In a study of the benthic macroinverte‐brates of 7 small high‐country lakes, 33 species were recorded, with an average of 20.4 species per lake. Groups present in large numbers included oligochaete worms, chironomids, mites, gastropods, and bivalves, with the dominant species typically including most or all of the following:Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Aulodrilus pleuriseta, Macropelopiaspp.,Chironomus zealandicus, Chironomussp. a.,Potamopyrgus antipodarum,andSphaerium novaezealandiae.These dominants are similar to those reported from other New Zealand lakes of varied trophic status, this making any designation of trophic state indicators impractical. The distribution and abundance of a few species, particularlyLumbriculus variegatusandLimnodrilus hoffmeis‐teri,correlate with some of the sedimentary parameters measured. Standing crops are large, for example 6761 individuals per m2, 22.93 g m‐2wet weight and 5.60 g m‐2dry weight were found in Lake Grasmere. The relative order in standing crops, viz: Grasmere > Pearson >> Marymere > Lyndon > Sarah > Hawdon >>Letitia, is not consistent with the trophic state order of the lakes. It is suggested that benthic production in the Cass lakes is influenced by the differing supply of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter and by the relative shallowness of the lakes.