Description:

Areas of lake edge turf, fen and rushland located around a pond, commonly known as Lake Fyfe or Lake Fife, which lies on post-glacial landforms with a schist bedrock, approximately 150m above the nearby Lake Wakatipu. The lake and surrounding wetland areas presumably formed after water became trapped between the base of a ridge and the large alluvial fan issuing from Little Stoney Creek. ⁷⁹

Type/Class:

Fen.

Size:

6.8 ha.

Altitude:

440 - 460 m above sea level.

Approximate location:

4.5 km Southeast of Glenorchy.
NZTM (centre point): E1237700 N5019800

Regional Plan:

Water for Otago.
Schedule 9 Regionally Significant Wetland, no.83, Map F4.

Territorial Authority:

Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Other Information:

• Contains fen wetlands, with Carex dissita the dominant species. Jointed rush (Juncus articulatus), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) and the small herb Hydrocotyle sulcata are also present. On the edge of Lake Fife, a wide range of rushes and herbs are present, including track rush (Juncus tenuis), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), white clover (Trifolium repens), centaury (Centaurium erythraea) and catsear (Hypochaeris radicata). Native species include glossy plantain (Plantago triandra), Hypsela rivalis, Elatine gratioloides and Centrolepis minima, which has a threat status of naturally uncommon. Sheltered inlets contain pūkio (Carex secta), Juncus edgariae, watercress (Nasturtium microphyllum), common duckweed (Lemna minor), Ranunculus glabrifolius, water forget-me-not (Myosotis sp.) and bog stitchwort (Stellaria alsine). ⁷⁹
  
  
• None of the plant species recorded as being present are classified as nationally threatened or uncommon, or regionally uncommon or threatened. ⁷⁹
  
  
• Native bird species recorded at the wetland include the Banded Dotterel (Charadrius bicinctus bicinctus) which is classified as in ‘Gradual Decline’, Grey Duck (Anas superciliosa) which is classified as in ‘Serious Decline’, New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae), Grey Warbler (Gerygone igata), Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus finschi), Pied Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), Grey/New Zealand Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa), Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata). Exotic species include Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), California Quail (Callipepla californica brunnescens), Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and Blackbird (Turdus merula). ⁷⁹
  
  
• Fish species present include koaro (Galaxias brevipinnis) a native galaxiid species, brown trout (Salmo trutta) and the common bully/pako (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) has also been recorded. ⁷⁹
  
  
• Water quality is very high, indicated by the high number of pollution sensitive EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera). ⁷⁹

References:

⁵¹ Otago Regional Council – Photo Archive.

⁷⁹ Otago Regional Council (2004) Regional Plan: Water for Otago. Published by the Otago Regional Council, Dunedin.

Aerial View of Little Stoney Bog (February 2006)

Little Stoney Bog (2008) ⁵¹