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Manly Swimmer And Coach Set For Junior Pan Pacific Championships

A Manly swimmer and her coach are preparing for the international stage after standout national results earned them selection for Australia’s Junior Dolphins team bound for Vancouver.

Manly Swimmer Turns National Success Into Australian Selection

Lillie McPherson’s years of training at Manly Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre have led to a major representative milestone, with the 17-year-old selected for Australia’s 2026 Junior Dolphins Pan Pacific Team.

McPherson earned her place after a strong campaign at the Australian Age Championships on the Gold Coast, where she won three gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze. Her gold medals came in the 50m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

The result places McPherson on the Australian team heading to the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Vancouver, Canada, in August. Her selection marks a clear link between local training and international junior competition.

McPherson has trained at Manly Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre since she was 12, building towards a national campaign that delivered medals across multiple events and secured her place in the Australian junior team.

Junior Pan Pacific Championships — *Photo Credit: Lillie McPherson/Instagram*

Manly Coach Joins Her On The Junior Dolphins team

The Manly presence in Vancouver will extend beyond the pool, with Justin Rothwell also selected as one of six coaches for the Junior Dolphins Pan Pacific Team.

Rothwell is Head Coach at Manly Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre and coaches McPherson. His selection gives Manly representation in both the athlete and coaching ranks at the championships.

Together, McPherson and Rothwell give the Manly program a direct role in Australia’s junior swimming team for the event. Their selection follows the Australian Age Championships, where Manly and Warringah swimmers produced several strong results across individual events.

Manly swimming — *Photo Credit: Justin Rothwell/Instagram*

Warringah Results Add Wider Local Context

The Manly achievement came alongside strong results from Warringah Aquatic Centre swimmers.

Luke Higgs, who has trained at Warringah Aquatic Centre since he was 11, was also selected for the Australian team after winning two gold medals and two silver medals. His gold medals came in the 1500m freestyle and 400m individual medley.

Warringah’s Zavier Tay will represent Singapore at the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, while Callyn Fenwick-Kearns placed fifth in the men’s 50m backstroke final.

The combined results from Manly and Warringah show a strong national meet for local swimmers, with multiple athletes earning medals, high placings and international selection.

Manly Bound for Vancouver

The feature moment is the pairing of McPherson and Rothwell on the Australian Junior Dolphins team. Their selection reflects a progression from regular training at Manly Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre to national results and a place at an international junior championship.

The Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships will be held in Vancouver in August, with McPherson representing Australia in the pool and Rothwell joining the coaching team.

Published 5-May-2026

New Market Marks the Next Step in Manly Wharf’s Transformation

The Great Artist Market/Facebook

Brisbane-based hospitality group Artemus has marked another milestone in its transformation of the heritage-listed Manly Wharf, launching the first Great Artist Market at the Felons Barrel Room while a proposed $4.5 million food hall conversion of the wharf’s central retail arcade awaits planning approval.

The market brought more than 40 stalls of original work by Sydney artists and makers to the Barrel Room, the former Aldi supermarket Artemus converted into a microbrewery and entertainment venue at the wharf’s southern end.

Free and open from 8am to 3pm, it was the first community-oriented event of its kind at the precinct since Artemus took over the $110 million leasehold in May 2023, and for founders Adam Flaskas and Paul Henry, it signalled exactly the direction they have been working toward.

Felons brand director Dean Romeo, who developed the market concept with his artist wife Claire Ritchie in Geelong before taking it to Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane, described the Manly edition as carefully curated but open to emerging voices.

“It’s really important for us to give people who may have never shown their works before a space to go,” Romeo said. “The Manly event will showcase a wide cross-section of different mediums, whether it’s ceramics through to paintings, through to photography, through to jewellery.”

Fifteen northern beaches artists featured in the debut market, including Alissa Jay Thomas, WS. Ceramics, Ionae’s Studio, pod & pod, Little Artworks, Northern Beaches Gallery, The Blossom and The Tide, Pirate Princess, Vix and Kin, The Drawing Arm and others.

