Fast Facts
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Taupō is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia. It covers an area of 616 square kilometres, is 193kms around the perimeter and is 186m at its deepest.
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It’s in the caldera volcanic zone and is the crater of one the world’s largest volcanic eruptions of the last 5000 years in AD 181.
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Taupō has three main source rivers; Waitahanui, Tongariro, Tauranga-Taupō rivers and many smaller tributaries.
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The Waikato River is the only outflow from Lake Taupō.
Image: russellstreet @Flickr
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It takes about 10 ½ years from the time a drop of water enters the lake until the time it leaves through the Waikato River.
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Its correct name for Taupō is Taupō-nui-a-tia, meaning the great cloak of Tia, named after coloured cliffs around the lake. Usually we just shorten it to Taupō!