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This walk, opened in
1988, extends for ten
kilometres and takes
about three hours. Start
from the harbour side
of Manly, at the wharf
where the ferry arrives,
and turn west (left as
you leave the wharf).
Then simply follow the
shoreline past Oceanworld,
Delwood Beach, Fairlight
Beach, North Harbour
Reserve and Wellings
Reserve. Next you will
come to Forty Baskets
Beach, connected not
with the Sermon on the
Mount, but with a good
catch sent to feed Sudanese
soldiers detained at
the Quarantine Station
on North Head in 1885.
You now move into an
area of National Park
as you pass Reef Beach
and reach Dobroyd Head,
famous for its wild flowers
in spring. Via Crater
Cove and Washaway Beach
to Grotto Point, for
a good view of the harbour,
then a short backtrack
and on to Castle Rock,
Clontarf Point and Clontarf
Beach. This beach has
some history associated
with it, for it was here
on 12th March 1868 that
the Duke of Edinburgh,
second son of Queen Victoria,
was shot during a picnic
by a would-be assassin,
the Irishman James O’Farrell.
The Duke escaped with
a slight wound, but O’Farrell
did not. He was executed.
On to Sandy Bay and Fisher
Bay before The Spit is
reached. The bridge here
carries the main highway
between Sydney and Manly,
but traffic flow is interrupted
periodically as the bridge
has to be raised to allow
boats to pass into the
Middle Harbour, Sydney
having got its priorities
correct in this instance
at least. There are good
views from this point
too.
From here, buses 143,
144, 169, E69 and E71
run back to Manly (the
169 and E69 by a very
lengthy and indirect
route), while a variety
of routes runs into the
city.
Click here for Manly Map.
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