A Precinct Transformed, Piece by Piece

The Manly Wharf that Artemus took possession of in 2023 was a place of mixed fortunes: a heritage-listed pier structure originally built in 1855 and rebuilt in its current form in 1941, carrying a pub and a mix of retail outlets that had not fundamentally changed in decades.

Manly Wharf in the 1940s — *Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Library*

Artemus had already shown what it could do with a tired waterfront at Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves, a nine-acre heritage precinct under the Story Bridge that the group spent ten years developing into one of Queensland’s leading hospitality and entertainment destinations. Manly Wharf, they said from the start, was the same opportunity at a different scale.

The transformation is methodical. The group first delivered the $13.5 million Felons Barrel Room conversion, a project distinct from the pending $4.5 million food hall proposal currently before council. The Barrel Room project gained Northern Beaches Planning Panel approval in early 2025 and now features two bars and 144 ageing barrels.

Photo Credit: Howard Smith Wharves/Facebook

On the western side of the wharf, Felons Seafood opened as a waterfront restaurant and bar occupying the former Bavarian site, with an adjoining fish and chip takeaway. Hugos, the long-running pizza restaurant at the wharf, was acquired and continues to operate.

A wedding and events venue has opened on the first floor of the complex. Glass balustrade fencing, fixed outdoor seating and improved lighting have progressively changed the feel of the waterfront deck.

Last year, five long-term tenants, El Camino Cantina, Sake Restaurant and Bar, Betty’s Burgers and Concrete Co, Queen Chow and Chat Thai, concluded or handed back their leases, clearing the way for the next chapter.

A Food Hall Waiting for the Green Light

The most significant proposed change to the precinct is now before planning authorities. Artemus has lodged a development application for a $4.5 million transformation of the wharf’s central pedestrian concourse into an artisanal food hall and fresh produce hub, with all existing retail tenancies along the arcade converted to food and drink premises.

If approved, the food hall would trade from 6am to 1am, seven days a week. The proposal also includes automatic glass sliding doors at the wharf’s main entrance, a new skylight to bring more natural light into the arcade, additional fixed seating, upgraded ferry waiting areas and improved external lighting designed to create a soft glow on the wharf’s heritage facade and clock tower.

It would be the first major change to the retail arcade since the wharf was rebuilt in 1941.

“We’re proud of the progress so far, including new hospitality offerings that have added to its vibrancy,” Adam Flaskas said.

“The next stage involves considered upgrades to retail and public areas to improve comfort, functionality and the overall visitor experience. This forms part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring Manly Wharf remains a welcoming and well-presented destination for residents and visitors.”

Building A New Chapter for Manly Wharf

Artemus is investing $120 million into the Manly precinct, applying the same community-focused, hospitality-led approach it used at Howard Smith Wharves to build a long-term legacy in Sydney.

On 2 May, the group will launch its first Great Artist Market at the wharf, with plans for it to become a regular fixture, as it is in Brisbane where it runs three times a year. Broader community programming will continue to grow alongside the hospitality offering.

Locals can track the proposed food hall application here, while bookings for Felons, Hugos and the events venue are available online.

Published 30-April-2026

80 Kilometres Later, It All Ends at Manly: The Coastal Ultra Is Back

Bondi to Manly Ultra/Facebook

The Bondi to Manly Ultra Marathon returns this year, and for Manly residents and runners across the northern beaches, the significance is personal: the finish line lands at Manly Beach, the northern anchor of one of the world’s great urban running routes.

The 80-kilometre course starts at Bondi Pavilion and runs the full length of the Bondi to Manly Walk north to the finish at Manly Beach, passing 49 beaches, clifftop trails over the eastern suburbs, harbour foreshore paths, national parks, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge along the way. It is the world’s original urban ultra marathon, and it finishes at one of the most celebrated beach strips in the country.

For 2026, the event enters a new chapter under the management of MARI, the global events company behind the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival and the Great Ocean Road Running Festival. Founding CEO Elle Pacholski and the Bondi to Manly Walk Supporters Group remain as owner and advisory partner, ensuring the race retains its community roots as it grows.

