Manly, NSW 2095
Ranked 310th best suburb by locals in Sydney (Greater) Region, NSW
Great for
- Resale or rental value
- Parks and recreation
- Schools
- Eating out
- Public transport
Not great for
- No ratings yet
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families With Kids
- Singles
- Retirees
- Beach Lovers
Reviews of Manly, NSW
"Surfing hotspot!"
If you love surfing, this is the place for you to live or have a holiday house in!
Amazing cafes, friendly community,
Steve Mac | House and Land Expert
Who lives here?
- Families with kids
"Manly is laid back yet bustling!"
People who grew up in Manly and its surrounds tend to stick around because the lifestyle is so addictive. Manly has seen an influx of newbies seeking the outdoor lifestyle, and a thriving ex-pat community has taken up permanent residence, bringing their own cultural flavours with them.
Wander down the Beachfront or Manly Wharf and you will get a sense of what Manly-siders like to do in their spare time. Surfing beaches, coves and inlets provide a water wonderland for surfers, kayakers, parasailers, swimmers, divers and snorkelers. Along the shoreline walkers and joggers pound the extensive pathways that wind through North Head Sanctuary and up into Sydney Harbour National Park. Surfing beaches, coves and inlets provide a water wonderland for surfers, kayakers, parasailers, swimmers, divers and snorkelers. Along the shoreline walkers and joggers pound the extensive pathways that wind through North Head Sanctuary and up into Sydney Harbour National Park.
The Corso in the heart of Manly. A pedestrian mall that is lined with local shops, bars, cafés and galleries, this busy social hub is the main thoroughfare between the ferry wharf and Manly Beach, and home to the weekly Manly Markets which boast emerging designers and artists. Twice a year, crowds descend on this sun-soaked suburb to indulge their senses at the annual Manly Jazz Festival and the Taste of Manly Festival. During the rest of the year, Mother Nature is Manly’s biggest drawcard.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
"Manly"
I have spent the majority of my life living in Manly!
It’s ease of living is fabulous. You can be a beach bum or get dressed up for a fancy dinner. Manly has it all.
Amy Sanderson, LJ Hooker 0403 851 003 or [email protected]
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
"Manly"
Manly is said to be expensive to live in but I can say it would be the perfect plance to do just that. Restaurants, entertainment and shopping are aplenty to fill your spare time. People come for a short getaway because the attractions are just too fun to miss.
"I'm living in toukley near the end of the line for me here not safe not nice all old school gossips but fishing parks beaches nice but I want to go home since 1985 when dad moved us here"
Awesome people beach tourists the ferries
Great for
- Love to get a job
- Cheaper rent
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Excellent Transport
- Good for family as well as singles
Not great for
- Crazy ton of traffic
Who lives here?
- Singles
- Tourists
- LGBT+
- Country Lovers
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
What's this got to do with Manly?
Rentals in Manly
Find real estate agents in Manly
"Manly is a dream that most people can't afford."
Manly has some of our most beautiful beaches, the area itself is full of restaurants and really laid back and awesome people. The girls are beautiful in Manly, and so is their overall lifestyle spirit. Sadly everything comes at a price... Manly parking is impossible, the fines are very hefty, I myself got fined for parking wrongly :( They have a hospital there, great vistas, awesome sands, and the area is just on a level of its own. If you live here you probably can't appreciate how lucky you are to actually live in Manly, to the rest of us, it's just a place we visit on a special occasion.
Transport is decent, Manly has a ferry, and buses. Although I drive up there, so this doesn't apply much to me.
Great for
- Amazing beach
- Amazing food options
- Beautiful people
Not great for
- Traffic
- Parking issues
- Impossible to buy anything, too expensive
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Tourists
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
"Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Lifestyle = MANLY"
Now 60 my wife and I have downsized to Manly from the family home in Seaforth. We have found our new mecca, what a location on Manly Eastern Hill. It has everything and Lifestyle in abundance. The beach is a stroll away, the coffee shops and restaurants are on the doorstep, the harbour views and cooling breezes from every window, Manly is our Lifestyle find and we could not be happier.
Great for
- Fabulous Lifesyle location
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Good for family as well as singles
Not great for
- Parking
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Retirees
- Tourists
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
"Just moved back to Manly"
Lived in Australia for 7 years now and after living in Manly for 5 years we moved up the coast to Freshwater for 2 years as we had a baby so needed more space. Having lived in a massive house with a pool in Freshwater we really missed the Manly lifestyle. I work in the city and you just cant beat the commute on the fast ferry, esp the way home with a beer in your hand. The 3 of us are very happy back in Manly and hope anyone thinking of moving to OZ will have Manly at the top of their list.
Great for
- Many beaches in walking distance
- Lots of things to do, surf, running, gyms, volleyball etc
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Good for family as well as singles
Not great for
- Can be noisy on a Fri and Sat night but thats only in the centre
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Tourists
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
"Beautiful Seaside location!"
Great place, beach is fantastic so are the little coves like 'Little Manly' and Delwood Beach. Restaurants are fantastic and our neighbours are all fantastic! Parking can be a nightmare especially on weekends and hot days when people flock to the beach, so I would definitely look for a place with parking! Compared to where we lived previously the location and the feeling of the area is unbeatable!
Great for
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Good for family as well as singles
Not great for
- Parking
- Late night seedy side in the Corso
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Tourists
- Students
- Beach Lovers
"Manly - reassuringly expensive"
Manly is perfect, so close to the City, countless beaches, loads of places to eat and drink, parks everywhere.
The only downside is that it is expensive and busy. But if it wasn't so great it wouldn't be expensive and busy.
I like the fact it is busy because it means the place is buzzing and there are always new sights.
Personally, I have never seen any trouble, and I have been living in Manly for 5 years.
If you compare it to the City or Kings Cross or anywhere else where there is a high concentration of hotels then it feels much safer.
Great for
- Beaches
- Parks
- Lively
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Good for family as well as singles
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Tourists
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
"I love manly, lived here over 30 years , people with negitive comments just cant afford it - just go live somewhere else"
lived here over 30 years , people with negitive comments just can't afford it - locals don't want trains as they bring undesirables into the area
Great for
- I think great value for money living on the best beach with atmosphere
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Good for family as well as singles
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Tourists
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
I read your post and comments on Manly and I wanted to know if you'd mind expanding a bit? My wife and I are moving to Sydney from Washington, D.C. with our 1 year old and another baby on the way. We lived in Manly when we were much younger when we studied abroad, but I wanted to know what you thought of it for young families. We'd really like to meet Australian families and most of our friends seem to be counseling us to live in Mosman or elsewhere. We love the beach, so I'd prefer to be in Manly, but I just wanted to know if you think there are Aussie families and a community of such in Manly. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Manly is a beautiful suburb of Sydney to live in. It has a very active and diverse community, with many young families, professionals, travellers, and more. It has great amenities such as the beaches, bush walking, shopping, local schools, plenty of shops and restaurants, and close Sydney CDB by ferry. Great for the active lifestyle and the people are lovely and friendly.
Too many bloody poms there now. They squeeze 5 people in a room, get mad drunk, perve on others, talk loud and fast, and flood the best parts of the beach and plaza. They're a real pest.
"Lovely place to live but very expensive"
beautiful place but very high rents.child care always full so wait list is 3yrs.good public transport but unfortunately no train lines.
.safe place otherwise.gud scholls.balgowlah next to manly is also very nice.
iam trying to rent somewhere in west bcause i cant afford the rent here but iam very disappointed to move away from this beautiful place.
gud place to live if u have money,car.unfortunately i have none.
Great for
- Good for family as well as singles
- Beautiful beach to relax
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
- Very beautiful and peaceful
Not great for
- Horrible rental and house sales value
Who lives here?
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Tourists
- Beach Lovers
"Very beautiful and scenic, peaceful, very nice to stroll"
Manly is a very nice place to live if you have abundant cash. Its very nice to have a walk, peaceful, no fast city life, clean, good public transport, good schools, nice churches, nice people. Only certain areas like near bar its crowded with drunkards at weekends.
Great for
- Very beautiful and peaceful
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
- Great Food
Not great for
- Horrible rental and house sales value
- Poor general practitionars especially for children
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"Gotta Love manly"
Manly would have to be the bet I have ever lived.
You have everything at your door. You can walk everywhere.
There is fantastic snorkelling at Cabbage Tree Bay. 2 of the best Sydney restaurants are in Manly/Freshwater. Manly Pavillion and Pilau.
Great for
- Great Food
- Excellent Transport
- Ferry to the city
Not great for
- Late night seedy side in the Corso
- No others
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
- Tourists
- LGBT+
- Hipsters
- Students
- Trendy & Stylish
- Beach Lovers
"Great place to rent, rather expensive to buy."
If you can afford it , great! This is a great place to buy, close to Sydney Harbour National Park and Manly, you feel like your not near the city.
Who lives here?
