Manawatū Estuary, Nature reserve in Horowhenua District, New Zealand.

The Manawatū Estuary is a 250-hectare estuary at the mouth of the Manawatū River, near Foxton Beach in the lower North Island. It is the largest estuary in the lower North Island, with sand and mud banks exposed and covered by the tide.

In 2005, the estuary gained international recognition when it was designated as a Ramsar Wetland site, acknowledging its role in supporting global wildlife. This official status created a framework for managing and protecting the waters and surrounding lands.

The estuary lies at the mouth of the Manawatū River near Foxton Beach, and its Māori name is used for both the river and the surrounding district. The wetland is one of seven Ramsar sites in New Zealand, a status it gained in 2005, and it is the largest estuary in the lower North Island at about 250 hectares.

You can enter the reserve from Holben Parade, where parking and picnic areas are provided near the start of walking paths. The trails wind through different zones of the estuary, with conditions that change throughout the day as the tides shift.

The estuary has recorded 93 bird species. In spring, bar-tailed godwits, red knots, Pacific golden plovers, Japanese snipes, wandering tattlers and whimbrels arrive for the summer. The godwits are the species most often named, but the estuary's list is far broader than one migrant.