The Taylor Range is located in the Hakatere Conservation Park, in mid-Canterbury which is centred around the Ashburton Lakes District between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers. It is one of New Zealands largest Conservation Parks and it covers nearly 60,000 hectares of rugged mountain country, tussocklands, beech forest, sparkling clear rivers and lakes between two mighty rivers the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers.
The landscape is dominated by glacial basins, rolling tussocklands, and kettle lakes, and includes the volcanic features of the Mount Somers area. The park incorporates several discrete blocks:
•Mount Hutt;
•Mount Somers and Woolshed Creek;
•Mount Harper;
•A large block east of Lake Heron, including Mount Taylor, Mount
Somers, Palmer and Black Hill Ranges;
•the Big Hill Range;
•blocks along the Havelock, Clyde, Lawrence, and Rakaia Rivers.
Mount Taylor is 2333 m high, ranks as the 81st highest mountain in Canterbury and the 157th highest mountain in New Zealand. The nearest peaks are Old Man Peak, Mount Catherine, Sugar Loaf, Mount Winterslow, Middle Hill, and Mount Hecla.
Lake Heron is between the Old Man and Mt Taylor ranges to the east, and the Arrowsmith Range to the west. It drains into the Rakaia River. Lakes Clearwater, Camp, Emma and Heron, also located in the Hakatere Park, are known as the Ashburton Lakes.Lake Heron is an important habitat of the endangered southern crested grebe.