Wakatipu is the third largest lake in New Zealand. At 84 km (50 mi) long, it’s the longest and, at 291 km2 (112 sq mi), its third-largest. The lake is also very deep, its floor being below sea level, with a maximum depth of 380 m (1,250 ft). It is at an altitude of 310 m (1,020 ft), towards the southern end of the Southern Alps. It is located in the southern island of New Zealand, in the Otago region.

The Z-shaped lake was carved out by a glacier more than 15,000 years ago during the last ice age. The lake rises and falls by about 20cm every 27 minutes.

The original form and meaning of the name are not known for certain. The name is believed to originate from the "Waitaha" people, who were later displaced by "Kāti Māmoe". Taken literally, Wakatipu would mean "growing canoe" or possibly "growing bay" if the original was Whakatipu and the "h" elided as a result of the Southern Māori dialect.

Lake Wakatipu has many geographical similarities to Loch Ness. Therefore, it doubled as the famous Scottish Loch Ness in the film "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" (2007) and was one of the main filming locations in the movie. It was also a backdrop for several scenes in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring", including "Amon Hen".

Lake Wakatipu was first sailed in August 1859, by Scottish surveyor Donald Hay.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org