Manly: An inner-city beachside village

Introduction and a little history

The first governor of , Captain , in 1788 named Manly for the impression made on him by “the confidence and manly behaviour” of the area’s Aborigines.

For a century, Manly was essentially a seaside holiday destination for city-dwellers – reflected in its original marketing tag-line, “Seven miles from and a thousand miles from care”. The very first Manly ferry ran from (in the shadow of the harbour bridge) in 1855, and the ferry service has been instrumental in the residential and commercial development of the area ever since. Today, local residents with city jobs still get to experience what might be the world‟s best workplace commute – complete with sea air and salt-spray.

The beach

At the south end of , members of Manly Life Saving Club (Australia‟s second- oldest) have patrolled the flagged swim areas since 1907. This spot is ideal for learners with its reliable sandbanks and easy spilling waves. Bigger swells can produce a menacing wave out front of tiny Fairy Bower Beach known locally as “Deadman‟s”, a ledge-y tube that breaks right in front of the cliff. North Steyne Surf Club sits halfway along the beach, and from here right up to Queenscliff are usually punchy barrels ideal for advanced surfers. Queenscliff Bommie, at the far northern end of the beach, can handle waves up to fifteen feet on its day but you need the right board and sometimes even a jet-ski to tackle it.

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Surf & lifestyle

Manly boasts an astonishing pedigree as a producer of surfing world champions: Layne Beachley (7 world titles, 1998-2003 & 2006); Pam Burridge (world title 1990), Barton Lynch (world title 1988); Midget Farrelly (world title 1964). Surfing is so embedded in the culture here that there are no less than fourteen surf shops in Manly, making it one of the best places in Sydney to shop for boards, clothing and equipment.

Other popular activities on offer include beach volleyball, kayaking and scuba diving. You could stay for weeks getting acquainted with different surf breaks, dive with the sharks in the tank at Oceanworld, cycle or roller-blade the esplanade, sample some of the dozens of restaurants and cafes, and catch some of Sydney‟s best musicians performing live at the area‟s pub venues.

Activities

Make sure these activities are on your list of must-do‟s:

Manly Stand-up Paddle School – lessons & paddle tours around spectacular North Harbour National Park www.manlystanduppaddleschool.com Manly Surf School – join a surf lesson at the school rated Number One in New South Wales by Surfing Australia www.manlysurfschool.com Manly Whale Watching – see Humpback and Southern Right whales up close as they migrate along the Sydney coastline www.manlywhalewatching.com Manly Kayaks – tour the harbour by kayak and see spectacular look-out points and isolated beaches www.manlykayaks.com.au Sydney Harbour Parasailing – pop by the office or call (11-15 Wentworth Street Manly, 9977 6781) Life’s An Adventure – Manly mountain bike & kayak tour www.lifesanadventure.com.au Manly Snorkel Walk and Talk Tour – One of the best ways to learn about Manly‟s EcoTreasures. www.ecotreasures.com.au Oceanworld Manly – Dive with the sharks, watch interactive show, join a guided tour and learn more about marine life. www.oceanworld.com.au

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Shopping

Manly has a cosmopolitan, beachside style all of its own and is a great place to hit the shops:

Aloha Manly Style – surf boards, clothing, gear & advice http://alohasurfmanly.com.au Lulu Love Paris – unique fabrics & sophisticated designs lululovesparis.com.au Silver Blue – range of Australian designs from LOLA, Firefly, Living Doll & Fate www.silverblue.org.au Murdok – street culture fashion brands like Stussy, Vans & GShock www.murdok.com.au “I Love Shopping Manly” – four different tours that are all about fashion & fun; “I Love Shopping Manly”, “Hens In Manly”, “Secret Pre-Loved Designer” & “Manly Man‟s” www.iloveshoppingmanly.com.au

Food & wine

Step straight from the sand into a buzzing bar, cosmopolitan café or award-winning restaurant.

Cafes

Adriano Zumbo – elegant beachside patisserie http://adrianozumbo.com/patisserie- manly Barefoot Traders Coffee – grab an espresso & waffle and a seat in this „hole-in-the- wall‟ café or make it a take-away and stroll to the beach www.barefootcoffee.com.au Organicus Kitchen & Pantry – wildly popular for breakfast, especially the raspberry pancakes, and coffee is made only with organic milk www.organicus.com.au

Restaurants

El Toro Loco – grab a balcony table over the water for tapas and sangria served in a terracotta jug www.eltoroloco.com.au China Beach – modern Asian cuisine, original house cocktails and great wine list www.chinabeach.com.au Whitewater – chic beach-house atmosphere, seafood menu with an Asian twist http://whitewaterrestaurant.com.au Garfish – daily fish and sauce specials at this seafood restaurant opposite Manly wharf www.garfish.com.au sydney.com visitnsw.com nswevents.com

