Jan 18, 2026 “That Wanaka Tree”
We drove into the town of Wānaka, about an hour south of our B&B, in order to do laundry and stock up on groceries. We took some time to walk along the lakefront. Wānaka is at the south end of large Lake Wānaka and is a summer resort town and winter ski town. The area enjoys a ‘semi-continental’ climate with 4 distinct seasons, winter being considered ‘extreme’ by NZ standards, with single digits at night and frequent snowfall. We enjoyed a sunny, balmy day today!
“The Hand That Nurtures” art sculpture on the lakefront park!
At the other end of the lakefront beach we found “That Wānaka Tree”, possibly the most famous tree in NZ, or at least the most photographed!
Our photo, the Instagram version on top, reality below. Lots of people milling around to get the perfect photo!
The tree began as a willow branch pushed into the lakebed to act as a fence post over 80 years ago. It has survived droughts, harsh winters and too much love! To see photos of the tree in all weather conditions click HERE! We continued our walk along the lake and found several other “Wānaka” trees, none as famous, or crowded as THAT Wānaka tree!
That other Wanaka tree! And Ruby Island in Lake Wanaka, a camping spot for canoes and kayakers.