Manly walk a coastal bushwalk through a Sydney National Park

Walking  Manly from the Wharf through Sydney Harbour National park

On this walk you will see grand views of the ocean harbour and the city skylines from the northern beaches. Along the way browses the free aboriginal art galleries and spend time admiring the unique sculptures along the path to shelly beach the Sculptures in the rocks. This walk starts at the busy suburban Manly enjoy a stroll through the pedestrian mall until you reach the famous Manly beach then walk along the ocean seaside to Shelly beach then a slow climb across a huge coastal cliff that leads to the heart of the Sydney Harbour national park up to North Head. From North Head, we travel back down into two very small hidden beaches along the coastline of Manly until we reach Manly wharf back at our starting destination.

 

Manly

Manly is located at the northern boundary of Sydney Harbour and bordered by the Pacific Ocean. In 1788, Captain Phillip named it Manly Cove because he was impressed with the manly appearance of the aboriginals he discovered on the beach. The increase popularity of Manly as a beach side Suburb increased after the commencement of a regular ferry service in 1854. Manly has always attracted visitors due to the surfing beaches the national park areas and of course the many scenic attractions.

Manly Wharf

 

Starting our walk From Manly Wharf

Starting and standing in front of the ferry wharf we cross the road at the set of lights to walk along the pedestrian Mall that leads to Manly beach. Past the council building, and past a war memorial dedicated to those soldiers from Manly who served in the armed forces during the Great War.

  Free Aboriginal Art Galleries

On both sides of the pedestrian Mall, there are two little aboriginal art galleries. If you have time to browse, why not stop and view the art collection on display.

 

Manly beach

When we reach Manly beach we turn right and walk along the esplanade to meet the fence and pathway to Shelly beach. In 1877, Manly council formed a beautification committee on their recommendations planting of Norfolk Island pines Moreton Bay fig trees throughout the city of Manly begun. Gilbert Smith started the planting of the pines and there were over 500 hundred trees planted growing and thriving until the 1960s when they started to die due to environmental problems. In 1991, 85 more trees were planted to keep up the beatification project along the oceanfront. 

Volley ball on the beach
 Volley ball has become a favourite sport and past time

for many Sydney siders.  

The waves at Manly

In summer, the waves at Manly beach considered to be among some of the finest waves in the world. International surfing Competitions are an annual part of the surfing scene during summer and attract surfers from all over the globe.

 

 

  Walk to Shelly Beach

It is a very pleasant walk from Manly beach to shelly beach. Along the path, we pass a small swimming pool with an artistic sculpture the shell and the wave sculpture a tribute to the Manly lifesavers from three Manly beaches that carried out 41000 surf rescues up to and before 1988. 

  Sculptures in the rocks

In addition, just before we reach shelly beach we stroll along looking and admiring the sculptures in the rocks artistic sculptures embedded in the wall of stone featuring works that encompasses the local wildlife fauna and activities enjoyed in this little cove. The works of arts include Weedy sea dragon, gloomy octopus, surfing the bower break, long noise Bandicoot.

Shelly beach

Shelly beach situated below a headland that encloses this delightful little bay with its grassy park towards the back and two little stylish café to the side of the water's edge. People, come here to use the barbeques have a picnic swim and lap up the sun on the beautiful yellow sand.

 

View from Shelly Beach

We walk to the far side of shelly beach and up the stone stairs until we reach a viewing point on top of the headland overlooking Manly beach the first of many magnificent panoramas of this beach we will see before we reach North Head.
     

After we have finished admiring the view, we turn and start hiking along the path through the entangled coastal shrub until we reach the car park above shelly beach along this small stretch of road we can view the Pacific Ocean never-ending deep blue all the way to the horizon. Holding back the Pacific Ocean is a massive sandstone cliff we take time out to look and watch the waves smashing and pounding the rocks below. Be for we start our next part of the journey.

The
path
way
leading to the sandstone cliff
 

Need to take care

This next part of the journey can become very difficult for young children and inexperienced walkers. As the path, winds upwards through some large sandstone rocks and more twisted tangled coastline scrub.

 

At the Top of Shelly beach Headland

As we reach the top of the Headland, we are able to see many panoramas of the Manly coast and surrounding waters.

We keep walking along the sanded pathway until we meet the hole in the wall an impressive man-made sandstone wall built-in 1930s to separate Quarantine station from public open space. We walk through the hole in the wall crossing a plateau with stunning views of the northern beaches. It is 800 meters from the hole in the wall until we reach Blue Fish visitor centre. Road along the way there is sign posted tracks leading into the bush indicating the existence of disused gun pits. Not long after the signs to the gun pits, we arrive at Blue Fish Road and the entry point into North Head sanctuary. We cross the road collect a visitor's guide, from the sign on the road and start walking along a steel mesh track to the grassy lawns of the former Artillery school, and follow the signs to the gatehouse .

 

 One of the Old Gun Pits

Gunners Walk

With our map from the visitor centre we follow the clearly sign posted gunners walk a walk that takes you through the former school of the artillery building other things to see include diverse flora and fauna military remnants and city harbour ocean views. Unfortunately, we do not have time to do the whole of gunners walk today to complete the entire walk takes up to two hours instead we are going to head to the Third Quarantine cemetery and back again.

The Art Gallery

Our first stop is the art gallery open

free for public viewing

and you are also able to buy the works

of art that include unique bronze

sculptures paintings and prints.

The North Head Northern Lookout

We continue our walk along the gunners track toward the northern look out walking through the Australian coastal bush that includes Old man Banksia, Heath Banksia, fennel flower, and grass trees.

We stop at the Northern lookout and take in the view of the headlands along the northern beaches we can see the Manly ferry heading away from Manly cove and the Sydney harbour bridge peeping over the top of the headlands.

 

Quarantine Cemetery Lookout

We head to our next Stop the third Quarantine Cemetery there are over 240 burials sites in this cemetery dating from 1881 to 1919. After the second Quarantine Cemetery became over crowded this third Cemetery was placed a long distance from the Quarantine station. Most of the residents died from the bubonic plague and the influenza outbreak after the Great War others fell victim to scarlet fever and smallpox.

From the Quarantine Cemetery, we follow the path back to the Gatehouse and exit the North Head Sanctuary.
There are bus stops here where busses
leave that will take you back to Manly wharf
if you wish not to continue.
If you wish to continue walking, follow the road
about 200 meters until it meets Collins Beach road
on the right-hand side.
Collins Beach road  you walk about 350 meters
 before it reaches
Collins Beach this little beach hidden away
from the fast pace of suburban life.

Collins Beach is a lovely little spot to escape and relax

Little Manly Cove

 From here we head to our last and final little beach hideaway Little Manly Cove we cross the beach pick up the path walking up a steep set of stairs leading up the rock face. Walk up the Stairs as it winds around the edge of Collins Beach to emerge at a Cul-de-sac. Cross the road and continue straight ahead to reach Little Manly Point.  We pass a grassy area and a children playground before heading down into the lovely Little Manly Cove.

Café on the beach
Little Manly Cove  has a small  enclosed Swimming area and a little café on the beach side a good place to stop and have a cold drink before we head back to our starting destination Manly wharf. We walk along Stuart street turn left towards the Yacht club from here we can see Manly Wharf.

Walk at a glance

Grade- a medium level of fitness some steep hills to climb

Distance- Approximately 7.5 kilometres

Conditions- lot of shady areas during this walk especially towards to second half of the walk

Time to complete- about 4 hours 

View map of this walk at the bottom of the page