Mackenzie Basin

The Mackenzie Basin, referred to in the population also traditionally known as the Mackenzie Country, is a coarse elliptically-shaped pool, which is surrounded by mountain ranges. It is located near the geographical center of the South Island of New Zealand and is considered a typical representative of the New Zealand " High Country ". The basin extends over 100 km in north-south direction and 40 km in east-west direction. The Southern Alps limit the basin to the west. The majority of the Mackenzie Basin is located in the Canterbury region and also to a small extent in the south on the Waitaki River in Otago.

The main rivers that flow through the basin, are the Waitaki, the Ahuriri, the Hakataramea and Tekapo. The Lakes Ohau, Pukaki, Tekapo and Alexandrina lie in the Mackenzie Basin, as well as the artificially created to generate electricity Lakes Benmore and Ruataniwha.

Only sparse with three major towns populated ( Lake Tekapo, population under 500, Twizel, with a population of 1,100 and Omarama with less than 400 inhabitants ), the Mackenzie Basin includes extremely admirable natural landscapes with large glacial lakes and snow-capped mountain peaks, which are particularly high in the favor of tourists and skiers are.

The Mackenzie Basin is often used as a location for film productions, including Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, such as. Well as for a number of television productions, documentaries and advertising