“On a Mish” #440 Between Two Lakes (Part One). Mararoa River. Mavora Lakes Camping Ground. Southland. 24.8.2025. Coldness is a foe that can be defeated by wearing the right clothing. Some forfeit the battle and stay inside beside a heater, while others reap the rewards by rugging up and getting out amongst it. The fact that most choose to avoid the outdoors when the temperatures are low, means more wilderness and less people. When the need and opportunity to go on a camping mish arrives, I usually ignore the thermometer and make the most of the icy excellence…
Spring conditions have definitely arrived in the south and lately the weather has been all over the show. Rain has been the theme for the last couple of weeks, and on the odd occasion the rain has turned to snow. Normally this means a southerly change, and usually this brings clear skies (for at least a short amount of time). It had been a few weeks since my last outing, so when I saw the weather and my days off aligning, I knew I had to take the opportunity to check out the icy excellence found at the Mavora Lakes.
The Mavora Lakes are less than 1 hours’ drive from my home in Te Anau, and because it is Georgie (dog) friendly I can bring my best mate along with me. While Te Anau is surrounded by magnificent wilderness, most of it is Fiordland National Park and the only dogs found there are on the clock working for the Department of Conservation. It is a good thing that Georgie likes camping, because we are going to do a lot of it at the Mavora Lakes!
After loading the car, we were off, and in less than an hour we were there. The tough decision was working out which epic place was best for my tent. Having such a good spot only a stone’s throw away from Te Anau is awesome and something I have taken advantage of many times since moving south. After working out a spot between the two lakes (North & South Mavora) I took a moment to soak in the excellence.
There was still snow on the ground in places from a storm a few days before. This meant the grass and dirt were frozen and I had to get a rock to bash my pegs in. The 400-metre altitude gain between Te Anau and the two lakes means the they are more prone to snow during winter. And this was nothing to complain about as the crisp white mixed with the greens and browns of the area made for amazing photography.
After setting up, I went for a little stroll with Georgie around the campsite. It was mostly empty apart from a few hardened souls who don’t mind a little snow and ice around on their outdoor experience. The sun was making its way behind the Livingstone Range and, along with rugging up to combat the cold, it was time to enjoy some dinner. As I sat and watched the darkness move in, I knew for sure that it was the right decision to brave the chill and park myself, Georgie and my tent between two magnificent lakes…
