Lake Puketirini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Puketirini |
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| formerly Lake Rotoiti | |
Lake Puketirini and Hakarimata Range.
The old railway station and diving school vessel are across the lake |
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 Lake Puketirini
Location in North Island
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| Location | North Island |
| Coordinates | 37°34′01″S 175°08′28″E / 37.567°S 175.141°E |
| Type | former opencast mine |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Max. length | 700 m (2,300 ft) |
| Surface area | 54 hectares (130 acres) (open water) |
| Max. depth | 64 metres (210 ft) |
| Settlements | Huntly |
Lake Puketirini is a cool lake in the Waikato Region of New Zealand. It's right next to the town of Huntly. This lake wasn't always here; it used to be a big opencast coal mine! Today, you can walk all the way around it on a special path.
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How Lake Puketirini Was Formed
The area around Lake Puketirini has a long history. It was first known as Puketirini. Before the lake was here, there was a smaller lake called Lake Rotoiti. This lake was even shown on maps until 1949.
From Mine to Lake
The land was identified as a good spot for a coal mine in 1929. The government slowly bought the land between 1940 and 1980. Coal mining started in this area around 1954 or 1956. At first, small digging machines were used.
Later, from 1984, the mine got much bigger. A company called Coal Corporation took over in 1986. They used huge machines like a bucketwheel excavator and conveyor belts. These machines dug out a massive amount of earth and coal until 1993. Most of the coal went to a steelworks in Glenbrook.
A New Lake Appears
After the mining stopped, the area was shaped to become a lake. By 1999, the shoreline was ready. The lake slowly filled up with water, and by 2005, it was completely full. In 2006, the local council bought part of the land. They wanted to make it a fun place for people to visit and enjoy.
Lake Puketirini's Water Quality
In 2006, scientists studied the lake's water. They found that Lake Puketirini was a mesotrophic lake. This means it has a medium amount of nutrients. They also found koi carp fish living in the lake.
Huntly Coalfields Museum
There were plans to build the Waikato Coalfields Museum right next to Lake Puketirini. As part of this plan, the old Huntly railway station building was moved here in 2008. However, in 2017, the museum plans changed. The museum was instead moved to the center of Huntly town.
Diving School
Lake Puketirini is also home to a special school. In 2000, the New Zealand School of Commercial Diver Training opened here. Today, it's known as the Subsea Training Centre. This school teaches people how to become professional divers.
Images for kids
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Site of Lake Puketirini (centre), with Cobham Cres (bottom right) being completed in 1959
