Home > Destinations > New Zealand > Tekapo and Mackenzie Country

The Mackenzie region got its name from James Mackenzie, a 19th century sheep rustler. A statue of this famous rustler can be found on Main Street in Fairlie. The area provides some great outdoor destinations, with the main attractions for families being the many walks they can do and the surrounding rivers and lakes, such as Lake Tekapo. The most dominating feature of the region is the magnificent Aoraki Mount Cook and an evening trip to the Mount John Observatory is well worth organising while you're there.

    Video: Enjoy Tekapo Springs winter and summer: www.tekaposprings.co.nz

Tekapo

One of the most recognised landmarks on the shores of Lake Tekapo is the Church of the Good Shepherd. This church has amazing views from its altar window overlooking Lake Tekapo. Children will most likely find the the bronze statue of a sheepdog more interesting and it's only a few metres away from the church. The statue was put there as a tribute to the working dogs of the Mackenzie Country.

Activities in the area range from ice skating, skiing and snowboarding in winter to  horse trekking and mountain biking in summer. Or you can soak in the hot pools at Tekapo Springs all year round.

Mount John University Observatory

Overlooking beautiful Lake Tekapo and Tekapo village in this breathtaking Mckenzie Country, the Mount John Observatory certainly is our most spectacularly placed observatory. Unfortunately, the telescopes are not available for public use, but are instead used solely for study and research.  The University of Canterbury oversees this facility and recently Canterbury, Auckland and Victoria Universities along with Nagoya University in Japan installed a new 1.8m telescope there. Earth and Sky Tours operate day and night tours through the observatory, where there is a café and viewing of the crystal-clear night sky with smaller telescopes. 

We have an article about various observatories, including Mount John Unversity Observatory. Read it now.  

Mount Cook and the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

New Zealand's highest mountain is Aoraki Mount Cook, standing 3754 metres above sea level. The surrounding area is the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park and this amazing backdrop is perfect for families looking for outdoor adventure. Activities in the area range from walks and hikes to four-wheel drive safaris, horse trekking and fishing.

Twizel

The town of Twizel is close to many lakes in the region including Lake Ruataniwha, which is famous for its world-standard rowing course. Twizel is ideal for those who love the outdoors, with salmon and trout fishing one of the main attractions in the area.

There are many lakes in the area like Lake Ohau, which is suitable for fishing and swimming. Other smaller lakes include Lake Merino, Lake Poaki, Lake Wardell, Wairepo Arm and Kelland Pond which provide families with opportunities to spend a great family day out on a family picnic, swimming, fishing, yachting and canoeing.

Fairlie

The town of Fairlie is the eastern gateway to the beautiful Mackenzie Country. The area is ideal for boating and fishing, with many rivers and Lake Opuha. Mount Dobson provides families with winter skiing.