McElwee made contributions to Taupō local history. She lived in Acacia Bay for nearly 50 years and was a member of the Acacia Bay Residents Association. She coordinated the Acacia Bay History Project, initiated in 2011. In 2013, she wrote Tribute to Western Bay, Lake Taupō (illustrated by John Parsons). The book described the Western Bay of Lake Taupō, including the development of the Kinloch settlement by former prime minister Keith Holyoake. McElwee had a lifelong interest in horse racing, and in 2015 she was commissioned by the Taupō Racing Club to write Winning Against the Odds, a history of the club from its foundation in 1965 to 2015.
