WÃÂnaka () is a popular ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. At the southern end of Lake WÃÂnaka, it is at the start of the Clutha River and is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park.
WÃÂnaka is primarily a resort town with both summer and winter seasons. Its economy is based on the many outdoor opportunities this offers.
Historically, MÃÂori visited the WÃÂnaka area to hunt and fish in summer, or on their way to seek (greenstone) on the West Coast. NgÃÂi Tahu abandoned their seasonal camps after a raid by a North Island war party in 1836.
Along with the rest of the Queenstown-Lakes District, WÃÂnaka is growing rapidly, with the population increasing by 50% between 2005 and 2015.
The name of the town comes from the lake it sits upon, Lake Wanaka. The town was originally named Wanaka but was changed just a month later to Pembroke, after the 1855 Colonial Secretary Sidney Herbert, the youngest son of the Earl of Pembroke. On 1 September 1940 the name was changed to Wanaka.
A recorded meaning of the name from Mãori oral history is 'the lore of the tohunga. Wanaka is a South Island dialectal form of , meaning 'sacred knowledge or a place of learning'. Edward Shortland reports the name as a corruption of or meaning 'place of Anake/Anaka'. Shortland had a Mãori assistant who wrote the name of the lake as Oanaka. Shortland's proposed etymology is disputed by Ngai Tahu who consider Oanaka to be a transcription error of Wanaka.
The name of the town was altered to WÃÂnaka in 2021.
A KÃÂti MÃÂmoe settlement at the site of modern WÃÂnaka was named .
The area was invaded by the NgÃÂi Tahu in the early 18th century. NgÃÂi Tahu visited annually, seeking greenstone in the mountains above the Haast River and hunting eels and birds over summer, then returning to the east coast by descending the Clutha River in reed boats called mà Âkihi. Their settlement included a pàand a (food-gathering site) where pora ('MÃÂori turnip'), , tuna (eels), and weka were gathered. Eels and birds were gathered at a lagoon on the HÃÂwea side of The Neck, which also supported gardens of potato and turnips.
NgÃÂi Tahu use of the land was ended by attacks by North Island tribes. In 1836, the NgÃÂti Tama chief Te Pà «oho led a 100-person war party, armed with muskets, down the West Coast and over the Haast Pass. They fell on the NgÃÂi Tahu encampment between Lake WÃÂnaka and Lake HÃÂwea, capturing ten people and killing and eating two children. Some of the NgÃÂi Tahu fled down the Waitaki river to the coast. Te Puoho took his captives over the Crown Range to Lake Wakatipu and thence to Southland where he was killed and his war party destroyed by the southern NgÃÂi Tahu leader Tà «hawaiki.
The first European to visit the area was Nathanael Chalmers, who was guided inland by Chiefs Reko and Kaikà Âura in 1853. Reko and Kaikà Âura showed Chalmers the rock bridge Whatatorere at Roaring Meg, which was the only place that the Kawarau River could be jumped over, and returned him down the Clutha in a reed boat â arguably the first recorded instance of adventure tourism in the region.
European settlement began in the Upper Clutha River Valley in the 1850s, with the establishment of sheep stations by . The first station was at Albert Town, the only place where settlers could ford the Clutha River. The present site of WÃÂnaka was first surveyed in 1863. Gold was discovered in the nearby Cardrona valley in 1862 with many joining the gold rush. Settlement increased in Pembroke during the 1870s because of timber milling in the Matukituki Valley that used Lake WÃÂnaka for transport.
Mass tourism began in 1867 when Theodore Russell opened the first hotel, and with the world's first sheepdog trials. The first school in the area was opened in Albert Town in 1868. The Pembroke post office opened in 1873; the Pembroke school opened in 1880 (it became the Wanaka District High School in 1940). In 1885 the Commercial Hotel opened in Pembroke, and in 1887 the Wanaka Library opened on Ardmore Street. In 1922, the First WÃÂnaka Hotel was destroyed by fire and was replaced the following year by the Wanaka Public Hall. WÃÂnaka was connected to the national electricity grid in 1940.
WÃÂnaka proved a very popular tourist destination because of its borderline continental climate and easy access to snow and water. With the development of Treble Cone (1968) and Cardrona ski fields (1980), WÃÂnaka grew in popularity as a winter destination.
The town of WÃÂnaka is at the southern end of Lake WÃÂnaka on Roys Bay, and is surrounded by mountains. To the southwest are the Crown and Criffel Ranges and town of Queenstown, away. To the north the Haast Pass cuts through the Southern Alps near Makarora. To the northeast are the towns of Omarama and Twizel. Lake WÃÂnaka comes within 1 km of the slightly smaller Lake HÃÂwea; they are separated only by rocky ridge called "The Neck". South of WÃÂnaka, the wide Upper Clutha valley leads to Cromwell at the junction of the Kawarau and Clutha rivers.
Glendhu Bay is on the lake's western shore, close to the Matukituki River valley which gives access to the Mount Aspiring National Park.
The centre of the town lies on flat land beside Roys Bay. The town has expanded into the hills surrounding the centre and in both directions along the lake shore. The lakeside area of the town is prone to occasional flooding in spring when heavy rain and snowmelt can cause the lake to rise quickly, as in November 1999.
Despite New Zealand's mostly oceanic climate, WÃÂnaka is one of the few areas in the country to enjoy a semi-continental climate, with four distinct seasons. The weather is fairly dry, with spring (SeptemberâÂÂDecember) being the wettest season. Annual rainfall is 682 mm which is half the national average. WÃÂnaka's summers are warm, with temperatures reaching the high 20s and an average summer maximum of . WÃÂnaka's highest-ever temperature of was recorded in January 2018.
Winter can be extreme by New Zealand standards with temperature mostly in the single digits during the day time followed by cold and frosty nights and frequent snowfalls.
WÃÂnaka covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km<sup>2</sup>. It is the country's 43rd-largest urban area and the fifth-largest urban area in Otago behind Dunedin, Queenstown, Mosgiel and Oamaru.
WÃÂnaka had a population of 9,552 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 3,078 people (47.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 4,509 people (89.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,480 households, comprising 4,719 males and 4,842 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.97 males per female, with 1,662 people (17.4%) aged under 15 years, 1,611 (16.9%) aged 15 to 29, 4,599 (48.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,695 (17.7%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 92.7% European/PÃÂkehÃÂ, 5.2% MÃÂori, 0.5% Pasifika, 4.5% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 28.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 60.7% had no religion, 31.2% were Christian, 1.0% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 2,340 (29.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 720 (9.1%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,641 people (20.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,386 (55.6%) people were employed full-time, 1,323 (16.8%) were part-time, and 72 (0.9%) were unemployed.
WÃÂnaka is in the Waitaki electorate, represented by the New Zealand National Party's Miles Anderson since 2023.
WÃÂnaka's local governments are the Queenstown-Lakes District Council and the Otago Regional Council.
The area around WÃÂnaka is a formal sub-region of the Central Otago wine region with several top wineries and vineyards. As with other parts of the wine region, the main grape variety in the area is pinot noir.
With its lake and mountain views, WÃÂnaka has become a popular tourist resort, considered less commercialised than Queenstown.
WÃÂnaka boasts a growing number of restaurants, cafes and a diverse nightlife. Other attractions in the town include Puzzling World and the Paradiso Cinema. Puzzling World contains a maze, optical illusions and a leaning clocktower. The Paradiso is a classic old cinema, with seating consisting of old couches and an in-theatre Morris Minor. There are several wineries in the area. Just out of town next to the WÃÂnaka Airport is the National Transport and Toy Museum.
In winter, WÃÂnaka is an excellent place to see the Southern Lights.
A number of mountains surrounding WÃÂnaka can be climbed, including Roys Peak, Mount Iron, Mount Grand and the Pisa Range, all of which provide views of the surrounding area.
"That WÃÂnaka Tree" â a willow growing just inside the lake â is a tourist attraction in its own right, featuring on many tourists' Instagram feeds. The tree had its lower branches cut by vandals in 2020.
Films made in the WÃÂnaka region include The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, the Legend of S, and A Wrinkle in Time.
WÃÂnaka is host to outdoor recreation and tourism activities with hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, rock climbing, fishing, paragliding, kayaking, rafting, jetboating, and environmental activities. WÃÂnaka has a sunny climate and serves as an access point to the highest New Zealand mountain outside of the Aoraki / Mount Cook region: Mount Aspiring / Tititea.
Mount Aspiring National Park is popular for mountaineering and hiking. Tourists enjoy day trips into the park and many tourists go hiking in the park for up to a week at a time. Parts of the Matukituki Valley on the road to the park are popular for rock climbing, and for day walks.
Lake WÃÂnaka itself is popular for waterskiing, wakeboarding and sailing. This along with the local rivers provide many opportunities for fishing. There is a dedicated mountain biking area made by volunteers in a local pine forest. Adjacent to the bike park is an 18-hole disc golf course. All the local ski resorts are open for mountain biking and hiking in the summer.
WÃÂnaka has the broadest range of snow activity choices of any town in New Zealand. These include Treble Cone, Cardrona Alpine Resort and Snow Farm, some of New Zealand's premier commercial ski fields. WÃÂnaka is the main accommodation provider for these resorts and so is very busy in high season (JulyâÂÂSeptember).
Winter in WÃÂnaka is also the home to a variety of winter sporting events including everything from the annual free Winter Games to the Merino Muster.
Treble Cone has good lift-accessed terrain and for this reason has become popular amongst visitors, 'ConeHeads'. It also catches some of the better snow in the area, with its location and orientation getting more snow from NW storms.