Manly Pavilion (in the restored 1930s Manly harbour bathers pavilion) – Italian/Mediterranean influenced menu, named Best New Restaurant in the Sydney Morning Herald “Good Food Guide 2011”. www.manlypavilion.com.au 4 Pines Brewery – microbrewery which brews the world‟s first “Space Beer” plus great bar menu and regular live music www.4pinesbeer.com.au Hugo’s Manly – place to see and be seen, right on Manly Wharf; team an extravagant cocktail with a dozen Sydney rock oysters www.hugos.com.au Manly Wharf Hotel – lively on weeknights, buzzing on weekends, has a sophisticated menu including seafood and gourmet pizzas http://manlywharfhotel.com.au Le Kiosk – on , this famous and long standing restaurant offers spectacular views of Shelly Beach with ocean views to Manly www.lekiosk.com.au Murrays at Manly – restaurant/bar serves Murrays Craft Beer including the hand- pumped Punch & Judy‟s Ale www.murraysbrewingco.com.au

Bars

Manly Wine – for wines you won‟t find in a local bottle-shop and a full menu too www.manlywine.com.au Cantinero – street-style Mexican and of course, plenty of beers and a selection of tequila www.cantinero.com.au Sugar Lounge – prime position on the beachfront, great cocktail lounge atmosphere www.sugarlounge.com.au Miss Marley’s – tequila bar three blocks back from the beach, serves Central & South American bar food too www.missmarleys.com.au Harlem on Central – an homage to the 1920‟s “Speakeasy”; proud purveyor of soul food like pork ribs, pork sliders with cucumber pickles, and red cabbage and carrot slaw www.harlemoncentral.com.au Moonshine – rum & cider bar decked out like a pirates‟ hangout in the Hotel Steyne on the Corso; more than 16 different ciders on tap www.hotelsteyne.com.au Hemingway’s – bar & restaurant inspired by America‟s great literary icon Ernest Hemingway; owners Paul, George & Ben invite you to “come down, it‟s mad” www.hemingwaysmanly.com.au

Markets

The Manly Markets – unique selection of items by artists, photographers, fashion & jewellery designers; Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm www.manlymarkets.com.au Manly Farmers Markets – organic cheeses, olive oils and fresh flowers from local farmers; Saturday 9am–1pm

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Accommodation

Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific – halfway along the beach, ocean view rooms, restaurant and roof top pool www.manlypacificsydney.com.au Quest Grande Esplanade – serviced apartments (some with harbour views), a short stroll from the beach; kitchen, laundry, wireless internet www.questgrandeesplanade.com.au Sebel Manly Beach – across the road from the Manly Lifesaving Club at the south end of the beach; 2 pools, sauna & spa www.mirvachotels.com/sebel-manly-beach Manly Paradise Beachfront Motel & Apartments – hotel & apartment accommodation on the beachfront www.manlyparadise.com.au Periwinkle Guesthouse – 19th-century guest house with loads of ambience and character, near the harbour and walking distance to the beach www.periwinkleguesthouse.com.au

Live music

Old Manly Boatshed – Manly‟s best-known venue for live music & comedy, less than a hundred metres from the beach www.oldmanlyboatshed.com.au

Festivals

Manly Festival of Surfing (November 2012) – short-boards, long-boards, stand up paddleboards, kombis, music, art, film, fashion and all manner of surfing contests www.manlyfestivalofsurfing.com Australian Open of Surfing (11-19 February 2012) – showcasing the best in surfing, skate, music, fashion & art; includes an ASP event and various competition categories http://australianopenofsurfing.com/manly12 “The Taste of Manly” (2-3 June 2012) – Food, Wine & Sustainability Festival www.manly.nsw.gov.au/whatson/food-wine-and-sustainability-festival Manly Jazz Festival (Held annually in October) – view over 60 free performances on four outdoor stages. www.manlyaustralia.com.au

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Did You Know?

Manly hosted the first ever Surfing World titles – in 1964 Manly‟s Shelly Beach is the only beach on Australia‟s east coast that faces due west Manly has the only known breeding population of Little Penguins (the world‟s smallest penguin) on the NSW mainland Manly offers the largest concentration of surf shops in the southern hemisphere – fourteen stores specialising in surf wear and equipment

For more information go to www.sydney.com

For images go to www.images.tourism.nsw.gov.au

For media information on Sydney and NSW go to www.destinationnsw.com.au

Media Contacts: Diane Glasson Manager Destination Publicity and Promotion Tel: +61 2 9931 1475 Email: [email protected]

Elissa Tyrrell Destination Publicity Specialist Tel + 61 2 9931 1426 Email: [email protected]

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