“On a Mish” #437 When the Stars Align (Part One). North Mavora Lake. Mavora Lake Conservation Reserve. Southland. 19.7.2025. There are many things we have no control over when out in the hills, and we must adapt to what happens to either survive or to have a good time under the circumstances. A big factor that no human can change is the weather. As much as we want clear skies and no wind, sometimes we get the opposite and end up walking in the rain. But every now and then when the stars align, you can head out and enjoy the experience you hoped for…
Winter was working its icy magic during July 2025. We had had a few frosty mornings and there was a dusting of snow on the mountains around Lake Te Anau. It had been some time since I had been out camping and exploring so it was only a matter of time before I dragged myself (and Georgie!) on a mish to somewhere where I could put my tent up and relax in nature.
Having a mission buddy makes the adventure more social and enjoyable, so I asked my flatmate if he’d like to come on a camping trip to the Mavora Lakes area. The irony is the fact that both of us love the outdoors and are currently both recovering from injuries. The broken bros were about to go on an adventure!
Our first potential weekend was washed out, and it was lucky we didn’t head out because the experience would have been wet and miserable. However, it looked as though the stars were going to align and the next weekend was looking perfect for pitching a couple of tents and hanging out in paradise.
It is safe to say we were extremely lucky as the days either side of the one we wanted to head out on were cold and rainy, and far from days you’d like to go camping in. Fate decided that the day we wanted the weather to behave would be the day we went to the Mavora Lakes. The stars had aligned for our much-needed night out in the wild.
The drive to the campsite is less than an hour from my front door. This makes the place popular with the residence of Te Anau; however the winter temperatures usually keep most humans back at their homes beside the warmth of a fire or heater. Winter is just the time you wear more clothes when out and about, so I wasn’t worried about the wintery conditions up at the lakes. I was actually hoping that the campsite was at minimal capacity.
We hit the dust of the Mavora Lakes / Von Valley Road just after lunch and the sky about couldn’t have been any clearer. A severe frost still hung around in the shaded areas and we both hoped that we would have enough clothes to be comfortable when the chill returned that evening. As expected, the camping ground was a near ghost town with only the odd hearty soul braving the conditions.
As we slowly drove around looking for the perfect spot to pitch our tents, we realised how lucky we were to be visiting this pristine spot when it was so quiet. It would seem that all of the stars had aligned, and we were going to be in for a treat during our time hanging out in the Mavora Lake Conservation Reserve…
