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As public consultation opens on the future management of Ōrewa Reserve, Hibiscus Coast residents have received significant support from the surf club in their call for Auckland Council to consider more than just dune restoration.
The Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Club has backed the Ōrewa Reserve Community Association’s (ORCA) campaign to include engineered protection options, such as a seawall.
Currently, Council is presenting only variations of dune restoration as an option for the consultation, focusing on rebuilding sand dunes and planting native vegetation to manage erosion naturally.
However, this approach has faced opposition from (ORCA), which argues that the dune restoration alone will not adequately protect valuable community assets. ORCA is campaigning for Council to include an engineered protection option, specifically a seawall, in the consultation process (HM, April 7, 2025).
Ōrewa Beach is one of Auckland’s most popular coastal areas, attracting thousands each year for swimming, recreation and community events. At the heart of the reserve, the surf club is planning a major redevelopment to better support its surf lifesaving operations and community education programmes.
The club says preserving the reserve is essential, due to its practical value and central role in the community’s life. The club has urged Council to consider alternate options, including a possible seawall, to ensure the reserve remains functional for future generations.
Chairperson Jon Copeland says they are also concerned that the health and safety of beachgoers has not been fully considered in the proposed options, and the surf club has not been consulted through the process as guardians of the beach.
Also, they are worried the loss of car parks and shade areas proposed under the current options will push beachgoers towards the more dangerous southern end of the beach, putting people’s lives at risk, he said.
ORCA argues that Council’s option of managed retreat, which will see about six metres of the reserve become dunes, means that it would be difficult to stage major events on the reserve once they are in place such as Hot Rodders, Surf Sounds and the recent Rowing NZ Beach Sprint championships
The Ministry for the Environment defines managed retreat as “moving homes, businesses, sites of cultural significance or taonga out of harm’s way in a carefully planned process”.
This protection approach focuses on defending the existing shoreline position for as long as feasible. Protective measures often involve building hard structures (such as seawalls, rock revetments, or stop banks) or using soft engineering (such as beach nourishment or dune rebuilding) to buffer the coast. The goal is to protect assets in place, for example, with seawalls to hold back the sea or using restored sand dunes.
The managed retreat versus protection strategy is not unique to Orewa; the Kumeū community faces a similar dilemma. After repeated flooding events, including significant floods in 2021 and twice in 2023, local leaders and residents are advocating for a managed retreat strategy.
Council’s Healthy Waters division assessed various flood mitigation options, such as constructing a $163 million dam, extending the floodway, or diverting the river. However, each option was deemed either financially unfeasible or posed significant risks. Consequently, Councillor Greg Sayers and members of the community have suggested relocating the town centre to higher ground as a more viable long-term solution.
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) recommends a flexible approach known as Dynamic Adaptive Pathways Planning (DAPP) for coastal communities facing climate change. This method emphasises planning for multiple future scenarios rather than relying on a single solution.
Under DAPP, communities set out different responses to erosion or flooding risks, adapting their plans over time as conditions change, with decisions triggered by specific environmental indicators or thresholds.
Council’s dune restoration proposal for Ōrewa Reserve broadly reflects the adaptive principles of DAPP, aiming to create natural buffers that can respond to rising sea levels. However, community groups such as ORCA argue that by excluding engineered options like a seawall from the consultation, Council may not fully align with DAPP guidelines, which strongly advocates for inclusive community engagement and consideration of a wide range of practical solutions.
In its 2024 Climate Change and Guidance document, MfE states, “Engagement with communities, iwi and affected people is at the heart of local government decision-making. For this to be effective, communities must have enough information to understand the range of scenarios and the increasing risks posed by climate change over time.”
The consultation for the Orewa Reserve Future Management option is open until May 9 https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/orewa-reserve
