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24-678: The Mackenzie Basin ( Māori : Te Manahuna ), popularly and traditionally known as the Mackenzie Country , is an elliptical intermontane basin located in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts , near the centre of the South Island of New Zealand . It is the largest such basin in New Zealand. Historically famous mainly for sheep farming , the sparsely populated area is now also a popular tourism destination. The basin

48-538: A montane habitat . " As an example, an alpine region would be an intermontane for a species that migrates between a glacial region and a subalpine region. In palaeogeography , intermontane may refer to This article related to topography is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . International Dark-Sky Association DarkSky International , formerly the International Dark-Sky Association ( IDA ),

72-465: A number of related facilities located there, including the nation's premier astronomical observatory, the University of Canterbury 's Mount John University Observatory , and several amateur observatories. Astronomy-related tourism is an increasing contributor to the area's economy, with more astro-tourism ventures in development near Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook village (planetarium) and Omarama. Each June

96-476: A populated periphery where policy controls are enacted to protect the darkness of the core". DarkSky describes Dark Sky Communities as "legally organized cities and towns that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies". DarkSky describes Urban Night Sky Places as "sites near or surrounded by large urban environs whose planning and design actively promote an authentic nighttime experience in

120-447: A sex ratio of 0.98 males per female. The median age was 31.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 156 people (13.2%) aged under 15 years, 357 (30.2%) aged 15 to 29, 567 (48.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 102 (8.6%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 71.6% European/ Pākehā , 4.3% Māori , 2.0% Pasifika , 20.1% Asian , and 7.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

144-849: A southward direction. The basin is drained by the Waitaki River . Prominent rivers crossing the Mackenzie Basin include the Ahuriri , the Hakataramea and the Tekapo Rivers. Lakes Ōhau , Pukaki , Alexandrina and Tekapo lie within the Mackenzie Basin, as do the artificial hydroelectric lakes of Ruataniwha , Benmore and Aviemore . Sparsely populated, and with only four settlements ( Lake Tekapo , population <500; Mount Cook Village , population <150; Twizel , population <1,000; and Omarama , population <400),

168-520: A threat to the black stilt (or kakī), an endangered river wading bird. A captive breeding programme was set up and it is administered by the Department of Conservation . The Mackenzie Basin is one of the areas where wilding conifers proliferate. These weed trees cover large areas sometimes to a very high density and therefore excluding native vegetation and reducing the amount of available pasture. Some areas have control measures in place to prevent

192-438: Is a United States–based non-profit organization incorporated in 1988 by founders David Crawford , a professional astronomer , and Tim Hunter , a physician and amateur astronomer. The mission of DarkSky is "to preserve and protect the night time environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting." Light pollution is the result of outdoor lighting that is not properly shielded, allowing light shine into

216-591: Is located entirely within South Canterbury . Using State Highway 8 , it can be accessed via Burkes Pass (elevation 709m / 2,326 ft) from the north and the Lindis Pass (elevation 965m / 3,166 ft) from the south, or via State Highway 83 through the Waitaki Valley from the east. Aside from these passes, the terrain is generally highest at the northern end and gradually descends in

240-401: The 2023 census, Mackenzie Lakes had a smaller boundary, covering 5,134.25 km (1,982.35 sq mi). Using that boundary, Mackenzie Lakes had a population of 1,182 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 300 people (34.0%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 399 people (51.0%) since the 2006 census . There were 375 households, comprising 585 males and 597 females, giving

264-575: The Department of Conservation for the potential ecological effects, and since it may clash with a proposed Mackenzie Basin Drylands Park. 44°03′36″S 170°27′00″E  /  44.06000°S 170.45000°E  / -44.06000; 170.45000 Intermontane The corresponding physiographic noun is intermountain , while the noun intermontane is an ecologic noun meaning among, between, amid, or within " flora and fauna of

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288-644: The Mackenzie Country comprises an area of huge glacial lakes and snow-capped mountains, particularly favoured by tourists and skiers. The Ōhau skifield near Omarama, and Roundhill and Mount Dobson Ski Areas at Lake Tekapo, are small commercial skifields popular amongst many living in Canterbury and Otago. The Mackenzie Country is frequently utilised as the principal and second-unit location for television commercials, documentaries, and motion pictures, including much of Peter Jackson 's epic The Lord of