Marcus Gale, managing director of MARI Australia, described the race as something rare in the global events calendar.

“The Bondi to Manly Ultra is a defining expression of Sydney’s identity and the enduring human spirit of athletic endeavour,” Gale said.

*Photo Credit: Bondi to Manly Ultra/Facebook*

Not Just for Ultra Runners

The solo 80-kilometre category is the race’s centrepiece, open to participants aged 18 and over and drawing elite athletes alongside determined recreational runners from across Australia and internationally. But the 2026 edition makes the course accessible in new ways through its relay options.

A two-person relay splits the course into roughly 40 kilometres each. A four-person relay splits the journey into four stages, with legs ranging from 17km to 23km, perfect for runners who usually focus on the half-marathon distance. While the four-person relay is open to runners aged 16 and over, the solo and two-person categories remain an 18-plus challenge due to the longer distances involved.

Bondi to Manly Ultra marathon — Photo Credit: Bondi to Manly Ultra/Facebook

All finishers receive a t-shirt, race number with timing device and finisher’s medal. Entries are strictly limited and the event sells out.

Running for More Than a Medal

The Bondi to Manly Ultra is a not-for-profit event. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Bondi to Manly Walk Supporters Group and is reinvested into the maintenance and enhancement of the coastal track that the course runs along. Entering the race is a contribution to the landscape that makes Manly’s foreshore and the northern beaches walking network what they are.

The 2026 Bondi to Manly Ultra will commence on Saturday 24 October 2026. To register for the event, click here. Follow the event on Facebook for course and logistics updates in the lead-up to October.

Published 30-April-2026

Inside the Illegal Fatbike Problem Hitting Manly and Sydney’s Other Beach Suburbs

Manly is among the Sydney suburbs where illegal e-bikes have drawn significant attention. Teenagers on modified fatbikes are a regular presence along the suburb’s footpaths and roads, riding without helmets, carrying multiple passengers and, in some cases, travelling well above the legal speed limit.

Read: Manly Beach Leads with Australia’s First Safety Code for Electric ‘Fat Bikes’

The bikes are known as fatbikes for their wide, sand-ready tyres. Many are modified or sold with unlock codes that allow them to exceed the 25km/h legal limit for e-bikes in NSW, sometimes by a significant margin. Residents across Sydney’s coastal suburbs, from the Northern Beaches through Bondi to Cronulla, have reported similar issues, with Manly among the areas receiving a high volume of complaints.

Earlier in 2026, dozens of riders were spotted crossing a golf course near Manly. Another captured a large group, including teens in school uniform, riding across the Harbour Bridge during a mass rideout organised by a US-based YouTuber. Councils across the area have received a rise in complaints from pedestrians and motorists.

How the Market Got Here

Observers have linked the volume of illegal fatbikes on NSW roads to a series of regulatory decisions at both federal and state level.

In 2021, federal authorities relaxed import restrictions on e-bikes, removing the requirement for importers to demonstrate compliance with minimum safety standards. Two years later, in 2023, NSW doubled the maximum permitted power output for e-bikes from 250 watts to 500 watts.

Under NSW law, e-bikes must require pedalling above 6km/h and the motor must cut out at 25km/h. However, some retailers sold high-powered bikes with PIN codes allowing buyers to unlock higher speeds, with the stated justification that the higher speeds were for private property use only.

The Pedestrian Council of Australia has linked the spike in illegal fatbike numbers directly to the loosening of import rules in 2021. Of the 750,000 e-bikes currently on NSW roads, NSW Transport estimates tens of thousands are illegal. There is currently no minimum age to ride an e-bike in NSW, and children under 16 are permitted to ride on footpaths.

Injury Numbers Rising

Hospital data reflects the rise in illegal and unsafe e-bike activity. St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney reported that serious e-bike injuries at its emergency department had doubled in 2025 compared to 2024, and had increased by 350 per cent since 2023.

