Lake Matheson

Lake Matheson is a small, dark lake in the rainforest of New Zealand's West Coast, and it is famous for one thing it does better than almost anywhere: it reflects. On a still morning the summits of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, the two highest peaks in the country, appear twice — once in the sky above the forest and once, perfectly inverted, on the surface of the water. The image has been reproduced for more than a century, on stamps, chocolate boxes and beer labels.

The secret of the mirror is the colour of the water. Streams draining through the surrounding native forest carry organic matter and tannins that stain the lake a deep brown, and the dark surface acts like the backing of a mirror. The lake is sheltered by trees and lies away from the wind, so in calm conditions, especially at dawn and dusk, the reflection is almost flawless.

The lake was born about 14,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period, when the Fox Glacier retreated quickly and left behind a hollow that filled with water from melting ice. It covers some 30 hectares, with an average depth of around 12 metres. The forest around it is podocarp rainforest of rimu and Hall's tōtara with kāmahi, and the lake carries the Māori name Te Ara Kairaumati; it was once a food-gathering place where eels and waterbirds were taken.

An easy track of about 2.6 km circles the lake through the forest in around an hour and a half. Along the way, platforms open the view at different angles: the Jetty Viewpoint, reached in about twenty minutes, Reflection Island on a pontoon jetty, and the "View of Views" lookout at the far end, where the mountains line up most perfectly with their reflection.

Getting there

The lake lies in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, about 5 km from Fox Glacier township along Cook Flat Road. The nearest airport is Hokitika (HKK), about 115 km to the north by road. The first section of the track, to the Jetty Viewpoint, is suitable for wheelchairs.