This research seeks to conclude whether the Tay Street Surf Reef, located in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, has had a social impact on the Mount Maunganui community through beach and traffic observations and secondary data sources. The surf reef was established in 2002 as the first artificial surf reef in New Zealand. The reef was granted resource consent for two purposes, one being a "research reef” and to date has provided research material for theses, dissertations and other academic research publications. The second purpose of the reef was to enhance the existing surf break at the Tay Street beach. Within the limitations of this research, it was found that while the concept could have been advantageous, the established surf reef has had a negative social impact on the Mount Maunganui community.