Northern Beaches facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northern Beaches New South Wales
Long Reef (bottom), to Palm Beach, the northern half of Sydney's Northern Beaches
Map of Northern Beaches region
Population	252,878 (2016 census)
LGA(s)	Northern Beaches Council
State electorate(s)	Davidson Manly Pittwater Wakehurst
Federal Division(s)	Mackellar Warringah
Localities around Northern Beaches: Central Coast Central Coast Tasman Sea Forest District Northern Beaches Tasman Sea North Shore North Shore Tasman Sea

The Northern Beaches is a beautiful coastal area in Sydney, Australia. It is located in the state of New South Wales, right next to the Pacific Ocean. This region stretches from Port Jackson (also known as Sydney Harbour) in the south, to Middle Harbour in the west, and up to Broken Bay in the north.

Long ago, the Garigal or Caregal people lived here. This area was part of their traditional land, known as Guringai country. Today, the Northern Beaches area is managed by the Northern Beaches Council. This council was created in May 2016. It brought together three older councils: Warringah, Manly, and Pittwater.

History of the Northern Beaches

Early Times and First People

The Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse in Palm Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

The first people to live on the land now called the Northern Beaches were the Kuringgai people. They were part of the Eora nation. Sadly, many Kuringgai people disappeared from this area. This happened mostly because of a smallpox outbreak in 1789.

You can still find signs of their lives here. There are many rock etchings in Kuring-gai Chase National Park. This park is next to the north-western side of the Northern Beaches.

European Settlement and Growth

Europeans explored the Northern Beaches area very early on. This was just a few weeks after the First Fleet arrived in Sydney. However, for most of the 1800s and early 1900s, it remained a rural place. There were only small towns in the valleys between the headlands.

Even though it was close to Sydney city, getting there by land was a long trip. It was more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) if you took Mona Vale Road.

Urban growth was slow until the 1960s. Then, development sped up. This was because roads improved and people's living standards increased.

Council Changes and Modern Times

In 1906, the Warringah Shire council was formed. It covered a large area from Broken Bay in the north to Manly Lagoon in the south. It also went west to Middle Harbour Creek and Cowan Creek.

Over time, some people in the northern part of Warringah Shire felt ignored. This area was called "A Riding" and made up over 40% of Warringah's land. They felt that new developments and rules were not right for their area.

In 1991, people in "A Riding" voted on whether to separate. Most people who voted (73.5%) wanted to separate. However, not enough people voted overall for it to happen.

The Northern Beaches region was often split into two parts. The "Lower Northern Beaches" was the southern end. The "Upper Northern Beaches" was the northern end, from North Narrabeen to Palm Beach.

In 2016, the government decided to combine the councils. The Manly, Warringah, and Pittwater councils became the Northern Beaches Council. This change happened on May 12, 2016.

Today, the Northern Beaches is a key part of Sydney. However, it still feels a bit separate from other Sydney areas. The "Forest District" is an unofficial part of the Northern Beaches. It includes suburbs between Ingleside and the Upper North Shore.

Suburbs and Localities

Suburbs of the Northern Beaches

The Northern Beaches district includes many suburbs. Here are some of them:

Localities of the Northern Beaches

These are smaller places within the Northern Beaches district:

• Bantry Bay
• Careel Bay

Schools in the Northern Beaches

The Northern Beaches has many schools for students of all ages.

Primary Schools

High Schools

K-12 Schools

These schools offer classes from Kindergarten all the way to Year 12.

International Schools

Former Schools

Transport Options

The Manly ferry wharf, a busy transport hub.

Most public transport in the Northern Beaches is by bus. There are major bus stops at Pittwater Road in Brookvale, Dee Why, Mona Vale, and Manly Wharf. Buses connect to train stations like Chatswood and North Sydney. These stations are on the North Shore line.

The B-Line is a special bus service. It travels from Mona Vale to Wynyard in the city. It stops at places like Warriewood, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly Vale, Spit Junction, and Neutral Bay.

You can also take a ferry from Manly to Circular Quay. These ferry services are run by Sydney Ferries. There is also a faster, privately-run ferry called the Manly Fast Ferry.

For air travel, the Palm Beach Water Airport is located in Palm Beach.

Sports Teams

The Northern Beaches is home to several well-known sports teams:

• The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles play rugby league. They are part of the National Rugby League and play at Brookvale Oval.
• Other rugby union teams include the North Harbour Rays, Manly RUFC, and Warringah Rugby Club.
• The Manly Warringah District Cricket Club plays cricket.
• The Manly United FC is a soccer team.