Lake Māhinapua is one of the finest spots around Hokitika for a day out or a quiet afternoon.
The scenic reserve was gazetted in 1907 and provides a forested margin around the lake. The lake was once a coastal lagoon, but with the build up of coastal dune systems, became a shallow inland lake.
Black swans, grey and mallard ducks are all common on the lake, while the rare bittern and seasonal white herons can occasionally be seen. Flax and rushes dominate the vegetation on the lake edge providing sheltered sites for swans and the ducks to breed. The shy fern bird can also at times be heard and sometimes seen flitting amongst these swampy wetland areas.
The surrounding bush is a mix of podocarps and hardwood species such as miro, matai, totara, rimu and kahikatea closer to the lake, with sub-canopy species such as kamahi, mahoe and quintinia being common. These tree species provide an important seasonal food supply for some of the birds found here; parakeets, tui, bellbird, pigeon.
