largest natural freshwater lake in Australia, lying on Tasmania's Central Plateau at an elevation of 3,398 feet (1,036 m). It has an area of 61 square miles (158 square km), measures 14 miles (22 km) by 7 miles (11 km), and fills a shallow depression averaging 40 feet (12 m) in depth. The lake's original catchment basin of 150 square miles (390 square km) has been expanded to 400 square miles (1,040 square km) by the building of several dams, including the Miena on the Shannon River at its southern outlet. The Great Lake is one of several storage reservoirs in Tasmania harnessed for hydroelectric development. In addition, it provides summer pasture, excellent trout fishing, and other activities for tourists who come from Hobart via the Lake Highway. The lake is within the Central Plateau Conservation Area, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness UNESCO World Heritage site (designated 1982).