After 10 years loyalty to Fitness First there was a need for a change however determining a gym or…read moresports club to attend is time consuming when thinking of cost, style of gym, trainers, equipment and other logistics. With the intention of fulfilling the mission to trial several in the local area and writing/reviewing for Yelp, I have only managed to get to Joe's Garage Gym. Here is why? Joe's Garage Gym is straightforward. Small group fitness training that is intense, rewarding and where you are always learning new skills. There are four types of fitness classes that can be easily booked online which are Cardio training, Conditioning, Strength training and boxing. These classes rotate weekly. The gym community is unique to Joe's Garage Gym and the fitter members in the gym are encouraging and not intimidating which makes for a good culture and gym environment. There are also classes for kids. Joe Bonington is hands on with every aspect of his gym and provides a wealth of experience in Nutrition, Health and Fitness. He is a presenter, facilitator, public speaker and leadership coach and has a network of fitness industry contacts that can assure you to meet all your health and fitness goals.Si Bennett is his Strength and Conditioning coach and certified Power/Weightlifting and Boxing coach. Both are personable and love seeing you progress with results as much as you do. Trek and Altitude training and Personal training is also conducted at Joe's Garage Gym and since being there I have witness members undertaking Ultra marathons, a Kilimanjaro trek and presently a fellow gym member is racing across the North Pole. Yes I have yet to experience and review Xtend Barre in Mosman, Lift of Flight in Balgowlah. I guess Ive been too happy with what I now call my Gym.

Of late I have been driving around Sydney in search of awesome venues, views, parks and cafes, this…read morepark covered everything but the coffee. If you are after a location that has views of the harbour, specifically of heads of Sydney Harbour heads, then you will not find better than this. The views are stunning! The other amazing thing about this park is that only in a Australia would you put a cricket pitch in such an awesome location. Seems almost a waste. Though... if you are looking for the ultimate place to fly a kite in Sydney.... this is likely to be it. Another big plus about this park, especially if you have kids, is the enclosed play area (near the toilets), which also has a BBQ ready and waiting. This place is awesome and a must visit, especially if you have people in from out of town.

If I didn't play football here a few times this season I never would have discovered the…read moreexceptional eagles eyrie that is Tania Park. Just across the Spit and 10 mins from Manly, Tania sits perched precipitously atop a bushy tabletop headland looking over Sydney Harbour and out through the heads into open ocean (and the pirate's law that I'm led to believe is in force in international waters). I watched Jessica Watson sail her yacht The Pink Lady back into Sydney after her record-breaking round-the-world solo voyage as a sprightly 16 year old from here, one of the highlights of 2010. Cracking for walks, dates, sports, dates, and dates. (and hey, do you fly kites? Because if you do, this place is your damned nirvana yo.)

During our visit to Manly, since we thought it was a bit too chilly to hang out on the beach, we…read moretook a nice walk along the Manly Scenic Walkway from the corner of Manly Beach by the Manly Life Saving Club to Shelley Beach, and back again. It is a relatively safe, mostly fenced in path by the water. Basically, you would have to be taking some large risks to fall in, though there are places you may venture forth onto relatively flat rocks or around a neat outdoor swimming pool. With a leisurely pace and pauses for photos or just to sit back and relax, the round trip took us an hour and 15 minutes. I particularly enjoyed the metal sculptures set in the rocky ledges along the walkway leading towards Shelley Beach, known as the Cabbage Tree Bay Eco Sculpture Walk. Also outstanding, at Shelley Beach, there were quite a few wild turkeys wandering about.

The Manly to Shelly Beach Walk is located in an area known as the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve…read more The boundaries are from the south end of Manly Beach to the north end of Shelly Beach. This area is full of rocky shores which you see numerous people walking around in. The waters of the reserve is home to more than 160 species of fish along with kelp and seagrass. While the actual walkway on Marine Parade is a nice place for walker and joggers/runners to get some physical activity while being amidst some natural beauty. Along the walk you see a lot of waterfront houses. Saw a number of houses perched on top of rock formations and walls. It must be nice living in these homes as they are seaside, but in walking distance to the city portion of Manly. At the end of walk you arrive at Shelly Beach which is a pleasant beach that is more secluded than the larger Manly Beach. It is also covered in trees so it has an island paradise vibe to it. If you are looking for a relaxed beach, Shelly Beach is a good spot. While Manly Beach is the main attraction in the area, this beach walk is nice too as you can get an opposite side view of Manly Beach. The rocky shores and rock wall formations in the area also are reasons to take this walk.

