The Hāwea community includes Lake Hāwea, the small township on the lakefront and Hāwea Flat, its rural counterpart tucked back down the valley towards the hills. Hāwea Flat was originally the main settlement and hub of the area due to the farming community, with Lake Hāwea an early recreational holiday destination. This has gradually changed with the development of housing, and Lake Hāwea is now the larger township with more services, with the exception of the Primary School.

Small, tight-knit communities, Lake Hāwea has approx. 1200 people, and Hāwea Flat approx. 630 people. These numbers are increasing quickly, particularly in Lake Hāwea, due to high housing prices pushing families out of the housing market in Wanaka and new subdivisions making land available. This is resulting in a demographic change to the town, which is transitioning from a kiwi ‘crib’ holiday destination to a thriving community of families and retirees.

The hub of Lake Hāwea has a hotel/restaurant, campground, general store/cafe, community hall, bowling green, bike park, playground, early learning centre, petrol station/garage and library. The primary school is at Hāwea Flat, along with a kindergarten, church, community hall, bike park and the popular white-water river wave/park.

Exceptional rugged mountainous terrain and the lake make Hāwea a recreational hub for locals and tourists. Boating/water-sports, fishing, kayaking, mountain-biking, mountaineering, climbing and tramping are all popular activities, with easy access routes into the surrounding mountains.

The surrounding high country stations are farmed with merino sheep and deer, and wild deer and pigs for hunters. Lake Hāwea has a salmon fishery, among other native fish and eels.

The terrain, altitude and location of Hāwea means the area experiences weather in the extremes. Clear summer days are some of the hottest in New Zealand and winter brings snow to lake-level at times. Weather at the headwaters travels down the lake creating impressive white-caps and waves. Perfectly still days reflect the mountains beautifully in the lake like a mirror. The lake causes a grey inversion layer in winter, with low fog settling over the township, occasionally for weeks on end before breaking.

Our Future

Rapid residential development, with new suburban subdivisions such as Timsfield, Sentinel Park and LongView, is changing the landscape of Lake Hāwea township significantly. Infrastructure, particularly roading and wastewater disposal systems are struggling to keep up with the fast increase in population. Hāwea Community Association work closely alongside the community, developers and local governing bodies with a goal to ensure these developments are in line with the best interests of the Hāwea people and environment. We understand change and development is imminent and required, we’re here to make sure it’s done sustainably, and well.