Lake Wairarapa

Lake Wairarapa
Western shore looking south
Lake Wairarapa Lake Wairarapa is in the Wellington Region of the North Island.
Location	South Wairarapa District, Wellington Region, North Island
Coordinates	41°13′S 175°15′E / 41.217°S 175.250°E / -41.217; 175.250
Primary inflows	Ruamahanga
Primary outflows	Ruamahanga
Basin countries	New Zealand
Surface area	78 km2 (30 sq mi)
Max. depth	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Settlements	Featherston
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Wairarapa Moana Wetland
Designated	20 August 2020
Reference no.	2432[1]

Lake Wairarapa is a lake at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand, 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Wellington. The lake covers an area of 78 km² (30 sq mi), and at its deepest is 2.5 m (8.2 ft).^[2] It is the third largest in the North Island, fractionally smaller than Lake Rotorua. The nearest town to the lake is Featherston, which is located five kilometres from its northern shore.

The lake forms part of the Wairarapa Moana Wetlands, a regional park administered by Wellington Regional Council, in collaboration with Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, the Department of Conservation, South Wairarapa District Council, and Rangitāne o Wairarapa.^[3][4] The wetland is the largest in the lower North Island, one of the largest in New Zealand, and was recognised as a wetland of international significance under the Ramsar Convention in August 2020.^[5]