The Famous Manly

As you can see, Manly is famous for its' beaches and its' warm and friendly people.

Location

Manly is Sydney's original seaside resort. Only minutes from Australia's largest city, Manly (known for decades as one of Australia's greatest surfing beaches), combines the relaxed atmosphere of a holiday resort with the cosmopolitan feel of a major destination.

Manly is a peninsula, bounded by the sea on three sides. There are 18 beaches, coves and inlets to swim, sail in and enjoy, including Ocean Beach, Shelly Beach, Little Manly and Fairlight. On the narrow strip of land between the harbour and the ocean, known by locals as 'the Village', is the Corso, Manly's famous pedestrian plaza. Shopping here - and elsewhere in Manly- is easy and it's fun. Only five minutes away by public transport is one of Sydney's largest shopping mails, Warringah Mall. At weekends and on public holidays explore the outdoor Arts and Craft Market on the oceanfront esplanade featuring entirely hand crafted items.

Shopping here - and elsewhere in Manly, is easy and fun.

Attractions

Sydney's seaside resort is full of attractions and exciting activities, including Oceanworld Manly, featuring Australia's largest collection of marine life and the city's largest sharks! In addition, Oceanworld features living coral from the Great Barrier Reef, hand feeding of sharks and giant sting-rays, plus seal shows and an emphasis on educational tours and talks on the marine environment. Just behind Oceanworld is the Manly Waterworks where kids (and adults) can enjoy giant slides during the summer months. Recreational activities include swimming, tennis, golf, volleyball, roller blades, scenic and historical walks, parasailing, scuba diving and fishing. Manly is the gateway to the scenic beauty of the northern beaches.

Conference facilities

Manly offers a perfect combination for business conference delegates, resort style locations with the benefit of being only 15 minutes away from Australia's biggest city commercial district, Sydney. Quality conference facilities are offered by properties such as the Radisson Kestrel a personalised boutique hotel, the Manly Waterfront Apartment Hotel, the Hotel Windsor, the Manly Pacific Parkroyal, the largest of Manly's hotels, the Grande Esplanade Apartments and the unique historical Quarantine Station, located in the North Head National Park area with spectacular views of the entrance to Sydney harbour.

Cultural and Historical

The Manly Art Gallery and Museum entertains and informs visitors with a changing programme of exhibitions as well as an important permanent collection of paintings and pottery. A number of other Art, Antique and Potters Galleries provide exhibitions of a wide range of quality Australian work. A modern library is located in the centre of Manly.

At nearby North Head you can take a journey through history at the intriguing Quarantine Station whilst enjoying spectacular views of Sydney Harbour. Daily tours can be pre booked, with the evening Ghost Tour a must. The North Fort Artillery Museum, also at North Head, has a collection of guns used in the defence of Australia over the past 200 years. Tours of a subterranean network of tunnels allow visitors to experience life in a fortress system. The Historical and Scenic walks provide an insight into the history of Manly and the surrounding spectacular coastal and Aboriginal sites. The Manly to Spit Bridge Walkway is one of the most scenic harbour walking tracks in the world. Encompassing panoramic views of the majestic Sydney Harbour, it contains native bushland which has changed little since the first fleet of British ships arrived in 1788.The Manly Heritage Walk will guide you through the heart of Manly and its varied history.

Educational

Manly also provides an internationally recognised English language College which provide practical and enjoyable courses to thousands of students from around the world. The Australian College of English is one of the oldest and largest independent English language colleges in Australia. The Waratah Education Centre is a cosmopolitan education centre also attracting students from many overseas countries offering a complete education package for students seeking an international education. The highly regarded International College of Tourism and Hotel Management, located within historical buildings surrounded by twenty hectares of native bushland and parks, Sydney's glorious harbour and Manly's famous beaches, offers a two year diploma programme in hotel management in consultation with Hotelconsult " Cesar Ritz " Switzerland.

Manly Wharf

In 1854 the 'founder' of Manly, Henry Gilbert Smith, built a 50 ft pier from which the first regular Manly Ferry service began operating. One hundred and fifty years later Manly Wharf remains the focal point for harbour commuters and tourists alike. Manly Wharf comprises a waterfront retail and entertainment complex situated over two levels and occupying a premier position which encompasses the Manly Ferry and Jetcat terminals. Manly Wharf Shopping Fair includes superb restaurants and an international Food Court plus the Boardwalk Bar. The range of shops includes specially fashion and beach gear, novelty and souvenir stores and a subterranean hi-tech games parlour Paraflying and boat rides operate from beside a modern ferris wheel and fully restored carousel outside. The Wharf is a Manly 'must see'.

Recreational Activities

Aquatic sports abound in Manly - swimming, surfing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, fishing, boating and parasailing. Hiring a bike and using the cycleways is a great alternative for taking in the sights. The Manly East-West Cycleway provides cyclists, joggers and walkers with a pleasant way to exercise and enjoy the beautiful surroundings between the Manly Visitors Information Bureau on the oceanfront and the nearby suburb of Seaforth.

All sorts of recreation and sporting gear is available for hire. Rollerblading is an extremely popular past time in Manly where there is easy access to kilometres of smooth skating and for those not yet acquainted with this sport, lessons are available. Golf and tennis facilities provide opportunities to meet people as well as improve your fitness level.Numerous Parks and Reserves in Manly provide visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a variety of short walks or more extensive coastal and harbour foreshore walks.The Manly to Spit Bridge walk is one of the most scenic harbour walking tracks in the world - almost 1 Okm long and a fascinating 3 to 4 hour walk, at a steady pace. The Heart of Manly Heritage Walk guides you through the history of Manly discovering Heritage plaques and identifying places of special interest.

Special Events

Manly hosts several major festivals throughout the year:

* The Manly Summer Festival ( December to March ).
* The Manly Arts Festival. ( end September through to the end of October )
* The Manly Food and Wine Festival ( the first weekend in June ).
* The Manly International Jazz Festival ( October Labour Day weekend ) Australia's largest, longest-running community based jazz festival.

Manly ocean beach is a spectacular setting for annual sporting events such as 'Ironman' competitions, Cycle Classics, surf lifesaving carnivals, as well as beach volleyball and swimming tournaments.

Transport

Manly is highly accessible by public transport.

The famous Manly Ferries are part of Australia's social history:- no visit to Sydney is complete without a return journey across spectacular Port Jackson harbour on either a ferry from Pier 3 Circular Quay lasting 30 minutes.

Also departing from Circular Quay is the high-speed JetCat from Pier 2, taking only 15 minutes to reach Manly. Bus travel or private vehicle from the Sydney Commercial business district across the Harbour Bridge is an enjoyable alternative.The Manly Airport Bus provides an economical way to and from both the domestic and international Sydney airport terminals.

Restaurants