A lakeside motel serves as a fishing lodge. The lake has plentiful brown trout. In recent years quinnat salmon (presently protected) have been re-establishing themselves here. The lake’s access to the sea is a good source of whitebait.
A section of the old Haast-Paringa cattle track may be walked from here, a track that began as a Maori trail and was upgraded for cattle-droving in 1875. Perhaps 50,000 cattle made the journey before road development rendered the track redundant in 1961. About 10 hrs of tramping is involved. There are several huts. The track rejoins Highway 6 at the Waita rivermouth. Leaflet available locally.