- Families with kids
"The lifestyle - only 30 mins from the CBD"
Great lifestyle suburb. Beautiful parks and beaches, and top quality eating out. I've enjoyed nothing better than strolling to the ferry in the morning and catching a leisurely ferry across the harbour to the CBD. Downsides? .... the central areas can be unsavoury at night, and although I lived in a quiet bay away from the centre - I still had 3 break-ins in 2 years. Traffic and parking on weekends is also impossible...but thankfully the lifestyle is so good you rarely have to leave!
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"Manly – food, sun and nightlife"
Manly is a suburb of Sydney 17 kilometres north-east of the CBD in the local government area of the Manly Council but still considered to be in the Northern beaches district of Sydney.
Bounded on the north by Queenscliff, the east and south by the Pacific Ocean and to the west by Fairlight and Manly Vale, Manly had a population in 2006 of 13,934 with 12.8% under 18 and 20.3% over 60. 55% of the dwellings are privately owned. Nearly half are high density with only 13% being separate houses.
Transport to and from Manly by road will take you over the Spit Bridge. OK during off peak times but a bit slow at other times. The ferries are a great way to travel to and from the city. 40 minutes of gentle ocean cruise is a great way to start and finish the work day. It gives you time to separate your life into work and play.
The Corso is a pedestrian plaza that is famous for shopping and it's restaurants. There is a good variety of food all within a small area. The Corso leads from the ferry terminal to the beach on the other side of the peninsula and the Norfolk Pine trees.
This is a place that is perfect to visit and play, but not for me to live.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
"Seaside living - catch a ferry to work in the CBD!"
Manly is a beachside suburb, 17 kilometres to the north-east of the Sydney CBD.
Famous for its long stretch of sandy beaches, Manly is a popular surf spot and attracts many tourists throughout the year.
The region has a strong sporting culture, and Manly is home to its own Rugby League team. Sailing is also popular in this area, as is surfing and body boarding.
The esplanade is now lined with high density apartment blocks, all offering fantastic views.
The commercial area of town is called the Corso, and this offers a number of outdoor cafés and boutique shops.
Accessing the CBD is easy from here, with frequent ferries and also a dedicated bus line.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Families with kids
"Manly - Close to Sydney CBD"
Manly is a beachside suburb on Sydney’s northern beaches and is home to the Manly Warringah Sea eagles NRL Team. Apart from the great beaches, both ocean and harbour that are great for surfing, swimming snorkelling, diving etc, good shopping and multiple choice of accommodation, Manly is home to Oceanworld where you can see marines life of all shapes and sizes with guided tours daily. There are scenic walks, bike hire, boat and kayak hire, galleries and any number of specialty shops. There is plenty of entertainment including the manly Jazz festival, live shows and many entertainment venues. Being so close to Sydney, house and unit prices are high and rental accommodation is as well yet there is always a bargain to be had. Manly is an ideal to buy to live or invest due to its close proximity to work and all major amenities.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"Nice beach town in Sydney"
Manly is about a thirty minutes' drive from Sydney and is a favourite destination of tourists and local sunbathers alike. When the sun is out, you can expect Manly to be jam-packed with people. Another way to get to Manly will be by ferry. This is a very popular choice with locals as the road from Manly to the city is impossible during peak hours.
As it is very close to the beach, property prices here are definitely on the higher end of the scale. This suburb is not as multi-cultural as compared to western suburbs of Sydney. Additionally, with high rents and property prices com high prices for goods and services around this area. There are plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes around Manly and the beaches do get very crowded. A word of advice for those intending to drive there especially during the summer months - leave your cars at home as parking is almost impossible to find.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
"Manly seems to have everything going for it."
Manly has a great beach, a very trendy area for relaxing and enjoying the beach lifestyle. Many people live here and work in Sydney and commute by sea. The boat service is excellent with large boats that can travel in nearly all weathers.
Tourism is very strong in Manly and many visitors to Sydney will catch the ferry around to Manly as a chance to view the Sydney harbour and also to visit the sights offered at Manly. Oceanworld is very popular with tourists and locals alike with regular shows during the day.
Manly beach is a top surfing beach and swimming beach as well. Near the wharf there is calmer water for the littlies to swim and enjoy the bay.
Being on the ocean front, Manly has some great eateries and there are many sporting activities to get involved in. For the locals there are the usual support services and many sporting clubs that get a huge following from the area.
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Retirees
Hello Amy,
I have been thinking of moving to Manly from the USA for some time now. I have just recently gathered the guts to take a more serious step to looking at places to stay and jobs locally. Would you happen to have any recommendations regarding living in Manly, or would you happen to know of a good place to start at around Australia? I've tried doing my research, however, I think maybe getting someone's opinion would be a more efficient way of going about it. lol Thank you.
-Honestie