Shelly Beach — Attraction in Sydney

Shelly Beach (also known as Shelley Beach 1) is a beach located in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is adjacent to North Head and Fairy Bower. Shelly Beach is a western facing beach on the eastern coast of Australia. Shelly Beach is part of the no take Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. History There is evidence of occupation of Aboriginal people in the area; in particular a shell midden has been recorded near the Fairy Bower car park. One hundred years ago Shelly Beach was a haven for boat owners, Providing protection from winds and seas from the south. What's also changed is the hillside, which in the early 1920s was home to only several buildings but is now covered with expensive homes from which their occupants can take advantage of the expansive views to the north.3] There is an old motorbike standing on the seabed in the middle of the bay in around 8m of water.

On the weekend of June 4 & 5, 2016 a severe storm caused extensive damage to the walkway between Manly Beach and Shelly Beach. This included considerable damage to the pathway - with large slabs of concrete being lifted and displaced, the complete disappearance of a small toilet block, damage to an iconic sculpture at Fairy Bower pool and large sections of the safety railing being destroyed.[4] Due to safety concerns, a large barrier and warning signs were installed to discourage people from walking along the path until repairs were made. Despite this, many people ignored the warnings and simply climbed around the rocks to get back to the path.[5] The barriers were removed in August 2016, following the completion of remediation work. Geography Shelly Beach is protected from the ocean swell by the reef that lies on the right hand side of the beach (when facing the ocean) and faces west.[6] Cabbage Tree Bay is a small north-facing embayment that includes two small beaches. Shelly Beach is a reflective beach about 100 metres long. Shelly Beach is a protected marine reserve since it is part of Cabbage Tree Bay.

The visibility is good and a large variety of marine life can be seen there.[7] It is excellent for scuba divers, and also for snorkelers[8] as Shelly beach does not get very deep, its maximum depth being about 12 metres.[9] Many areas are shallow with depths ranging from 2 to 6 metres.[10 This particularity makes it popular for casual and regular snorkelers.[citation needed] Cabbage Tree Bay was declared a ‘No Take’ Aquatic Reserve on 31 March 2002.[12]

On the western point of the beach is a surf break known as "Bower" which offers one of the most shallow breaking waves in Sydney. Further along from Bower are Winki and Deadman's, two other well-known breaks which are popular with surfers, especially on south-east, and east swells.[13] Shelly beach is also one of only 2 west facing ocean beaches on the east coast...

Shelly Beach feels like a little lagoon at the edge of the city. The walk from Manly builds the anticipation, then the headland opens and you see a neat curve of sand, rock shelves on both sides and water that often looks as clear as glass. Mornings are lovely here. Locals filter in with masks and fins, kids do the sand shuffle at the shoreline, and you can hear the low boom of swell on the outer reef while the bay itself stays calm. It is one of those places where you drop your towel, take a breath and feel the pace of the day soften.

Bring a snorkel if you can. This is part of a marine reserve, and it shows. Float over ribbons of kelp and scattered boulders and you will usually spot schools of sweep and mado, the odd ray sliding across the sand and, if you are lucky, a blue groper cruising like it owns the place. Entry from the sand is simple and friendly for beginners. On days with a little surge, fins help and it pays to stay closer to the centre of the bay. The water clarity can be excellent after a run of light winds, so early starts often reward you with the best visibility and fewer people.

Everything you need sits close by. There are toilets, showers and taps behind the beach, barbecues and picnic tables tucked under the trees, and a café at the back for coffee or something cold between swims. Shade on the sand is limited, so a hat, water and sunscreen make life easier. Parking on nearby streets fills quickly on sunny weekends; the ferry to Manly and a short stroll along the path is the stress free option. Leave nothing but footprints, give the wildlife space and linger a little after your swim. Watching the colour of the bay shift while you warm up on the rocks is half the...

Shelly Beach is in the Cabbage Tree Bay Reserve, a protected marine area near North Head and Fairy Bower (home of one of our favourite ocean pools). Walk past the brush turkeys and the legions of scuba divers suiting up to arrive at the beach itself, a rare west-facing one that’s small and pretty and looks back towards Manly and Fairy Bower.

But Sartre was right. Hell is other people. Even at 9.30am in the morning there was a lot of them, making it hard to enjoy a paddle around or snorkel while dodging the traffic all around.

The many ocean swimmers were particularly, er, assertive, insisting on claiming right of way for their straight lines in an otherwise organic environment. Like trying to make lap lanes in the sea. It felt very north shore and colonial. They also frighten away the fish as the churn through snorkelers.

Under the water there were a lot of fish of various sizes and species, plus our favourites the squid… but the southern edge in particular was marred by a lot of human detritus, from plastics to bits of scuba and snorkeling kit, revealing an environment under pressure from our presence. The northern perimeter was much cleaner, but not particularly relaxing thanks to the overcrowding we were only adding to.

It does have showers, toilets and a cafe along with free electric barbeques, plus a fancier dining and bar option, The Boat House. It’s part of a chain of identically branded and named places you’ll find dotted up to the privileged beaches.

Shelly Beach has expensive pay and display ticketed carpark, which does have some pretty good views of Shelly Headland and is only a short walk away from the beach… but we...