Love Our Lakes – call to cherish our renowned waters
This summer, when you are out enjoying our stunning lake areas, make sure you’re doing all you can to respect the environment during your trip.
As we dive deeper into the 2024-25 summer season, the call to care for our southern lakes has never been louder.
We are blessed in Waitaha/Canterbury to be home to some of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world, including Lakes Pūkaki, Takapō/Tekapo and Ōhau. People travel far and wide to see these wonders.
The lakes across the Waitaki and Mackenzie regions are our taonga (treasure), cherished by all who live here and visit. In the spirit of kaitiakitanga, we all have a responsibility to protect these waters.
Simple actions can help protect the lakes
Since 2016, the Love Our Lakes campaign has asked locals and visitors to take a moment, appreciate the beauty around them, and make responsible choices when it comes to enjoying our lakes.
It’s run by the Upper Waitaki Water Zone Committee and promotes behaviour that will protect our lakes, not just for today but for generations to come.
Simple steps include:
- Use the public toilets, and plan toilet stops during the day
- Responsible disposal of rubbish, or take it home with you
- Washing clothes and dishes away from waterways
- Check, clean, dry your boating gear to stop the spread of aquatic pests.
The actions we all take in and around the water make a difference.
Love Our Lakes to protect them for future generations
Mat Bayliss, Chair of the Upper Waitaki Water Zone Committee, said they were "proud to once again encourage locals and visitors to respect and protect our special places".
"Simple actions like using public toilets, disposing of rubbish responsibly, and checking your boats for pest species can make a huge difference in preserving our lakes’ health and beauty," Bayliss said.
"Through this Love Our Lakes campaign, and a lot of the work we do as a committee, we’re committed to ensuring our lakes can be enjoyed for generations to come."
Busy summer ahead
Lydia Stoddart, Mackenzie Tourism Manager, said visitation numbers continue to grow year on year and are close to pre-Covid levels.
"Summer is by far our busiest time of the year, the region is at capacity," Stoddart said.
"We love sharing our region with visitors from New Zealand and beyond, we just ask that everyone acts responsibly and treats our lakes and waterways as the taonga they are."
Look out for the Love Our Lakes messages when you’re in the Southern Lakes area this summer and follow our Facebook page to hear stories and stay up to date.
About the water zone committee
The Upper Waitaki Water Zone Committee is a community-led committee that recommends actions and tactics to deliver the Canterbury Water Management Strategy in its local area.