Medical staff at Royal North Shore Hospital have described e-bike injuries as becoming routine in major trauma settings. Clinicians note that riders are sustaining injury profiles more typically associated with motorised vehicle accidents, including brain injuries and friction burns, while not wearing the protective equipment required of motorbike riders. Fatbikes can weigh up to 40 kilograms.

Proposed Reforms

NSW Transport Minister John Graham has announced a package of proposed measures in response to the issue. These include introducing a minimum age for e-bike riders, adopting European safety standards that would cap motor output at 250 watts and require anti-tampering protections, and giving police the power to crush illegal bikes.

Minister Graham has said the aim is for Sydney to develop as a cycling city while maintaining control over how e-bikes are rolled out.

Read: Northern Beaches Highway Patrol Targets E-Bike Riders in Manly Corso Crackdown

The proposals have drawn criticism from both sides. At least one e-bike retailer has described the response as disproportionate, arguing that education should precede enforcement. The Pedestrian Council of Australia has argued the measures do not go far enough, pointing out that 16-year-olds would still be permitted to ride on footpaths under the proposed changes. The council has also raised concerns that the absence of a compulsory insurance framework leaves pedestrians injured by e-bike riders with no clear avenue for compensation.

NSW Police have noted publicly that pursuing riders on fatbikes carries its own safety risk, complicating enforcement of existing laws.

Published 28-April-2026

Manly Town Hall Cultural Venue Plan Moves To EOI Stage

Photo Credit: JamesGriffinMP/Facebook

Manly Town Hall’s future use is set to be tested through an expressions of interest process expected later in 2026, with the historic building being considered for a possible role as a multi-use performance and exhibition space.

Manly Town Hall EOI Expected Later In 2026

The process is expected to seek interest in redeveloping the site while preserving its heritage significance and keeping the building in public ownership. Any future proposal would also need to avoid cost to ratepayers and show long-term value for the community.

The town hall remains in active use, with offices and a customer service centre still operating from the building. Because of this, any redevelopment concept would need to provide alternative ways to meet operational needs in Manly.

Manly Town Hall — *Photo Credit: Google Maps*

Heritage And Cost Conditions Shape The Process

The planned EOI does not mean redevelopment has been approved. It is an early step intended to test whether there is suitable commercial interest in a future use that meets strict conditions.

The possible future role being examined centres on performance, cultural and exhibition use. Earlier concepts have also included live music, theatre, cinema, community rooms and hospitality elements as part of a broader entertainment venue.

The current direction remains conditional. Any proposal would need to balance the building’s heritage value with a flexible public-facing use, while avoiding a financial burden for ratepayers.

Information gathered through the EOI process is expected to help determine whether further planning steps should be pursued.

Earlier Options Have Been Explored Since 2019

The future of Manly Town Hall has been examined over several years, with cultural and community uses explored since 2019.

The idea of converting the building into a theatre or multi-use entertainment venue was put to community consultation in 2021. An earlier concept included a performance area, theatre and cinema, but was later found to face financial viability challenges.

That earlier assessment is part of the current context. The new EOI process is expected to test whether a different approach could satisfy heritage, cost, ownership and operational requirements.

For now, Manly Town Hall remains in use while its long-term future is assessed. The next stage will show whether there is enough interest to progress the historic building towards a broader performance, exhibition and cultural role.

Published 28-Apr-2026

North Manly Police Pursuit Ends In St Ives Crash With Driver Charged

Photo Credit: Pexels

A police pursuit that began in North Manly escalated across the Northern Beaches before ending in a high-speed crash at St Ives, leaving two people in hospital and a man facing multiple charges.

From North Manly To A Multi-Road Pursuit

The incident began when officers responded to a reported break-in at Queenscliff and were provided with details of two occupants and a vehicle. Shortly after, a vehicle matching that description was identified on Pittwater Road in North Manly.

Police attempted to stop the vehicle, however the driver allegedly failed to comply, prompting a pursuit through several major routes. The vehicle travelled along Pittwater Road, Warringah Road and Wakehurst Parkway before continuing toward Mona Vale.

As the situation developed, the pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns. Despite this, the vehicle continued along Mona Vale Road, where it was seen at various points travelling on the wrong side of the road.