312-504: The Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film trilogy . Gliding is another common activity within the Mackenzie Basin, and the area was host to a Gliding World Cup event in 1995, as well as being the home of several gliding clubs, airfields, and numerous private glider pilots, of both amateur and professional status. Due to its clean, dry and dark sky, the Mackenzie Basin serves as an important area for New Zealand-based astronomy , with

336-565: The annual mid winter star party is held at new moon on the Omarama airfield. In June 2012, an area of 430,000 hectares (1,100,000 acres) including Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin was declared the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association . At the time of the designation in 2012, the reserve was the largest in the world, and

360-439: The disproportionally high number of threatened plant species in the Mackenzie Basin. The plan attracted opposition at submission hearings. There is currently a high demand for water to irrigate the Mackenzie Basin, with 126 resource consents from 36 applicants before Environment Canterbury as of mid-2009. The water would be used to irrigate an area of 27,125 hectares (67,030 acres), but the schemes are opposed by many locals and

384-424: The eyes and night sky . Direct light that shines into the eyes is called glare , and light directed into the night sky above the horizon causes skyglow . Lighting can also cause light trespass when it enters areas where unwanted (e.g. a neighbor's yard and windows). DarkSky was the first organization in the dark-sky movement , and is currently the largest. DarkSky's principal approach is to raise awareness about

408-438: The midst of significant artificial light at night, and that otherwise do not qualify for designation within any other International Dark Sky Places category". To promote the use of responsible outdoor lighting that minimizes light pollution, DarkSky offers a Fixture Seal of Approval program. The program provides objective, third-party certification for lighting products that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and do not pollute

432-563: The only reserve of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. The statistical area of Mackenzie Lakes corresponds to the portion of the Mackenzie Basin within the Mackenzie District. It includes Mt Cook Village and Lake Tekapo, but not Twizel. Mackenzie Lakes covers 5,139.71 km (1,984.45 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,440 as of June 2024, with a population density of 0.28 people per km. Before

456-413: The trees from spreading. Rabbits are a common invasive species in the area affect both agricultural production and biodiversity . Rabbit numbers dropped after the introduction of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RCD) but are now increasing. The Department of Conservation has plans to drop sodium fluoroacetate (1080) laced poison bait to control the rabbit numbers. This is seen as necessary due to

480-447: The value of dark, star-filled night skies and encourage their protection and restoration through education about the problems and solutions, including outdoor lighting practices that create less light pollution. In 2011, the organization had about 5,000 members in 70 countries. To promote awareness about the issues, DarkSky has an International Dark Sky Places program that aims "to encourage communities, parks and protected areas around

504-594: The world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education". There are currently five types of designation for International Dark Sky Places: DarkSky describes Dark Sky Sanctuaries as "the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world whose conservation state is most fragile". DarkSky describes Dark Sky Parks as "publicly- or privately-owned spaces protected for natural conservation that implement good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs for visitors". IDA describes Dark Sky Reserves as "dark 'core' zones surrounded by

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528-643: Was $ 36,500, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 141 people (13.7%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 780 (76.0%) people were employed full-time, 117 (11.4%) were part-time, and 3 (0.3%) were unemployed. The original vegetation cover prior to human settlement has been completely transformed in the basin and indeed most of the surrounding Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands ecoregion, initially due to fires lit by Māori and European settlers, and in more recent times by farming activity and by pests. The extensive network of canals for hydroelectric schemes posed

552-429: Was 43.4, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 55.6% had no religion, 31.0% were Christian , 1.8% were Hindu , 1.0% were Muslim , 2.8% were Buddhist and 2.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 279 (27.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 81 (7.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income

576-586: Was named in the 1850s by and after James Mckenzie , a shepherd and would-be farmer of Scottish origin. Mckenzie was captured for allegedly stealing sheep; he herded his flocks in what was then an area almost totally empty of any human habitation, though Māori previously lived there intermittently. After his capture, the area was soon divided up amongst new sheep pasture stations in 1857. The basin extends approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) north to south, and 40 kilometres (25 mi) east to west. The Southern Alps constitute its western edge. The Mackenzie Basin

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