[8] A shed, a hut and a passing loop remain at the site of the station.

[9] Fergus and Blair of Dunedin had the contract for building the Manakau to Ōtaki section.

[10] Manakau was opened as a flag station by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company on Monday 2 August 1886, when trains started to run between Longburn and Ōtaki.

Further improvements were made in 1909, so that by 1911 there was a shelter shed, platform, cart approach, 25 ft (7.6 m) by 13 ft (4.0 m) goods shed, loading bank, cattle and sheep yards and a passing loop for 51 wagons (extended to 90 wagons in the 1940s).

[14] From 20 October 1967 staff were withdrawn and Manakau became an unattended flag station.