Them's the breaks
- Graham Skellern
- Aug 25, 2018
- 1 min read
27 April, 2011
Regional News Editor, NZ Herald
You see them wearing their wetsuits, Converse sneakers too ... but Auckland's surfers have more on their minds than waxing down their boards. They want to save our coastline, reports
Our rolling, salty, foam-flecked waves have plenty of admirers - few more so than Matt Skellern.
Matt is a former coastal consents specialist at Auckland Regional Council. He now works as a consents planner for major projects. He's also a keen surfer.
Living on Auckland's North Shore, he knows as well as most people how badly Auckland has been treating its saline playground: "There are places in Auckland where sewage is piped straight to the sea. That goes back into the surf breaks. Next thing you've got surfers getting sick.
It's great to see surfers like Matt Skellern taking an active role in protecting Auckland's coastline. It's not just about riding the waves for them; they genuinely care about the health of our beaches and marine environments. I found it particularly in
teresting that Matt's background as a coastal consents specialist gives him a unique perspective on the issues facing our shores. It's inspiring to see passion for the ocean translate into advocacy for its preservation.