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Story: European exploration

Lake Wānaka from Trig Hill

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Lake Wānaka from Trig Hill

After surveying the coastal plains of Southland, in December 1857 J. T. Thomson followed chief Reko’s instructions and headed into the lake district via the Waitaki River. From Trig Hill he painted this scene of Lake Wānaka with its long, narrow eastern arm, marked on Māori sketches.

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Private collection

by John Turnbull Thomson

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, European exploration – Otago and Southland, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/11274/lake-wanaka-from-trig-hill (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 1 March 2009.