After riding Te Puke Quarry Road today I found Manoeka Road just out of Te Puke.
The first 2km of Manoeka Road are sealed then another 1.5km of gravel which is much narrower, tighter and undulating. The road ends at a carpark for Otawa Scenic reserve, however a 4wd track continues into the bush from there. A quick google indicates the 4wd track goes about 800 metres to the remains of an old water supply dam.
I rode about 50 metres into the 4wd track which was slippery and had a couple of small mudholes. I stopped at a small river crossing where the track exiting the other side was much rockier and disappeared into the trees.
Going further looks like a @brainflex job on a postie bike.
Stopped at the water crossing
Looking back at where I came in
The ruts would indicate some sort of vehicles come in here regularly
The watercrossing
A closer look at the exist on the other side of the water crossing.
