Manly, New South Wales

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Manly Beach

Manly is a suburb in Local Government Area of Manly Council on Northern Beaches of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

It is most notable for its beaches, which are popular tourist destinations, and during the 19th and early 20th century Manly was one of Australia's most popular seaside holiday resorts. Norfolk Island pine trees are also symbollic of Manly and are a prominent feature of both the ocean and harbour-side beaches.

Manly was named by Capt. Arthur Phillip for the indigenous people living there, "their confidence and manly behaviour made me give the name of Manly Cove to this place".^[1] These men were of the Kay-ye-my clan. While scouting for fresh water in the area, Phillip encountered members of the clan on Manly Beach and after a misunderstanding he was speared in the shoulder by one of the clan; to his lasting credit, the progressively-minded Phillip ordered his men not to retaliate.

Manly Ferry

Transport services to Manly include an efficient Ferry service from Manly Wharf, and bus services to the city and other suburbs. The Manly Ferry provides a relaxed journey taking 30 minutes and allows for scenic views of Sydney Harbour, surrounding national parks and Sydney icons including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. A faster "JetCat" service taking 15 minutes also operates between Manly and Sydney city. The ferry service once advertised Manly as "seven miles from Sydney, and a thousand miles from care".

High-rise buildings and apartments now line the foreshore; a testament to both the high popularity of the area and the compliance of the local council to the whims of developers. Since the 1970s and the "Conserve Manly" local political party, high-rise development has been drastically limited and most new beachfront developments are no more than three or four stories in height. The relaxed lifestyle, beaches and promiximity to Sydney city have led to Manly's real estate prices being amongst the highest in Australia.

Manly Beach, view from Fairy Bower

Manly is blessed by having Sydney Harbour on its western side with calm water, ferry wharf, swimming area, aquarium, sailing and yacht clubs. Yet a short 300 metre walk down The Corso lined by shops to the eastern side is the Pacific Ocean and the famous Manly Beach. Manly also has the rugby league team, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

This alignment of the Corso allows Manly to host the Manly International Jazz Festival, Australia's largest community based jazz festival, during the October long weekend public holiday, with various stages hosting continuous free public performances from mid-day until sundown.

Manly has Sister City relationships with a number of other cities, the most active of which is Taito, Tokyo, Japan. In addition, Manly has a strong "friendship city" relationship with Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. Annual goodwill tours between the cities take place, as well as a popular student exchange program for secondary students.

In recent years, Manly has become a popular destination for international students studying English, and several English language colleges offer a range of study options.

A sign outlining Manly's Aborignal heritage.

A former Catholic semenary at St Patricks Estate on North Head now operates as a tourism and business college that attracts international students from many countries.