Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres,
it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand,
and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray (Papua New Guinea).
On the north west side of Lake Taupo on the cliffs of Mine Bay, there are Māori rock carvings created in the late 1970s
by Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell and John Randall.
Carved in likeness of Ngatoroirangi, a navigator who guided
the Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa tribes to the Taupo area
over a thousand years ago according to Māori legend.
The main carving is over 10 metres high and took
four summers to complete.
The artwork is Matahi's gift to Taupo.
He and four assistants took no payment other than small
change donations from local bar patrons to cover
the cost of the scaffolding.
The 10-metre-high carving is intended to protect Lake Taupo from volcanic activities underneath.
The cliff has become a popular tourist destination
with hundreds of boats and yachts visiting the spot daily.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Taupo
