Location: Western side of the Miramar headland
View on NZ Topo Map
Getting there: Shelly Bay Road
Suitable for: Secluded rocky coves nearby are good places to picnic and swim
Brief description: Buildings at this former air force base are being used a film props company, a gym, art studios, a cafe, and a venue for functions
Parking: Ample parking at Shelly Bay, some parks below Massey Memorial, but parking can be difficult elsewhere
Toilets and changing facilities: None
Accessibility: Large flat areas of grass and paving
Dogs: Dogs must be kept on a leash
Features: The entrance to Massey Memorial is a few hundred metres to the north, and to the south there is a track to Maupuia Walkway.
History: Shelly Bay is the site of a former air force base long military history began with the construction of the Submarine Mining Depot Barracks 1887. The area was then a navy base from 1907 to 1946, when it was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The air force base closed 1995. In 2009 the land was handed over to Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement.