Manly

Manly is a coastal suburb on a narrow peninsula of the Northern Beaches in New South Wales, Australia, sitting between Sydney Harbour and the open Pacific. The center features a pedestrian thoroughfare called The Corso, which runs from the sheltered harbour beach to the open ocean beach and is lined with shops, cafés and shade trees.

The transformation into a formal residential district happened in 1853 when early European settlers began building permanent homes and businesses. Over the following decades the area grew into a popular day trip destination for Sydney residents who traveled by steamship across the harbour.

The name stems from Governor Arthur Phillip's 1788 observation of the dignified bearing he saw among the local Indigenous people. Today the waterfront promenade fills each morning with joggers, swimmers and surfers who treat the ocean as part of their daily routine.

The best way to arrive from central Sydney is by ferry, which departs multiple times daily and takes around 30 minutes across the harbour. The two main beaches sit within a few minutes' walk of each other, with the harbour beach offering calmer water for families and the ocean beach providing open waves for swimmers and surfers.

The underwater reserves offshore hold large populations of blue gropers that can live up to 40 years and often recognize and follow individual divers. In the shallower zones near the rocks, wobbegong sharks rest between the kelp during the day and hunt at night.

Location: Northern Beaches

Location: New South Wales

Location: Parish of Manly Cove

Inception: 1853

Elevation above the sea: 10 m

Shares border with: Fairlight, Manly Vale, Queenscliff, North Manly

GPS coordinates: -33.79833,151.28444

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:29