Waterless willow

Photo: Tim Miller.
Photo: Tim Miller.
Wanaka’s famous lone willow tree has been left high and dry by the low level of Lake Wanaka.

Usually surrounded by water, the willow tree has become one of the must-see spots for tourists in the town and its image has been used to promote Wanaka around the world.

It is not  unusual for the tree to appear above the water line from time to time, but for tourists wanting to get the perfect selfie yesterday it was something of a let-down.

Backpackers Charlie Deane and Bella Ruddick from the United Kingdom said the sight of the tree surrounded by puddles and dry ground was not what they expected, but it was still a beautiful sight.

"We’ve seen the photos so it’s a little disappointing but it’s still beautiful and it’s just what happens with nature sometimes."

A spokesman for the Otago Regional Council said the lake was slightly lower than usual but not unusually low.

The average lake level from March 16 to 23 was 276.633m above sea level. The level recorded on Thursday at 8am was 276.555m. 

Water level records for Lake Wanaka went back as far as 1933. In that time the lake had been at, or below, its current level about 10% of the time.

 

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