Freshwater

Freshwater Beach

Freshwater NSW

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

Freshie is a great beach with an interesting history, but the major reason I chose to review this beach is because it is one of the best beaches to learn to swim and surf at. Possibly named due to a fresh water creek that used to run into the ocean in this bay, Freshwater had a contentious history in it's name and was officially called Harbord from 1923 to 2008, whereupon it regained it's former name due to popular demand. Another interesting facet of Freshwaters history is that in 1914 Duke Kahanamoku visited this beach and introduced surfing to Australia. The local Surf Life Saving Club regularly patrols the beach and is home to a fantastic community of people. 

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Transport:

Getting into this area is easiest by bus or car, with no train service in the vicinity. As it is a very short distance from Manly, many people simply walk to experience the spectacular sea views. 

Shops:

Only a few hundred meters away from the beach is a strip of shops including cafes, restaurants, general stores, pharmacists, fast food stores and many more. If you can't find what you need here then you can just head into Manly or Brookvale where you can find almost anything to suit your needs.

Nightlife:

There are two places that you have to check out if you like bevvie or two, one is the Harbord Diggers Club, with on of the most spectacular outlooks of any club I have ever been too, it is a must. The other is the Harbord Beach Hotel, which almost looks like a castle and their main function area is set up to look very Roman-esque. If you want something a little more fast paced you can head around the corner into main Manly where you'll find pubs and clubs galore.

What Else:

Along with a fantastic beach that is one of the easiest places to swim, there is also a tidal pool for those a little less keen on any waves. If you're looking for somewhere to stay then there are many places in Manly, Curl-Curl and Queenscliff or there is accomodation available at the Harbord Beach Hotel. 

Conclusion:

This beach is an all time favourite of mine, with a great swell and an awesome vibe, with a history to match, this beach is epic. Simply epic, five stars!

Pat

Dicky Beach

Dicky Beach

Dicky Beach QLD

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

The Sunshine Coast is home to many beautiful beaches with calm, warm waters. I chose to look at Dicky Beach in particular because of the iconic wreck of the SS Dicky which can be found on it's shores. The area itself is home to a large caravan park, a small strip of shops and restaurants, a skate park and the Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The beach is patrolled and the SLSC won the DHL Queensland Surf Life Saving Club of the Yeah in 2009, so you can feel safe in their hands. You can sometimes get a good swell if surfing is in your schedule, but for the general swimmer or families the waves are gentle and great to learn to swim in. An added benefit of this beach is that it is quite flat, great for those interested in some skimboarding.

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Transport:

As there is no train line going to the Sunshine Coast, this area relies mainly on buses for public transport, there are a few taxis around as well. If travelling into the area from Brisbane, the easiest way to get here is via a train to Landsborough and then catching a Sunbus to the coast. Brisbane Rails train schedule can be found here and the Sunbus timetables can be found here!

Shops:

There is a small strip of shops just up from the beach which include surf shops, cafes, restaurants, a pharmacy and a great little fish'n'chips place called The Fishmongers Wife, they do a great fish and chips for a reasonable price. 

Nightlife:

The Sunshine Coast has a few spots where the parties go well into the night, Dicky Beach, unfortunately, isn't one of them. Apart from a few restuarants, most of the area closes down as the sun goes down. If you are looking for a bit more of an exciting night, you can head down the coast about 5 minutes towards Caloundra, where you will find a number of pubs, clubs and taverns that are open 'til late. Otherwise you can head north towards Mooloolaba where at the Esplanade you can find numerous clubs, check our the Wharf Tavern if you head there, usually goes off.

What Else:

The big seller for Dicky Beach is the closeness of accommodation, with the caravan park being 500m from the beach. It makes holidaying in this area easy and comfortable, for more information about this holiday park please visit this link. One final must when visiting Dicky Beach is to visit the wreck of the SS Dicky, as sadly one day it will have completely washed away, and I know in my repeat visits to this beach I have noticed a slow reduction in size of the wreck.

Conclusion:

All in all I find this beach to be a fun, relaxing beach, with calm waters and a good feel to it. The only possible reason I can find to give it less than five stars is it's lack of nightlife, but this can be found just around the corner in other suburbs. I give Dicky Beach 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Cheers,

Pat

Palm Beach

 

Palm Beach

Sydney NSW 

The Beach and surrounding areas:

Palm beach is a beautiful, popular beach famous for its use of exterior filming on the popular soap opera Home and Away. It is located approximately 41 kilometers north of the CBD. Palm beach has a large number of beaches, parks and sporting areas which includes a part of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The beach encapsulates a unique environment blending breathtaking views, with beautiful fresh air and a crystal clear ocean. Palm beach is one beach that you'll definitely revisit over and over as you are guaranteed to enjoy the relaxed and casual atmosphere.   

Transport: 

Palm beach is located mess than an hour drive from the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the CBD.  There is also a L90 bus which can be caught from the heart of Sydney's CBD. It is a 2 hour bus trip which is well worth the time due to the fabulous views and scenery along the way (be sure to get the window seat on the bus!!) 

Shops & Entertainment:

Palm beach has a popular golf club, sailing club, surf school and two surf lifesaving clubs for adults and children to enjoy. There are a range of popular restaurants, cafe's, gelato shops and convenience stores which can be enjoyed by couples and families with children. 

Families and young couples may also enjoy the learn to surf classes which are provided on the beach 7 days a week. Surf boards and wetsuits are provided and all ages and abilities are welcomed.

 

Nightlife:  

At night there are a range of restaurants, seafood bars, night clubs and bard to be enjoyed by young groups and couples. There are many lively bars which offer a great place to enjoy live music and cocktails at any time of the night. 

Overall, Palm Beach definitely offers many different entertainment facilities and fun for the family. I give this beach a high rating of 4.5 stars!!

 

By Natasha D.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

Sydney NSW

The Beach and surrounding area:

A wonderful beach located just a short drive of seven kilometers away from Central, Bondi Beach is remarkably one of Sydney's great features. Finding itself listed on the Australian Heritage list in 2008. Stretching a bit beyond one kilometer of its sandy shore Bondi Beach enables the fun in the sun criterion for all ages. Surfers tend to find themselves located   on  the  Southern  end  of  the  beach,  while many swimmers splash around on the  northern  side  with  calm gentle  waters  and the  security  of  a  patrolled  beach. The Beach is securely patrolled by the  Bondi  Lifeguards (found on Bondi rescue TV show) where swimmers are encouraged  to  swim  safely between  the  red  and  yellow  flags.

Transport:

Due to the large demand for parking at Bondi beach, the general transportation used are the bus services caught from the Bondi junction interchange. For more ways to get there or any other information regarding transport, please click here.

Shops and the Culture:

Bondi Beach has a large variety of surfwear, beachwear and equipments for all ages. For your convenience, a bank is situated on the south side of the beach. Different attires for the different occasions, Bondi has hosted many events including the New Years Eve party, Cocacola promotions and home to many living surf legends. These events infuse fun an excitement for everyone. Restaurants range from fancy cuisines to fast food outlets. For more information on dining please click here.

Nightlife:

Besides the great surf or easy going fun in the sun, Bondi beach also offers a unique nightlife experience. Don't you worry about the variety of drinks found at Bondi as they  Range from over 10 different bars and pubs, in which many to choose from. Top bars listed are found on this website.

Conclusion:

Bondi Beach is an excellent place to enjoy to all ages, however their culture and nightlife visage may conflict with those wanting a relaxing vacation.

Wilson L

 

Mona Vale Beach

Mona Vale Beach

Mona Vale NSW

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

Mona Vale beach is located to the north of the Sydney CBD in a region known as the Northern Beaches and is a great place to take the kids. It is a patrolled beach that also has an ocean pool towards the northern end, great for kids or inexperienced swimmers. The northern side of the beach, known as 'The Basin', usually has very calm waves, great for people who are learning to surf. The southern side is a bit more rough and ready for those who are ready to test out their surfing skills. Adjoining the beach is the Mona Vale Golf Club, a venue which has fantastic views and beautiful greens but is also host to many events and functions. Across the road from the beach car-park is a lovely play area for kids of all ages, with play equipment for toddlers all the way to a bike riding track for the big kids, there are also many areas for BBQ's and picnics. If you feel like exploring the land a little, there are many walks leading up to the headlands which give walkers a fantastic view of the coast.

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Transport:

The beach is easily accessible by car or bus, with a large parking area right beside the beach, this is ticketed at a small sum, and with bus stops at an easy walking distance from the beach. Mona Vale itself is located 28 kilometres from Sydney CBD so when travelling here return times should be taken into account. For bus info please click here.

