The demographics of Point Chevalier in New Zealand have long been in flux. Originally home to a small number of Māri settlements due to the lava formation of Meola Reef to the east of the peninsula, European colonization rapidly expanded the region and the area became strategically important as a military encampment securing the main route south. In the years after World War II, the beach became a popular weekend destination for middle-class families from Auckland’s Central Business District and the predominantly rural area was redeveloped. The demographics shifted again in 1959 after the completion of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, making north-bound travel accessible to a newly mobile population. As a result, once-thriving businesses at Point Chevalier Beach became deserted. And, as they closed, shop owners and
