Major Lakes of Oceania

If we omit the salt lakes in Australia, which are practically never filled with water and only seldom and for brief periods of time entirely fill, Oceania does not have a lot of major natural lake basins. Other than Te'Nggano on the island of Renner in the Solomon archipelago, we do not find lakes larger than one hundred square kilometres in other countries due to their geographic position or the tiny size of the majority of the other islands of the continent.

Features of Major Lakes of Oceania

Here are the features of major lakes of Oceania −

Eyre

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is the full name of Lake Eyre. The lake bears Edward John Eyre's name because he was the first European to view it in 1840. As part of a dual naming policy, it was officially renamed in December 2012 to include its Aboriginal name, Kati Thanda. It is an endorheic lake located about 700 kilometres north of Adelaide in the eastern portion of South Australia's Far North area.

At roughly 15 meters below sea level, the small lake is the geographic core of the enormous endorheic Lake Eyre basin and is home to Australia's lowest natural point. It can cover an area of up to 9,500 km² when it completely fills, making it Australia's largest lake.

Torrens

Ngarndamukia is another name for Lake Torrens. The typical width of Lake Torrens is 30 kilometres, and its length averages 250 kilometres. When full, it will be the second largest lake in Australia and cover an area of 5,745 square kilometres. It is a sizable, ephemeral Salt Lake in central South Australia that is typically endorheic.

Between the Arcoona Plateau and the Flinders Ranges, approximately 345 kilometres north of Adelaide's downtown, and 65 kilometres north of Port Augusta, is where Lake Torrens. The lake has a maximum depth of 1 m and is located about 30 meters above sea level. It is situated inside Lake Torrens National Park's limits.

Gairdner

Lake Gairdner is situated in the foothills on the northern side of the Gawler Ranges, to the west of Lake Torrens, some 440 kilometres northwest of the state capital Adelaide and 150 kilometres northwest of Port Augusta. The salt layer in the lake, which is more than 160 km long and 48 km broad, is over 1.2 meters thick in certain areas. To the north of the Eyre Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia is a sizable endorheic Salt Lake known as Lake Gairdner.

The lake, when flooded, is ranked as Australia's third-largest Salt Lake. In honour of Gordon Gairdner, the Chief Clerk of the Australian Department in the Colonial Office, the Governor of South Australia, Richard MacDonnell, named the lake Lake Gairdner in October 1857.

Mackay

The fourth-largest lake in Australia is Lake Mackay. It is roughly 100 miles long, both north and south and east and west. The lake, known to the local Indigenous community as Wilkinkarra, is a central figure in the Western Desert's Aboriginal Dreaming stories. It is situated on the Great Sandy Desert's edge. The lake, which has a surface area of 3,494 square kilometres, is the biggest in Western Australia. Between 355 m and 370 m are its altitudes above mean sea level.

Murray

Murray Lake is a naturally created lake located about 7 miles from the Michigan town of Lowell. The third-largest lake in Kent County is Murray Lake, which is located in the north-eastern part of the county. It can be found in Section 33 of Town 8 North in Range 9 West as well as Section 4 of Town 6 North in the same region.

Around the lake, a guy by the name of John Murray had a farm. He has a lake named after him. The lake is a well-liked spot for recreation and fishing. Causeway Drive has two boat launches. With thriving populations of Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Cisco, Northern Pike, Bowfin, and Muskellunge, fishing is excellent year-round.

Taupo

The Taup Volcano's caldera contains Lake Taup, a sizable crater lake in New Zealand's North Island. It is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the second largest freshwater lake by surface size in geographic Oceania, behind Lake Murray in Papua New Guinea, with a surface area of 616 km² (238 sq. mi). The town of Taup, which is located on a cove near the lake's north-eastern side, takes its name from the lake.

The circumference of Lake Taup is roughly 193 km, and its highest depth is 186 m (610 ft). It is drained by the Waikato River, which has the Waitahanui, Tongariro, and Tauranga Taup rivers as its principal tributaries.

