will board a scenic cruise across lake manapouri 50minute cruise to west arm. Your past kayaking experiences wont even come close to what youre about to witness. Ferry towards doubtful sound lake manapouri, south. At 850 mw installed capacity although limited to 800 mw due to resource consent limits 3, it is the largest hydroelectric power station in new zealand, and the second largest power station in new zealand. The cost of generation of ener gy after four decades. The countrys prosperity, he told the meeting, was balanced on too narrow a base. At 850 mw installed capacity although limited to 800 mw due to resource consent limits, it is the largest hydroelectric power station in new zealand, and the second largest power station in new zealand. Over nearly 10 years, they built a huge underground power station beneath fjordlands ancient granite mountains and a large 7mile tailrace tunnel exhausting into the. A boat cruise of lake manapouri also enables you to get to some remote short walks on department of conservation tracks inaccessible by any other means. The hydro power station is located underground, with the station s generating units housed in a cavern excavated from rock 200 metres below the surface of lake manapouri. Manapouri underground power station is nzs largest hydroelectric power station, located deep beneath fiordland.
Manapouri, southland, fiordland, nz lots to see and do. Huntly power station and the history of environmentalism in new zealand jo whittle1 introduction the megawatt mw huntly thermal power station was built on the lower waikato river from 1973 to 1983. The final design, construction and operation of the manapouritiwai point electroindustrial complex, coming as it did at the end of some 65 years of government policy formulation, should have been a significant first step away from new zealands economic dependence upon the export of primary produce to the united kingdom. Manapouri the toughest tunnel dvd nhnz and tvnz quick overview new zealand. A visit to the manapouri underground power station begins with a cruise across beautiful lake manapouri.
Doubtful sound is commonly referred to as the sound of silence. Its one of new zealands greatest engineering achievements, producing an enormous amount of clean electricity from the power of water, so well worth taking a look at. Manapouri underground power station new zealand youtube. Describing new zealands biggest civil engineering project the manapouri power project of the 1960s. Manapouris giant underground hyrdo power project of the 1960. Manapouri township, the gateway to both doubtful sound and dusky sound, is a 20 minute drive from te anau, the hub of fiordland. Doubtful sound overnight cruise with fiordland cruises sample itinerary day 1. In a year it produces enough energy for about 619,000 average new zealand homes which is more than rd of the number of homes in nz as at end of 2014. The roughhewn access road spirals 2 km down into the mountain to the vast generator room. The largest activity in manapouri is an unforgettable cruise to doubtful sound.
Lake manapouri south island 2020 all you need to know. Koronae journeyed deep into the forest one day only to become stranded after a fall. Tucked away at the far end of lake manapouri, and out of view from manapouri village, is the manapouri underground power station, which you can visit by boat trip from manapouri. The early years were fraught with challenges, including the construction of the manapouri power station halting operations. Today, manapouri underground power station is a tourist attraction. The save manapouri campaign, which commenced in 1959, later came to manifest the international awareness of the environment that came with the prosperity of the 1960s.
The information centre described by wlnz has the history of construction and a modeldiorama of the plant. This local community group targets pest plants around the manapouri township to protect the environment and nearby national park. Manapouri new zealand history information and historical places. Enjoy a cruise on lake manapouri and a tour of the station. Dec 19, 2007 on board the wanganella at the national library gallery. Several tracks start on the eastern shores of lake manapouri. At the manapouri lakeview motor inn we offer affordable accommodation in a unique, spectacular setting with a. An indepth articlebrochure on the manapouri area and the construction of the manapouri power station, released during the early part of the construction. Station info constructing the manapouri power station. The town of manapouri is the departure point for all doubtful sound trips. Take a step back in time when you enter manapouri new zealand.