High-Speed Crash At St Ives

The incident reached a critical point near St Ives, where the vehicle collided with an unmarked police car before leaving the roadway. Travelling at high speed, the vehicle then crashed head-on into a tree just past the St Ives Showground area.

Emergency services responded quickly, with multiple crews arriving to assist. The two occupants, both aged 33, were removed from the damaged vehicle and treated at the scene before being transported to Royal North Shore Hospital in stable condition. Police confirmed airbags had deployed and both occupants were wearing seatbelts.

No police officers were reported injured during the incident.

North Manly pursuit — *Photo Credit: Pexels*

Charges Laid After Hospital Release

After being discharged from hospital on Sunday, 5 April 2026, the male driver was taken to Chatswood Police Station, where he was formally charged with multiple offences.

These include failing to stop during a police pursuit, dangerous driving, operating a vehicle with an expired licence, and possession of suspected stolen goods. The vehicle involved is believed to have been stolen and fitted with number plates that did not match.

The man was refused bail and is scheduled to appear before court on Monday, 6 April 2026. Further charges are expected as investigations continue, including pending results from mandatory testing and ongoing inquiries.

The female passenger remains in hospital and has not been charged.

Community Response To North Manly Incident

Comments posted online reflected concern about the risks posed to the public during the pursuit. Some also referred to a visible police presence and localised disruption along parts of the route.

Relief was also expressed that no serious injuries were reported, given the circumstances of the crash.

Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.

Published 7-Apr-2026

From Manly To The Winter Paralympics, Ben Tudhope Adds Another Chapter

Photo Credit: Australian Paralympic Team/YouTube

Manly’s Ben Tudhope has built a Winter Paralympic career across four Games, from a record-setting teenage debut at Sochi to two more medals at Milano Cortina 2026.

Ben Tudhope Adds Another Paralympic Chapter

Ben Tudhope’s Winter Paralympic story has grown from an extraordinary teenage debut into one of Australia’s most enduring para snowboarding careers.

The Manly athlete added two more medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, winning silver in snowboard cross SB-LL2 and bronze in banked slalom SB-LL2. Those results followed his bronze medal in snowboard cross SB-LL2 at Beijing 2022, where he also co-captained the Australian team.

For Tudhope, Milano Cortina marked another major stage in a career that has already stretched across Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022. His record now shows repeated selection, multiple Paralympic medals and a steady place among Australia’s winter sport competitors.

Ben Tudhope — *Photo Credit: Australian Paralympic Team/YouTube*

A Record-Setting Start At Sochi

Tudhope first entered the Winter Paralympics at Sochi in 2014, just three months after turning 14. His selection made him Australia’s youngest ever Winter Paralympian, and he was also the youngest competitor from any country at those Games.

He competes in para snowboarding across snowboard cross and banked slalom in the SB-LL2 classification. His impairment is listed as a physical impairment, left hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

That early entry into elite competition became the foundation for a career shaped by persistence and progression. After Sochi, Tudhope returned at PyeongChang 2018, then reached the podium at Beijing 2022 before adding further medals at Milano Cortina 2026.

From Early Promise To International Podiums

Tudhope’s record extends beyond the Paralympic Games. His career highlights include a third-place finish in the men’s snowboard cross adaptive event at the 2016 Winter X Games in Colorado and winning the overall IPC Crystal Globe in 2020.

He has also recorded world championship results across snowboard cross and banked slalom events, including gold in snowboard cross at the 2023 World Para Snowboard Championships in La Molina and bronze in snowboard cross at the 2025 World Para Snowboard Championships at Big White.

Those results add depth to a career that has continued well beyond the impact of a single Games. From his teenage introduction on the Paralympic stage to his later medals, Tudhope has remained part of Australia’s winter program through more than a decade of competition.

*Photo Credit: Australian Paralympic Team/YouTube*

Manly Recognition For A Winter Paralympian

Tudhope appears on the Manly Pathway of Olympians and Paralympians, which features more than 100 local athletes along East and West Esplanade.