Te Anau

Lake Te Anau is situated in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. With a surface size of 344 km², the lake is the largest on the South Island and the second-largest lake in New Zealand overall. By volume of fresh water, it is Australasia's second-largest lake. The lake's surface is 210 meters above sea level. It can go down 425 meters. The lake's 65 km long main body extends north to south. On its western flank, North Fiord, Middle Fiord, and South Fiord form arms to the lake.

Wakatipu

On New Zealand's South Island, there is a finger lake known as Lake Wakatipu. It is the third largest lake in New Zealand, measuring 289 km² (112 sq mi) in area and 80 km (50 km) in length. The lake's maximum depth is 420 meters (1,380 feet), with its floor being 110 meters below sea level. It is located near the southernmost point of the Southern Alps, or K Tiritiri o te Moana, at an elevation of 310 meters (1,020 feet). It is located in the southwest part of the Otago area, close to the Southland border. The ancient Mori name for Lake Wakatipu was Whakatipu wai-mori.

Wanaka

The Otago region's Lake Wnaka is the fourth-largest lake in New Zealand and the town of Wnaka's administrative centre. On New Zealand's lower South Island, Lake Wnaka is located in the centre of the Otago Lakes. The lake is more than 300 m (980 ft) deep, occupies 192 km² (74 sq mi), and is 278 meters above sea level.

The South Island dialect of the word "wnanga," which meaning "the lore of the tohunga or priest" or "a place of learning," is pronounced "wnaka." Lake Wnaka is located in a u-shaped valley that was created more than 10,000 years ago by glacier erosion during the last ice age. It receives water from the Mtukituki and Makarora Rivers and is where the Clutha River/Mata-Au originates.

Te'Nggano

The Solomon Islands' Rennell Island, also known as Mugaba, is home to Lake Tegano, sometimes known as Lake Tenggano or Big Water. It is part of the Rennell and Bellona Province. The lake, which covers approximately 18% of the large island's surface area and measures roughly 29 km (18 mi) in length and 10 km (6 mi) in breadth, used to be a lagoon.

The water is 44 meters deep, according to measurements. On East Rennell, formerly the lagoon on the atoll, Lake Te Nggano is a natural area that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has the most limestone islets and endemic bird species of any lake in the Pacific.

List of Major Lakes of Oceania

Here is the table which illustrates major lakes of Oceania, their areas and country −

Lake	Area (km²)	Country
Eyre	9,500	Australia
Torrens	5,745	Australia
Gairdner	4,351	Australia
Mackay	3,494	Australia
Murray	647	Papua New Guinea
Taupo	613	New Zealand
Te Anau	344	New Zealand
Wakatipu	295	New Zealand
Wanaka	201	New Zealand
Te'Nggano	155	Solomon Islands

Conclusion

With the exception of Australia's Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens, and Lake Gairdner, significant lakes are very rare in Oceania. The variety of lakes in the area is also influenced by New Zealand's Lake Taupo, Lake Te Anau, Lake Wakatipu, and Lake Wanaka. The largest of these lakes, Lake Eyre, is one of a variety of sizes. Each lake has its own distinct characteristics and significance, affording both locals and visitors alike recreational options while also serving as a refuge for wildlife.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the largest lake in Oceania?

Lake Eyre, located in Australia, is the largest lake in Oceania.

Which country has the most major lakes in Oceania?

Australia has the highest number of major lakes in Oceania, including Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens, and Lake Gairdner.

What is the second largest lake in New Zealand?

Lake Taupo, located on the North Island, is the second largest lake in New Zealand.

Where is Lake Te'Nggano located?

Lake Te'Nggano is situated on Rennell Island, part of the Solomon Islands in Oceania.

How many major lakes are there in Australia?

Australia is home to several major lakes, including Eyre, Torrens, Gairdner, and Mackay, among others.