Quality/Quantity - What a cool place to hang out!…read moreGlad we came on a Monday, but still crazy busy. Fairly Bower Rock Pool - Cool! Check out the pictures, as usual the pictures do NOT do the pool and area justice. Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. Manly Scenic Walkways - Do remember that "freak" waves can come any time and hit you while walking the pathway. Small cafe; I did not visit. Good for scuba diving and snorkeling - A maximum depth of 12 meters. We saw many classes out there teaching and training locals and tourists. Atmosphere - Lizard and bird (turkey) friendly, see pictures. Art, statues, educational information, etc. along the walking paths. Pedestrian friendly, no/restricted bikes allowed on many paths. In the main town, there is plenty of shopping, eating, and people watching. Pay parking lots. Service - Quick easy ferry from and to Manly. Much easier than driving. Express ferries are also available for a little more $$. "Smart beach" - See picture for definition. There are public toilets and showers, but there was a long line the entire time we were there. So they need more... Price - Beach - Free. Everything else is tourist prices, LOL. Owner Comment - Thanks for such a great visit!

A little bit of a walk from Manly beach. Just follow the sea wall. It's a lot calmer for swimming,…read moresnorkeling, just getting your toes wet. The area between the two beaches is a protested reef. So be mindful. The sand did have bit of shells and ocean debris. There was also some beer caps floating around, so just be wary where you walk. If you're looking for a nice shaded spot, bring your own or relax by the side where the trees are. The do have public showers, toilets, rinse off area and a filtered water station. Plus a nice beachside cafe for your dinning pleasures. Took a lot of great photos, but do respect the signs and the law. And clean up after yourselves.

The Cabbage Tree Bay Eco Sculpture Walk is located along the Manly Scenic Walkway, along the end…read moreclosest to Shelly Beach. I loved the metal sculptures that were set along the rocky wall. Most were well labeled and consisted of local creatures and swimmers and snorkelers enjoying water activities.

I walked from Little Manly to Collins Flat Beach and it was really nice. Lots of look out points…read moreand benches at the start, once you're past jump rock though it's a bit harder to go along and no more stops.

Got to say thanks to Aquarium World. While they didn't have my regular fish food in stock…read more(apparently they just stop ordering the type I used for years from them), they did go out of their way and custom order it for me. Hopefully they continue to stock it from now onwards!

This is one of the best aquarium shops I've been too. There are loads of well stocked tanks with a…read morehuge variety to chose from. The shop also makes tanks to order and has some pretty cool custom tanks on display ready to buy. The staff are knowledgable and very friendly. On two occasions I've been into the store with a hundred questions and two menacing toddlers who like to put grubby hand prints all over the tanks which would put any aquarium shop employee in a bad mood however not these guys! In addition to all the live stock they also carry dry and frozen foods and dry stock including pumps, filters, breeder boxes, water treatments and the list goes on. They will price match and are slightly more expensive than some of the bigger pet shops so do a bit of price research before purchasing dry stock.

This quaint little park has a rocky walk down to the water or a set of stairs if the tide is low…read moreenough. The BBQs often attract weekend picnic eaters who often have dogs running around the park. While it's not strictly dog friendly, we always let our dogs off for a swim and to annoy the picnic eaters who don't seem to mind. If you're passing through because you're on your way to Manly or if you make this park your destination, you won't be disappointed. The only thing is, don't tell anyone about it, let it be our Yelpie little secret :) Shhhhh...

This place is a lovely picturesque park however the playground is an absolute nightmare! I am a…read morenanny of two little kids and I hate taking them here because it is super dangerous. The playground is all open and situated between a busy road and open water with a rock face on the side. Would only recommend taking older kids there that you know aren't going to run off. Apart from that it's a good spot for a picnic or get together.

Small but lovely beach with great view through the heads out to sea. Great outdoor pool and…read morefabulous place to hang out away from the crowds in manly.

This is the beach I would go to in Manley. Very relaxing and surrounded by trees with a walk enough…read moreto keep many people at bay (plus there are other closer beaches). Water is super clear because of the lack of boats on this side.

There are very few beaches that are really secluded, especially in Sydney. Collins Beach is…read moreprobably about as close as you can get to one (thanks googlemaps!). There's no car park next to it, so walking down to the beach involves a bit of bush walking. Once your day there, you find a little paradise - calm waters due to its inner harbour location, a waterfall feeding into a small pool that runs down to the water and, if you're lucky, very few other sunbathers. Obviously, there will be people down here but I was down here on a very warm Sunday and it wasn't uncomfortably populated. I've even used it to film a music video - that was during a week day - and it was more or less empty, so if you're looking for a quiet beach while you're on holiday, check it out! The sand isn't totally clean in that there's a bit of natural debris (tree branches and the like) lying about, but that shouldn't put you off. It is a beautiful little beach and a nice alternative to the hubbub of Manly beach.