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Key facts
- Distance
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 10 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve includes Te Whanga Lagoon, Lakes Wharemanu and Kaimoumi and the beach at Kaiangaroa. A short track to the dunes gives views of the beach and sea.
This DOC directory entry covers Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve Walk in Chatham Islands, within Manauea/Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 10 min
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
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.
Getting there
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.
Know before you go
The dune edge is eroding rapidly so care should be taken accessing the beach itself.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
