It is located 12 km (7.5 mi) east of Eltham.

[2] The 230 ha (570 acres) Scenic Reserve, in the Tangahoe catchment, is the country's largest wetland and lake habitat inside a predator proof fence.

It is administered by South Taranaki District Council and Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust.

Species in the Reserve include raupō, flax, purei, makura, pukatea, kahikatea, coprosma, swamp maire, water millet, jointed baumea, Australasian bittern, spotless crake, fernbird, gold striped gecko, banded kōkopu, koura, and short and long-finned eel.

[2] A number of bird species have been reintroduced into the reserve: