Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Shelly Beach

    4.5 (19 reviews)

    Shelly Beach Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Shelly Beach

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Shelly Beach
    Dan P.

    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.

    James F.

    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.

    Michelle S.

    Definitely one of my favorite beaches!! We took the fast ferry from Circular Quay to Manly and then walked to manly beach and did the coastal walk to Shelly Beach. Such a gorgeous walk and there's a pool along the beach which was stunning!! Would highly recommend this beach over Bondi!!

    Paul J.

    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.

    Sally R.

    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.

    Lindsay C.

    Lovely little beach in Manly. It's shallower and more sheltered than sprawling Manly Beach and is a popular scuba diving and snorkelling site as well as great for a paddle in the calmer waters and relaxing on the shore. There's also a walking trail that begins at the rear of the beach that heads up and around the rocky headland and gives great elevated views.

    Christina C.

    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!

    Love this place! The walk from manly was so easy and the beach was less crowded. It was nice to watch the surfers in the break. As well as all of the pools - so cool! A must if you're on the beach in manly

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 2
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Em G.
    68
    364
    1241

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon L.
    878
    2561
    43242

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tiffany K.
    1093
    1544
    1241

    14 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan P.
    4154
    376
    1586

    11 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Paul J.
    21
    253
    305

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sally R.
    4
    250
    153

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Julia I.
    6
    211
    128

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    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...

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Review Highlights - Shelly Beach

    South of Manly Beach, Shelly Beach is protected by a headland from the waves that draw surfers to the mecca of Manly.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Manly Beach

    Manly Beach

    4.4(5 reviews)
    0.9 kmManly

    The beaches were fairly crowded since students are still out on Easter break. I came to do the…read moreshoreline walk to North head. The trail also goes into a wooded area. Unfortunately, there was some litter.. Not as easy to follow as the Bondi Trail, and not the best for young kids as sections do not have barriers off the cliff. I took a swim at Shelly Beach and there were some small fish, a few snorkelers swimming in the area. I had to take the manly ferry from Central. I missed the ferry both times going and returning, but I only had to wait around 15 minutes for the next one.

    Manly Beach is a beautiful beach that is easily accessible by ferry from the Sydney Harbour. Once…read moreoff of the ferry, the beach is easily and pupublicly accessible on both sides of the dock. A few friends and I decided to go check it out. Only 1 of us was prepared to engage the water, the rest of us didn't think that the weather was warm enough for a dip. Well, it was quite hot sitting there in the sand, people watching and taking it all in. The one brave person among us did go for a dip and said that the water was cold but they didn't care. It was at least nice enough for her and others around us to get in. We only stayed about 2 hrs and had to make our way back for dinner plans. We did take a few minutes to leisurely look around the shops located at the ferry drop of point. The area seems really nice and peaceful. I wishbwe had more time there to explore and/or return to the beach. If you're around in the summer, I recommend planning to spend some time here.

    Photos
    Manly Beach
    Manly Beach
    Manly Beach

    See all

    Camp Cove Reserve

    Camp Cove Reserve

    4.9(7 reviews)
    4.8 km

    If Lara Bingle was a beach, she'd be Camp Cove…read more Of course, we're talking the fresh-faced, brown-skinned, salt-tinged Lara Bingle of yesteryear though, before she got commercial and dated cricketers with dicky backs and Hollywood, ahem, stars. Back then Lara was young and happy and carefree. She didn't have any big problems like a crappy reality show, she was blissful and sun-kissed and fun to hang out with, she had no pretentions and was small but really gorgeous and she had some great rockwalks and a little kiosk at one end. And sure, parking was tough but it was always worth it. I LOVE YOU LARA BINGLE. YOU ARE THE TASTE OF SUMMER.

    Bon, je l'avoue, je suis très difficile en matière de plage... Je n'aime pas quand c'est trop…read moretouristique (coucou Bondi), j'aime bien quand le sable est pas trop cracra, et plus l'eau est transparente, mieux je me porte (reloue, vous avez dit reloue ?). C'est pourquoi maintenant que j'ai trouvé Camp Cove, je compte en faire ma plage number one. Située à Watsons Bay (j'habite Vaucluse, c'est donc assez prêt de la maison, en plus !), quartier que j'adore-mon-dieu-donne-moi-une-maison-la-bas, Camp Cove est une plage assez bien cachée. A ne pas confondre avec l'étendue de sable au port de Watsons Bay, Camp Cove se situe à 10 minutes max du port. Et si vous vous aventurez dans les environs du parc national juste à côté, vous aurez une vue magnifique de la skyline de Sydney. Amateurs de surf s'abstenir, ici il n'y a pas de vagues. Amateurs de natation, cet endroit est fait pour vous. ------------------------------------ I've something to tell you, I'm pretty tricky about beaches... I don't like when there is too many tourists (yes, I'm French, so a little bit a tourist, but I avoid Bondi as much as I can), I love when the sand is clear and when the water isn't too dirty (This is me, helllloooo). That's why, when I discovered Camp Cove, which is pretty closed to my house, I can tell you it's my beach number one ! I really love Watsons Bay, the warf, Beach Club, the view, and now I can add Camp Cove, which is pretty well hidden. You have to walk like 10 minutes from the warf, and just enjoy this amazing place ! You can also have a walk closed to the beach in the National Park and have a wonderful view to Sydney's skyline ;) Surfers, sorry, this place is too calm for you ! Swimmers, what are you waiting to go there ?

    Photos
    Camp Cove Reserve
    Camp Cove Reserve
    Camp Cove Reserve

    See all

    Shelly Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...