Shelly Beach

I love Shelly Beach. I am surprised how quiet it is here! It’s only a short walk away from Manly and the walk was gorgeous! I especially love the pool midway! Shelly’s actually my favorite out of the three beaches (Bondi, Manly, Shelly) I visited this trip! Wear one of those rubber shoes and your feet will thank you after walking on those shelly sand!

Another place that is very serene and beautiful during the week, but a bit crazy at the weekend… make it a weekday if you can…

Toss some sand and seashells in a mortar and pestle, and whaddya get? Shelly beach!
Whilst Manly Beach is more of a traditional beach with waves, lifeguards and soft sand, Shelly beach offers a very different experience.
First off it’s much quieter. Being somewhat secluded around a path or two, means that the majority of peeps either don’t know its there or aren’t willing to walk the small distance to get to it, because Manly beach is right in front of them. Don’t get me wrong though, even during the week the beach is going to be busy.
The ocean atmosphere here is a lot more kid-​friendly, with gentler waves, making it much easier for parents to monitor. For the sun-​bakers there are spots amongst the rocks or in the general concourse area of the beach itself. You’ll see a number of snorkel types exploring a little further out, and that’s what makes this little gem so special — you can do a lot here.
Eye-​candy-​wise this is the place to be. James Bond types emerging from the water, and stunning European models parading their fantastic bodies. Hungry bums are prevalent here. There is also a park behind the beach.
Extra style points: If you are able to find the little figurines!
Bonus bonus points: If you can find the iguana.

This tiny beach is surprisingly nice!
The water is amazingly calm and clear thanks to the west facing beach making it great for snorkeling. There’s relatively affordable parking near by but you’ll have to get in early on the weekends or be prepared to wait. $ 16 all day parking.
It’s named Shelly Beach for a reason… the sand is more whole shells than broken, fine pieces. It was painful for my tender feet, but if you’re fine walking on hot asphalt or gravel, unlike me, you’ll be good on this beach!
It’s a nice stroll to Manly wharf so get a parking spot nice and early then head over to Manly for some breakfast!

Shelley Beach is Manly’s little sister, the one you never really paid that much attention to until she grew up and you realise she’s all sorts of hot.
Yeah so that ended up sounding pretty creepy in a pervy uncle kind of way and I immediately regret writing it, but it doesn’t change the fact the Shelley is small and gorgeous and the water is as calm and clear as anything, it’s cracking for snorkelling and diving and swimming and paddling out to the rocks on the right and basking and exploring and finding shells and crabs and urchins and fish in the shallow rockpools, or lolling on a Lilo (hi Lindsay!) and looking up at all the big houses and playing the «If I Could Have Any Mansion…» game. If you’re skurred of the water you can lounge lizard-​style on the grass and fry up some meat on the BBQs.
There’s a down side, of course. On weekends the parking sucks and it’s pretty packed, a massive pain the a$$, but when you eventually get settled… well, it’s all worth it now, isn’t it?

One of my favorite beaches in Sydney. If you have the time, do the walk from Manly Beach. It’s a beautiful stroll and you can even take a dip in the sea pool on the way.
What do I like about Shelly Beach? For starters, there is some decent snorkeling as well as scuba diving. Lots of baby cuttlefish like to hang out here. Did you know that cuttlefish are one of the most intelligent invertebrates in the ocean?
It doesn’t have large swell, which is nice if you have small kids or if you don’t like taking a beating when out in the ocean.
If you surf, there is a decent wave out on the Bower depending on the swell. I think it is more suited towards long boarders.
I don’t know if it is sharky or not. However, my sis-​in-​law was swimming between the points across the cove, and her foot whacked a large, solid, fishy thing. Totally scared her!

Sydney’s very own Watego’s in this exclusive alcove at the protected southern end of Manly. The water is consistently emerald and it’s a haven for divers and snorklers. In fact you’ll feel as though you’ve landed right bang smack inside some picture perfect postcard. A day here is so relaxing it feels like a two week holiday, and I always return to the East feeling like a brand new woman. BYO snorkling gear and get up close and personal with the local marine life. Fish galore guaranteed. It’s my first swim of the season, and I spot a wobbygong — my first ever… but the gropers are feeling shy today. That’s okay. I’ve got all summer. Walk around the coastal path and grab a Toby’s Estate coffee, or venture off the beach and explore the stunning coastal bushland. It’s a family haven here, yet romantic as it gets… so bring your significant other if you have one. A cheap, accessible place to escape the big smoke without even leaving.

There are beaches, and then there are beaches. This place is, in a word, stunning. Best of all, given its somewhat protected location, you are protected from the hordes of people who take over Manly beach.
Unfortunately this piece of paradise does come with a cost (especially if you park in the council car park). If you do end up parking there, do not think you can get away without paying. It seems to me that the parking officers live there, as they were constantly wandering around.
If you are on a limited timeline though, make sure to drop by the car park and have a glimpse from the lookout (located right at the car park) for a, yup… here it comes again, stunning view of the cliffs overlooking some of the best beaches Sydney has to offer.
This place is awesome. Check it out.

If there is such a place as heaven, it must look a great deal like Shelly Beach. South of Manly Beach, Shelly Beach is protected by a headland from the waves that draw surfers to the mecca of Manly. Shelly has a great little reef that a whole lots of colourful fish, large and small, call home. Consequentially, it’s a popular spot with scuba divers and snorkelers in the summer time.
Shelly Beach can be accessed by car — but be warned, street parking is near impossible to find on summer weekends, and the council carpark requires the insertion of A LOT of coins or a Manly Council Permit. A much better way to access friendly Shelley Beach is on foot; the walk from Manly Life Saving Club takes fifteen or twenty minutes, and is a great look at all walks of life. Brazilian backpackers chattering away in Portuguese — tick! Yummy mummies running with the pram — tick! Lovebirds slowly meandering around the headland — tick! Fitness fanatics and their unfortunate pet dogs — tick!
Shelly Beach is a beautiful spot for a late-​afternoon picnic, a sunrise stroll or a lazy weekend wander. It’s popular with families, because of the absence of waves. But don’t be fooled — young people also flock to Shelly Beach to sit and watch the world go by. A beautiful beach with a beautiful view.

Tucked away from the noise and crowds of Manly is Shelly Beach. Once you see Manly beach in front of you, turn right and walk for about ten minutes. It’s actually a really nice walk. Once you get to Shelly, you’ll notice that it’s quite secluded, and almost feels like an island beach. The waters here are quite calm, due to reefs that offer some protection from the large ocean waves.
Although I came to the beach just to relax on the sand, there are barbeques for public use, as well as lavatories and showers. The facilities are pretty clean. Since it’s a relatively small beach, it can get quite packed on weekends, so make sure to get there early, especially if you’re looking for parking near the beach.
If you get sick of sitting on the beach, there’s a little bush trail that provides stunning vistas of Manly and the ocean. When I was here, there were many snorkelers and scuba divers taking advantage of the tranquil conditions. There’s supposed to be a nice variety of marine life within the shallow depths around Shelly Beach.