Whanau have held a vigil outside the scene of yesterday's Waitarere Beach shooting

A 60-year-old man's dead, and a woman and two men are critically injured, one a teen.

The man's understood to be farmer Ben Timmins, a former soldier.

Herald reporter Mike Scott says police are on guard - with the body still to be removed.

He says neighbours have helped look after the family's horses, and whanau have said a karakia in the rain.

Scott says three cars of family members arrived, and they've been standing on the berm under umbrellas and tarps.