That local recognition places his Paralympic career within a broader Northern Beaches sporting tradition, while his latest results add fresh weight to his record.

Tudhope’s story is now linked to four Winter Paralympic campaigns, medals at Beijing and Milano Cortina, and a career that began before he was old enough to drive. His latest podium finishes do not stand alone; they form part of a long-running progression from young debutant to multi-medal Winter Paralympian.

Published 2-Apr-2026

Left Your Wallet at Hotel Steyne in Manly? Police Have It Now

Photo Credit: Hotel Steyne/Google Maps

Ever walked out of Hotel Steyne in Manly and realised something was missing? Police are now sorting through hundreds of cards, wallets and phones left behind over several years.

More than 400 bank cards, 43 wallets and 13 mobile phones left behind at Hotel Steyne have been handed to police, revealing just how many people walk away from the busy beachfront venue without their valuables.

Police confirmed the items were collected by the pub over the past two to three years before being delivered in bulk to officers earlier this week.

Police begin search for owners

Officers from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command are now working through the large collection of lost property, trying to identify and contact the rightful owners. Authorities said many of the items contain identification, including driver licences and cards that have already expired, showing how long some have been unclaimed.

Police are contacting people through letters and text messages where details are available. Some items belong to people who live outside the Northern Beaches, including interstate residents and overseas visitors, which adds to the challenge of returning them.

Officials also noted that only a small amount of cash, around $40, was found across all the wallets.

Police believe many of the items were accidentally dropped or forgotten during visits to the busy venue. Wallets may have slipped from pockets or bags, while cards could have been left on the bar after payments for food or drinks.

Community urged to check for missing property

Authorities have asked anyone who visited the hotel in recent years and may have lost personal belongings to come forward. Police say filing a lost property report through the NSW Police online portal will improve the chances of recovering items.

So far, only a few people have come forward to claim their belongings, despite the large number of items now in police custody.

Police say the process of matching items with owners will take time, particularly where contact details are missing or outdated.

Published 26-March-2026

Debate Gets Louder Over Manly Nightlife Planned Trial

Photo Credit: NorthernBeachesCouncil/Facebook

Manly residents are pushing back against a plan that could allow pubs, bars and restaurants to trade later and operate under looser noise limits, raising concerns that thousands of locals may be forced to shut windows or upgrade their homes just to get a good night’s sleep.

The proposal centres on an 18-month Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) trial put forward in the Northern Beaches, with consultation held from February to March 2026 and a decision expected later this year.

Community Concerns Over Noise and Sleep

The trial would apply to parts of Manly’s CBD, where about 8,000 residents live near existing venues. Under the SEP model, businesses could stay open up to two hours longer on nights with live music and one hour longer on other nights. The plan also introduces a new sound management framework that may allow higher external noise levels than current rules.

Some residents say these changes could affect sleep and daily life. Community group Manly Community Forum has raised concerns that the proposed outdoor noise levels could reach around 70 decibels, which may still be heard indoors even with windows closed. The group has pointed to global health guidance suggesting much lower sound levels for restful sleep.

The forum is now raising funds to seek legal and acoustic advice. It aims to review the council’s data and prepare for possible challenges if the plan proceeds.

Seeking a Balance Between Business and Residents

Northern Beaches Council has said the proposal is part of a broader effort to support local businesses and encourage a more active night-time economy. The SEP framework is designed to make it easier for venues to host live music and operate later under a clear set of rules.

The trial would include a precinct management plan, which sets trading hours, sound limits and a process for handling complaints. Council has said it is working to balance the needs of residents with the benefits of a more active evening economy.

More than 300 submissions were received during the public consultation period, showing strong community interest in the proposal.

Business Operators Back Extended Trading

Some local hospitality operators have supported the plan, saying Manly is already a well-known destination for dining and entertainment. They argue that allowing venues to trade later would help businesses remain viable and attract more visitors, especially for live music and cultural events.

Supporters also note that the SEP system provides a structured way to manage noise and trading hours across a defined area, rather than relying on separate rules for each venue.

