Image: Jess MacKenzie | DOC
Grassy sand dunes.
Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve

Located in the Chatham Islands region

Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve covers 831 ha of peat dome and wetland at Te Whanga Lagoon. It also extends over the road to Kaiangaroa to include 4 km of coastal dunes.

The northern margin of the Te Whanga Lagoon, Chatham Island.

A sign and cattle stop indicate each end of the reserve on the north road to Kaiangaroa, 12 km from the Wharekauri turn off. Around 2 km into the reserve, a vehicle track to the north takes you to a stile over the fence from which the beach can be accessed. There are good views of the reserve from the elevated roadside. Around 4 km past the reserve, to the right, is the turnoff right to Hapupu, and another 6 km away is the township of Kaiangaroa.

In addition to the peat dome and wetland of the Te Whanga Lagoon, the reseve includes Lakes Wharemanu and Kaimoumi and extends over the road to the coastal dunes of Kaiangaroa. 

A fire in 1994 burnt much of the bamboo rush, Chatham Island aster, fern, shrubland flax and sedgeland but this is recovering well. Akeake forest remnants occur on the drier peat and dune areas.