Cardrona is more attractive to families and beginners, though an attempt has been made at the park riding population in competition with SnowPark. Snowpark is a dedicated 100% artificial terrain park for advanced riders. Snow Farm is New Zealand's only commercial cross-country ski field.
Cardrona also hosts one of the few Olympic-sized half-pipes in the world and has been used for practice for Olympic competition.
The WÃÂnaka Recreation Centre has a 25 metre lap pool, a 20 metre learners pool and hot pool for adults. It is located at 41 Sir Tim Wallis Drive. The swimming complex was opened in 2018 and cost $12.8 million.
The WÃÂnaka Community Hub is home to 25 community organisations. The building includes a hall, foyer and offices. The build cost $3.8 million and was opened in October 2021.
The WÃÂnaka Library is in Dunmore Street. As well as an extensive collection of books and ebooks, audiobooks and newspapers, the library provides Wi-Fi, printing, copying and computer facilities. After issues with freedom campers in 2016, signs in the WÃÂnaka Library ask people not to bathe or wash dishes in the toilets.
The WÃÂnaka golf course, located on Ballantyne Road, was established in 1922. A further nine holes were added to the course in 1967 to make it an 18 hole golf course. The Wanaka Golf Club has around 950 members.
The Tititea/Mount Aspiring National Park visitor centre is located on the corner of Ardmore St and Ballentyne Rd. It provides advice about walking and hiking in the national park and information about the huts, campsites, weather and heritage sites. There is also a small museum display of the history, fauna and flora of the national park within the visitor centre.
Pembroke Park covers on the foreshore of Lake WÃÂnaka. The majority of the park is grass fields, with a skate park and 136 carparks close to the town centre.
Originally known as "The Commonage", the park was surveyed in 1875 and 1880. A nine-hole golf course was established on the park by 1920, with barbed wire to keep the cows out. From 1940, the New Zealand Electricity Department held the park with the thought that Lake WÃÂnaka might be used for hydro-electricity production. It was designated as a recreational reserve in 1971, managed by Lake County Council, (which later became the Queenstown-Lakes District Council).
The establishment of the parking lot in Pembroke Park in 2000 was controversial, as one of its management objectives is "to preserve in perpetuity Pembroke Park as a recreational area for the enjoyment of the people of Wanaka and visitors".
Saint Columba's was built in 1902 and completed in 1911. It is a category 2 historic place.
Chalmers' cottage is a grade 2 listed building. It was built in the 1870s for Archibald Chalmers, who was a butcher based in WÃÂnaka.
The WÃÂnaka War Memorial commemorates the twenty seven soldiers from the area that died in World War I and the nine that died in World War II. It is located on Chalmers Street.
The dinosaur slide built by the WÃÂnaka Jaycees in 1976 is a well known fixture at the lakefront playground in WÃÂnaka.
Described as having a "richly textured and contoured façade [which] belies the tough functional requirements demanded by a project realised in a sensitive environmental zone", the WÃÂnaka watersports facility was the winner of the 2020 Southern Architecture Awards. It is used by the WÃÂnaka Rowing Club Rowing Club, Wanaka Lake Swimmers and TriWanaka. The facility gained resource consent in 2016 despite 744 submitters opposing the build.
Holy Family Catholic Church was built in 2011 and its organic form was designed to allude to the mountains that surround it. The church replaced the previous church in Brownston Street. It is located next to the Holy Family School.
WÃÂnaka has four schools.
All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of
WÃÂnaka is served by the WÃÂnaka Airport as well as by roads over the Crown Range, through the Haast Pass/Tioripatea to the West Coast, to Mount Cook Village via the Lindis Pass to the north, and south through Cromwell by .
There are daily bus services to Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown and Greymouth.
During the late 19th century, unsuccessful Bills were introduced to Parliament to enable the extension of the Otago Central Railway from its terminus at Taieri Lake to WÃÂnaka and Lake HÃÂwea. The proposal to extend the railway, which had since already been extended to Cromwell, was again unsuccessfully revived in the early 20th century. The main reason for NZR's reluctance was having to cross the Clutha River twice. A more direct route to HÃÂwea was planned but dropped due to cost.
Aurora Energy operates the electricity distribution network in and around WÃÂnaka. Electricity is fed from Transpower's national grid at Cromwell to WÃÂnaka via twin 66,000-volt lines.
Fresh water for the town is drawn from Lake WÃÂnaka via two inlets and treated by chlorination prior to distribution. Since 2008, the water supply has had issues with Didymo "rock snot" algae entering the system and building up, clogging filters and household plumbing. The Queenstown-Lakes District Council planned to add protozoal treatment to the water supply in 2024.
In late 2021, WÃÂnaka became home to the smallest Countdown supermarket in New Zealand. It will provide increased competition in the supermarket trade for WÃÂnaka.
Resource consent was approved for a film studio development in 2021. The film studio is expected to cost $280 million and will include up to 10 sound stages, an 11 hectare lake, an Italian village and replicas of parts of Venice, Paris and New York City.