Shops:

The majority of shops in the beach vicinity are cafes or fish'n'chip shops, there are both very close and give an easy alternative to bringing a packed lunch. They are also a big hit with the kids as they provide many different types of ice-creams. A short walk or drive into Mona Vale offers a wide range of stores, eateries and supermarkets to interest even the pickiest of shoppers. One must is the little pie shop on Park Street, Paddy's Pies, they do a great range of pies that are fantastic! It's right beside Pittwater Place.

Nightlife:

Whether you want to have a few drinks with mates, play a game of pool or have a quiet Martini, Mona Vale can find a place for you. Starting off closest to the beach you have the Mona Vale Surf Life Saving club, who although aren't open as a regular venue they are open for events or functions which have a beautiful view of the beach. Heading further into town you can find the Armchair Collective, a small little fully licensed restaurant who offer a wide range of tastes for all to enjoy. As we reach the main road you will find Missy Foxhall's a Mexican restaurant with a wide variety of tequilas, margaritas and other cocktails to kick your night off with. Directly across the road you will find Mona Vale Hotel, a popular location for both locals and visitors, with a sports bar, restaurant, three dance floors including an upstairs dance floor and bar, the Mona Vale hotel is quite the venue. Further down Park Street, you will find the quaint Park Street Social Club, a refined little hole-in-the-wall bar with a very Melbourne-esque feel.

What Else:

Mona Vale Beach and it's surrounds offer many fantastic places to visit, see and explore as you head further north through the suburbs of the Northern Beaches, you can find many great places to go for bush-walking. The Ku-ring-gai national park is just around the corner which is one of the most pristine nature reserves in all of Sydney and is well worth checking out.

Conclusion:

Mona Vale beach is a great little beach for families, with it's wide range of kid friendly spaces and places to eat. It is also a great place to go to have a surf and for this blogger is also a place to call home, so for that slightly biased reason I'm giving this beach 5 out of 5!

Enjoy!

Pat

Manly Beach

Manly Beach

Sydney-Northern Beaches

The Beach and Surrounding Area:
Manly Beach is located on Sydney’s northern beaches. it is the south most patrolled beach on the Northern Beaches. Manly Beach is world famous, known for its gentle surf, great nightlife, and beautiful surroundings. Known as a surf heritage listed area, manly offers family friendly fun, and has plenty of attractions to keep the whole family entertained. Anyone who fears waves or rough water can explore the harbour side (Little Manly and Collins flat). These areas are very pretty and have most facilities that the beach has (except lifeguard facilities). For those who are the outdoorsy types, north head nature reserve boasts diverse flora and fauna. Shelley Beach is also a key attraction, because of its beauty and serenity. Having said this, Manly does have a tendency to become very crowded over the summer period.



Transport:
It is easily accessible from the CBD, by the world famous manly ferries. Ferry timetables can be found here You can also get here via bus for those of you who live north of the CBD. For more info on bus times, click here. Best not to drive as parking is expensive and extremely restrictive.


Shops:
The Corso area of manly boasts numerous boutique style surf shops, as well as various other shops and restaurants. Having said this, the prices are ludicrous. There are several good restaurants in manly in the low to mid budget bracket. Examples include, Jipang, Il Gondeliere, Mortar and pestle as well as Manly Mexican. For those looking for surf apparel, try steer clear of the corso, and try to support local industry such as kinetic surf or Dripping wet surf co. For those seeking fish and chips, i can safely say that the best fish and chips in manly is made by Ocean foods at the eastern end of the corso. All in all shopping in manly is very good, if you have the money to spend.



Nightlife:
The night life in manly is very good. There is something to cater for all tastes, whether you enjoy nightclubs, kicking back and having a beer in an irish style pub, or going to a boutique style bar. Manly has is all. Personally i enjoy the boutique bars manly has to offer. Such places include; Moonshine (upstairs on the steyne), The Pony room and the Artichoke cafe. However there are many more that can be explored. In terms of cheap drinks (pre-drinks) i can suggest either the bowling club or the 'fishos' , both of which are next to each other and are located around kangaroo street towards the west of manly CBD. If your in the mood to go clubbing (though its not exactly my cup of tea), i can suggest the shore club, the new brighton (to the left) or the ivanhoe, all of which are located on the corso of manly. If your just in the mood to chill out, my personal favourites are the Steyne (east end of the corso), and the wharf bar (manly wharf).

What Else:
Manly has numerous activities to offer tourists and visitors, most which i have not covered. Rest assured that more information can be found through following this link.


Conclusion:
Manly is a great place for surf, shopping and going out, there are many other things to do also and there is something for everyone. Therefore I give it a perfect score of 5 stars.

Hope you found this helpful

sam b