Manly, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Manly Sydney, New South Wales
Manly Cove Beach
Postcode(s)	2095
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Area	5.6 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Location	17 km (11 mi) north-east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Northern Beaches Council
State electorate(s)	Manly
Federal Division(s)	Warringah
Suburbs around Manly: Manly Vale North Manly Fairlight Manly Pacific Ocean North Harbour North Head

Manly is a fun beach-side suburb in northern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 17 kilometers (11 miles) north-east of the main city area. Manly is known as a popular place for tourists. This is because it has beautiful beaches on the Pacific Ocean and is easy to reach by ferry.

History of Manly

Manly Cove, showing the ferry terminal in the past

Manly got its name from Captain Arthur Phillip. He named it after the Indigenous people he met there. He said their "confidence and manly behaviour" made him choose the name "Manly Cove". These people were from the Kay-ye-my clan, part of the Dharug-speaking Gayemaygal group.

When Captain Phillip was looking for fresh water, he met members of the clan. After an event where someone was taken, one of the clan members threw a spear at Phillip's shoulder. This was a punishment ritual. Phillip told his men not to fight back.

Later, the Aboriginal men were eating whale meat at Manly Cove. Captain Nepean and others saw them. Bennelong and Colebee, two Aboriginal men, talked to them. They even put large pieces of whale meat in the boat for Governor Phillip.

When Governor Phillip arrived, he had a friendly chat with Bennelong and Colebee. Then, an older Aboriginal man appeared with a spear. Governor Phillip tried to show he was friendly, but the man threw the spear. It hit Phillip in the shoulder. Everyone was confused, and the spear made it hard for Phillip to move. He was taken back to Port Jackson.

In the 1850s, Henry Gilbert Smith wanted Manly to be a seaside resort. He bought a lot of land. In 1855, Smith built a wharf on the harbor side of Manly. He also got involved in ferry services to help sell his land.

The harbor side of Manly in the late 1880s

By 1873, Smith sold his ferry business. The famous Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company took over. They created the well-known saying: "Seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles from care." This helped promote their ferry service. The company also built fun places like a large ocean pool and the Manly Fun Pier. Today, the ferry service is part of Sydney Ferries.

In 1885, a "Little Boy from Manly" sent money to help Australian soldiers going to Sudan. This became a symbol of patriotism.

North Beach Estate, Manly, 1910, showing a plan for selling land

In the 1800s and early 1900s, Manly was a very popular holiday spot. Manly Beach is famous for being the first place in Australia where people challenged rules about swimming in the ocean during the day. In 1902, William Gocher swam at midday in a special neck-to-knee swimsuit. He was ignored at first, but when he swam again, police escorted him out. No charges were laid. In 1903, Manly Council allowed all-day swimming if people wore proper swimsuits.

Sadly, 17 people drowned at Manly Beach in 1903. Because of this, a surf club was started a year later to keep people safe. Manly Life Saving Club is one of the world's first surf life saving clubs.

In 1934, George Robey started the Australian Air League in Manly. There has been a group in Manly ever since. In 1937, Manly Town Hall opened.

In 1973, people in Eastern Hill, Manly, asked for a "green ban" on building two tall towers. This meant workers would not build them. The community then worked together to plan for the area's future.

Heritage-Listed Places in Manly

Manly has several places that are important for their history and are protected:

• 151 Darley Road: St Patrick's Seminary
• North Head Scenic Drive: North Head Quarantine Station
• Sydney Road: Ivanhoe Park cultural landscape
• West Esplanade: Manly Cove Pavilion
• West Esplanade: Manly ferry wharf
• 34a-36 Whistler Street: Manly Substation

Climate in Manly

Manly has a warm climate with hot summers and mild winters. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.

Manly's Beaches

Manly Beach

Views over West Manly Cove Beach, the ocean pool, and Manly Wharf

Manly is famous for its many beautiful beaches. On the ocean side, there is a long sandy stretch from Queenscliff to South Steyne. After that, you'll find rock pools and beaches like Fairy Bower and Shelly Beach.

On the harbor side of Manly, there are also several beaches. These include Collins Beach, Store Beach, and Little Manly. Tall Norfolk Island pine trees are a symbol of Manly. You can see them along both the ocean and harbor beaches.

In 2012, the 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) stretch between Freshwater Beach and Shelly Beach was named the "Manly - Freshwater World Surfing Reserve". This means it's a special place for surfing. World surfing champion Kelly Slater helped dedicate the reserve.

