Construction began in 1963 and the station was fully operational by 1971
The machine hall sits more than 200 metres underground, carved into solid rock beside Lake Manapouri
It remains New Zealand's largest hydroelectric power station by generating capacity
Power travels over 170 kilometres to supply the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter near Bluff
Deep beneath the beech forests on the western shore of Lake Manapouri lies New Zealand's largest hydroelectric power station, and you'd never know it was there. Rather than damming the landscape with a visible dam and power block, engineers in the 1960s blasted a vast machine hall out of solid granite, hiding the entire operation underground to protect the pristine surface scenery of Fiordland National Park.
Construction began in 1963 and took nearly a decade, employing thousands of workers who tunnelled through some of the harshest, wettest terrain in the country. The project became so controversial for its potential to raise lake levels that public opposition sparked New Zealand's first major environmental campaign, the 'Save Manapouri' movement, which succeeded in limiting the scheme's impact.
Today the station generates power almost exclusively for the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter near Bluff, more than 170 kilometres away, via undersea and overland cables. Visitors travelling to Doubtful Sound cross Lake Manapouri by boat and can see the tailrace tunnels and hear about the underground machine hall as part of the journey over Wilmot Pass.
Common questions
Why did they build a power station underground in Fiordland?
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Engineers hid the machine hall over 200 metres below the surface to avoid scarring the visible landscape of Fiordland National Park, a compromise reached after public pressure in the 1960s and 70s. The 'Save Manapouri' campaign that followed became a landmark moment in New Zealand's environmental history.
Can visitors see the Manapouri Power Station?
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Tourists travelling to Doubtful Sound cross Lake Manapouri by boat and pass near the power station's intake and tailrace as they head over Wilmot Pass, with guides explaining the underground machine hall along the way. Some cruise operators also offer a stop at the visitor lookout above the station.
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Queenstown Tourism News Desk · Local updates for travellers, published daily from Queenstown sources. Source: Queenstown Tourism · Published Monday, 27 July 2026
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