Manly

Manly is a suburb in Local Government Area of Manly Council on Northern Beaches of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

It is most notable for its beaches, which are popular tourist destinations, and during the 19th and early 20th century Manly was one of Australia's most popular seaside holiday resorts. Norfolk Island pine trees are also symbollic of Manly and are a prominent feature of both the ocean and harbour-side beaches.

Manly was named by Capt. Arthur Phillip for the indigenous people living there, "their confidence and manly behaviour made me give the name of Manly Cove to this place".[1] These men were of the Kay-ye-my clan. While scouting for fresh water in the area, Phillip encountered members of the clan, and after a misunderstanding he was speared in the shoulder by one of the clan; to his lasting credit, the progressively-minded Phillip ordered his men not to retaliate.

Transport services to Manly include an efficient Ferry service from Manly Wharf, and bus services to the city and other suburbs. The Manly Ferry provides a relaxed journey taking 30 minutes and allows for scenic views of Sydney Harbour, surrounding national parks and Sydney icons including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. A faster "JetCat" service taking 15 minutes also operates between Manly and Sydney city. The ferry service once advertised Manly as "seven miles from Sydney, and a thousand miles from care".

High-rise buildings and apartments now line the foreshore; a testament to both the high popularity of the area and the compliance of the local council to the whims of developers. Since the 1970s and the "Conserve Manly" local political party, high-rise development has been drastically limited and most new beachfront developments are no more than three or four stories in height. The relaxed lifestyle, beaches and promiximity to Sydney city have led to Manly's real estate prices being amongst the highest in Australia.

Manly is blessed by having Sydney Harbour on its western side with calm water, ferry wharf, swimming area, Oceanworld Manly aquarium, sailing and yacht clubs. Yet a short 300 metre walk down The Corso lined by shops to the eastern side is the Pacific Ocean and the famous Manly Beach. Manly also has the rugby league team, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

This alignment of the Corso allows Manly to host the Manly International Jazz Festival, Australia's largest community based jazz festival, during the October long weekend public holiday, with various stages hosting continuous free public performances from mid-day until sundown.

Manly has Sister City relationships with a number of other cities, the most active of which is Taito, Tokyo, Japan. In addition, Manly has a strong "friendship city" relationship with Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. Annual goodwill tours between the cities take place, as well as a popular student exchange program for secondary students.

In recent years, Manly has become a popular destination for international students studying English, and several English language colleges offer a range of study options.

A former Catholic seminary at St Patricks Estate on North Head now operates as a tourism and business college that attracts international students from many countries. As well as being an educational hub, many spectacular weddings have been held here; most recently Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.

Sydney's seaside resort is full of attractions and exciting activities, including Oceanworld Manly, featuring Australia's largest collection of marine life and the city's largest sharks! In addition, Oceanworld features living coral from the Great Barrier Reef, hand feeding of sharks and giant sting-rays, plus reptile shows and an emphasis on educational tours and talks on the marine environment. Just behind Oceanworld is the Manly Waterworks where kids (and adults) can enjoy giant slides during the summer months. Recreational activities include swimming, tennis, golf, beach volleyball, roller blading, scenic and historical walks, parasailing, scuba diving, fishing and enjoying the inner and outer harbour beaches and coves. Manly is the gateway to the scenic beauty of the northern beaches.

Manly was one of the first places in Australia to get a name. Soon after his arrival in Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) in 1788, Governor Arthur Phillip began exploring the harbour in search of fresh water.

The Tank Stream which ran into Sydney Cove near what is now Circular Quay was hardly enough to serve the immediate needs of the First Fleet, let alone support the farm animals the ships had brought or any worthwhile food crop.

Passing near Manly a group of unarmed Aboriginal men waded into the water to greet Phillip's small boats. Impressed with their stature and bearing, Phillip is recorded describing them as 'manly', and the name stuck. Despite mounting an expedition several miles inland to what is now Beacon Hill north of Manly, Phillip failed to find a stream.

Because of its distance from Sydney Cove, Manly remained largely untouched by white settlers until 1846 when it saw the beginnings of a village. It began to flourish in the 1850s when a ferry service was established from Sydney.

One of the native men who greeted Phillip was named Bennelong, and he and Phillip developed a friendship so firm Phillip took Bennelong to England when his tour of duty ended. Out of place in faraway London, he returned to Sydney. In the meantime he was built a hut at Bennelong Point, where the Sydney Opera House now stands.