Manly's Shopping and Dining Area

Manly beach and Seaworld

The main shopping and dining area in Manly is called The Corso. It runs from the ferry wharf on the harbor side to Manly Beach on the ocean side. Part of The Corso is a mall where you can enjoy outdoor dining at cafes and restaurants. There are also many cafes and restaurants on the streets near the ocean and harbor.

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  St Patrick's Seminary, now used for other purposes

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  The Corso

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  Manly Town Hall

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  Ilchester terraced houses on East Esplanade

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  St Mary's Catholic Church

Did you know that parts of the movie The Great Gatsby (2013) were filmed in Manly? St Patrick's Seminary was used as Jay Gatsby's big mansion. They even had to remove palm trees digitally to make it look like the Eastern United States where the story is set.

People Living in Manly (Demographics)

In 2021, there were 16,296 people living in Manly. Most residents (55.2%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces include England (11.7%), New Zealand (3.2%), and the United States of America (2.9%).

Most people (79.6%) speak only English at home. Other languages spoken include Spanish, French, and Portuguese. When asked about religion, many people said they had no religion (51.1%). Others were Catholic (20.6%) or Anglican (11.6%).

Getting Around Manly (Transport)

Manly wharf in 1941 with the ferry SS Dee Why docked

Manly wharf

You can get to Manly by ferry from Manly wharf. There are also bus services to Sydney city and other suburbs. The Manly Ferry ride takes about 30 minutes. It offers amazing views of Sydney Harbour, national parks, and famous landmarks like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The ferry service used to say Manly was "seven miles from Sydney, and a thousand miles from care."

There's also a faster ferry called the Manly Fast Ferry. It can get you to Circular Quay in about 18 minutes. In the past, there were even faster hydrofoil and JetCat services.

Homes in Manly (Housing)

Manly is a very popular place to live because of its relaxed lifestyle, beaches, and closeness to Sydney city. This means that house prices in Manly are among the highest in Australia. The nearby suburb of Seaforth is also very wealthy.

Schools and Churches in Manly

The old Catholic seminary building on Darley Road is now The International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS). This college teaches business, tourism, hospitality, and more. It works with Macquarie University and has students from many countries. Many weddings are also held here, including Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's!

Next to it is the Archbishop's House, also called the Cardinal's Palace. This old building was designed in the 1880s and is a great example of Victorian Gothic Revival style.

The Presbyterian Church on Raglan Street is another important building. It was built in 1892.

The local public school is "Manly Village Public School" for kids from Kindergarten to Year 6. It's very close to Manly Beach.

For high school, boys can go to St Pauls College. There's also Manly Selective Campus in the next suburb, Curl Curl, which is a selective high school for Years 7 to 12.

Fun Things to Do in Manly (Recreation)

Calm water on the harbor side of Manly

Manly has Sydney Harbour on its western side. Here you'll find calm water, the ferry wharf, a swimming area, and sailing clubs. About 300 meters (980 feet) to the east is the Pacific Ocean and Manly Beach. There are also over 20 kilometers (12 miles) of bike tracks to explore.

The Manly International Jazz Festival is a big music event. It happens every October long weekend. You can enjoy free jazz performances all day long. The TV show Out of the Blue was also set in Manly.

Sports in Manly

The National Rugby League team, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, is very famous in the area. They play their home games at Brookvale Oval. They are known for reaching many Grand Finals and winning at least one in each decade from the 1970s to the 2010s! Their fans are known for not liking to cross the Spit Bridge.

Other sports teams include the Manly RUFC (rugby union) and Manly United Football Club (soccer). The Manly Warringah District Cricket Club represents the Northern Beaches in cricket. Manly RUFC and the cricket club play at Manly Oval, while Manly United plays at Cromer Park.

Manly's Culture

Many books have been written about Manly. It has also been featured in stories. In 1987, Lesley Thomson wrote Seven Miles From Sydney, a thriller set on Shelly Beach.

The music video for Redfoo's song "Let's Get Ridiculous" was filmed on The Corso.

Manly is a sister city with Bath, England.

Famous People from Manly

Many well-known people have lived in Manly, including:

• Layne Beachley, a 7-time world surfing champion
• Gladys Berejiklian, a former Premier of New South Wales (a state leader)
• Boy Charlton, an Olympic swimmer
• Roden Cutler, a former NSW Governor and war hero
• Jamie Durie, a television host
• Flume, a musician
• Thomas Keneally, an author who won the Booker Prize
• Zali Steggall, a politician and former Olympic skier
• Jack Thompson, a famous actor

Sister Cities

• Huntington Beach, United States (unofficial)
• Bath, England

See also

In Spanish: Manly para niños