Strung along the beautiful Lake Manapouri, the town of the same name is largely used as jumping-off point for cruises to the sublime Doubtful Sound and as a base for walking expeditions. There’s very little to the town itself – little more than a handful of hotels, with a glut of sandflies to keep you hopping.
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In 1969, Manapouri was the site of NZ’s first major environmental campaign. The original plan for the West Arm power station, built to provide cheap electricity for the aluminium smelter near Invercargill, included raising the level of the lake by 30m. A petition gathered a staggering 265, 000 signatures (17% of voting-age New Zealanders at the time) and the issue contributed to the downfall of the government at the following election. The action was successful: the power station was built but the lake’s level remains unchanged – a victory for Tanemahuta over Mammon. It was a success that spawned increasing national environmental action through the ’70s and ’80s. West Arm power station is NZ’s largest producer of electricity: a tunnel dug through the mountain from Lake Manapouri to Doubtful Sound drops a hefty 180m from lake to sound, driving the power station’s turbines.
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