The Shelly Beach Community is quietly developing into a vibrant small township, home to many diverse families, young and old. On any day of the week, families and friends enjoy the beautiful beach surroundings and the warm and friendly community vibe. Just ask the many boaties and fishers who use the fabulous wharf, the children playing on the magnificent foreshore playground, and the inquisitive tourists who make their way down Shelly Beach Road to see the brilliance of Kaipara Harbour. There is more to Shelly Beach than you know!
A small band of volunteers is working behind the scenes to support and empower the local residents of Shelly Beach to solve some of their shared problems, foster greater social connection, and improve community wellbeing. The Shelly Beach Community Committee was originally established in 2024 in response to local residents’ concerns regarding the illegal camping on the foreshore and the closure of the Shelly Beach Café: two issues that continue to plague the community regardless of the endless work behind the scenes.
Although a smaller community in the Rodney Local Board area, the Shelly Beach Community is embracing the opportunity to receive equitable outcomes for residents. The Committee has identified that their small rural community must receive tailored support, not big, urban‑scaled model solutions that do not work in their smaller context. For instance, the persistent illegal camping in Shelly Beach has created ongoing safety, environmental, and community wellbeing impacts. Ideally, a dedicated seasonal compliance presence from 7pm–7am and consistent signage would align with the Local Board Plan’s goals for safe public spaces, climate‑resilient environments, and equitable service delivery for rural communities.
As this would be a community‑led initiative, having a local Shelly Beach resident trained and employed to undertake this community role would provide significant advantages. A local compliance officer would have the knowledge of patterns, hotspots, and behaviours that external wardens do not possess. They could immediately respond and reduce delays that currently allow illegal camping to escalate. A local employee would be directly invested in the wellbeing of the area.
The return of the Shelly Beach Café Building to the community is a huge concern for the local Shelly Beach residents. Ratepayers invested over $300,000 into the Shelly Beach café building, yet it remains locked and inaccessible. The return of the building to community stewardship under a formal agreement would be the best solution, delivering an equitable outcome for locals. Shelly Beach has no community hub, and a dedicated facility would mean members of the Shelly Beach Community could organise and deliver the types of community‑led initiatives they aspire to for the growth and wellbeing of residents.