Its formation followed a landslide 18,000 years ago, in which a part of the landmass of 10 kilometers wide slid to the north-west.[2] It is four kilometres to the northeast of the larger Lake Waikaremoana, into which it drains via the Aniwaniwa Stream. The smaller lake's surface is at an altitude of 880 metres above sea level - considerably higher than that of Waikaremoana - and as such the stream has several fine waterfalls such as the Āniwaniwa Falls and Papakorito Falls.
Several small islets are found in the lake. One of these, Rahui, itself contains a tiny lake - one of New Zealand's very rare lakes within lakes.
Numerous flora species are found within the lake catchment basin, crown fern (Blechnum discolor) being a widespread understory plant.[3] An assortment of birds found in the North Island are present at the national park except for the weka.[4]
Charles Rawlings-Way, Carolyn Bain, Brett Atkinson, Errol Hunt, Peter Dragicevich and Sarah Bennett. 2008. New Zealand, Lonely Planet Publications, Edition 14, ISBN978-1741048162
Notes
^Charles Rawlings-Way, Carolyn Bain, Brett Atkinson, Errol Hunt, Peter Dragicevich and Sarah Bennett. 2008