Lake Tarawera

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Lake Tarawera
Location	Rotorua District, Bay of Plenty Region, North Island
Coordinates	38°12′S 176°27′ECoordinates: 38°12′S 176°27′E
Basin countries	New Zealand
Max. length	56km
Surface area	39 km²
Average depth	55 m
Max. depth	87 m

Lake Tarawera is the largest of a series of lakes which surround the volcano Mount Tarawera in the North Island of New Zealand. Like the mountain, it lies within the Okataina caldera. It is located 18 kilometres to the east of Rotorua, and five kilometres to the west of the mountain.

The lake is filled primarily by sources from the nearby Blue (Lake Tikitapu) and Green (Lake Rotokakahi) lakes. Lake Tarawera is home to eels and rainbow trout. In summer it is popular for both fishing and water sports, and also camping as there a number of hot water beaches. Lake Tarawera's outflow is at its north end, into the Tarawera River, which flows northeast into the Bay of Plenty. The lake's surface area is 39 km².

The lake was substantially affected by the eruption of Mount Tarawera on June 10, 1886. The eruption killed over 150 people, and buried the Māori village of Te Wairoa on the southwest shore of the lake.