Manapouri
From just outside the Barnyard you can catch a glimpse of the Lake and watch the sun go down, usually in spectacular fashion. Just as the town of Te Anau is the last main town before you reach Milford so Manapouri is the gateway to another "Sound", that of Doubtful Sound.
The lake itself provides hydro-electric power via the Manapouri Power Station sited in the lake's West arm. The Manapouri power station is located deep underground in the south-western arm of Lake Manapouri. Unlike many power stations, Manapouri does not rely on a high dam to provide water - it takes advantage of the natural 178-metre height difference between Lake Manapouri and the sea at Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound. In 1960, it was proposed to raise the lake by up to 30 metres for the power station but a strong nationwide protest during the 1960's prevented this from happening. The lake levels are instead carefully controlled to be close to natural fluctuations. It's estimated that the power station in West Arm produces nearly all of the power for the South Island of New Zealand!
