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

A very short track from the stile takes you to the dune edge and views of the beach and sea. DOC and community groups are slowly replanting forest and coastal species in the area.

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 Hāpūpū, and another 6 km away is the township of Kaiangaroa.

The dune edge is eroding rapidly so care should be taken accessing the beach itself.