State Policy Driving Night-Time Changes

The Manly proposal is part of wider reforms in NSW aimed at supporting live music and nightlife. These changes include incentives for venues and extended trading allowances within designated entertainment precincts.

Under the policy, Councils can set consistent rules across a precinct, which may override some existing venue-specific restrictions. This has raised concern among some residents, who fear it could reduce their ability to challenge noise on a case-by-case basis.

The outcome of the Manly trial will likely influence how similar precincts are introduced in other parts of the state.

Published 26-March-2026

Marine Parade Upgrade Plans Move Forward for Manly to Shelly Beach Coastal Walk

Photo Credit: Snorkelverse/Luke

A masterplan for upgrading Marine Parade, the 140-year-old coastal walk that winds around Cabbage Tree Bay from Manly to Shelly Beach, is set to be included in the draft Delivery Plan for Northern Beaches’ next financial year, after five years of planning and a failed attempt to secure a co-contribution from Sydney Water.

The 1.5-kilometre promenade, which attracts around one million visitors each year, has faced repeated storm damage over its long history, with powerful surges and high winds ripping up concrete slabs and forcing temporary closures. The planned masterplan would address both the aesthetic condition of the walk and its structural resilience against storm events and tidal damage. It would also better protect a major sewer main that runs beneath the promenade and behind the seawall, infrastructure that has complicated efforts to improve the path given its ownership by Sydney Water.

The walkway was first completed in 1891. The Daily Telegraph reported at the time that Manly had secured one of the most beautiful promenades to be found in the environs of the metropolis. More than 130 years later, the path remains one of Sydney’s most visited coastal routes, and the case for a comprehensive upgrade has been building steadily as storm damage has accumulated and the original infrastructure has aged.

*Photo Credit: Northern Beaches Library*

Five Years in the Making

The push for a masterplan has been a long one. Since 2021, the authority responsible for the walk has repeatedly sought a financial contribution of at least $50,000 from Sydney Water toward the cost of drawing up the masterplan, given the utility’s significant infrastructure interests beneath the path. Sydney Water declined the request, advising that the project was not a priority and that it was unable to provide a financial contribution.

With that avenue exhausted, the decision has been made to proceed independently and include the Marine Parade improvements in the next draft Delivery Plan. A staff report has also been requested on the potential financial implications of the masterplan, ensuring the full scope and cost of the project is understood before commitments are made.

What an Upgrade Could Include

While the masterplan itself has not yet been drawn up, the broad goals for the upgrade cover three interconnected areas. Structural reinforcement to protect the path from future storm damage is the primary focus, given the walk’s history of closures following surge events. Better protection of the sewer main running beneath the promenade is also a priority. Beyond those structural concerns, the masterplan is expected to address the visual and amenity condition of the walk, beautifying a promenade that has served visitors and locals for well over a century but whose surface and fittings reflect that age.

The coastal environment along Cabbage Tree Bay is ecologically significant as well as scenic. The bay is a designated aquatic reserve, home to grey nurse sharks, wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, blue groper and an abundance of marine life that draws snorkellers and divers from across Sydney. Any masterplan for the promenade will need to account for that environmental context, ensuring that improvement works do not disturb the bay’s protected status.

Why This Matters to the Manly Community

For Manly residents, Marine Parade is not just a tourist attraction. It is a daily walking route, a morning run circuit, a place to take visiting family and a pathway that connects the main beach to the quieter, rockier world of Shelly Beach. One million visits a year on a 1.5-kilometre stretch of path gives some measure of how intensively it is used, and every closure following storm damage is a disruption felt across the local community as well as by visitors.

The age of the promenade, built in an era before the sea-level and storm intensity projections that now shape coastal infrastructure design, means that incremental repairs are no longer sufficient. A masterplan that thinks about the walk as a whole, addressing its structural vulnerabilities, its environmental obligations and its role as one of Sydney’s great public spaces, is the right response to what has been a slow accumulation of damage and deferred maintenance.

More information on the draft Delivery Plan and the Marine Parade upgrade will be available at northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au as the planning process progresses.

Published 20-March-2026.