Shelly Beach Reserve is located on a coastal headland in Cabbage Tree Bay adjacent to Shelly and Manly Beaches. The aquatic area within Cabbage Tree Bay is a listed Aquatic Reserve.

Vegetation

The vegetation is primarily coastal heath with dominant species including Banksia integrifolia, Glochidion ferdinandi, Acmena smithii, Westringia fruticosa, Lomandra longifolia and Imperata cylindrica.

Fauna

The reserve supports areas of very dense heath and thick understory vegetation that provides good nesting habitat for many birds species and small mammals. The large figs on the slope near the beach provide foraging resources for bats, birds and possums. The rocky outcrops and cliffs, logs and leaf litter provide habitat for a colony of Eastern Water Dragons.