Manly Wharf is a
heritage-listed
This list is of heritage registers, inventories of cultural properties, natural and man-made, tangible and intangible, movable and immovable, that are deemed to be of sufficient heritage value to be separately identified and recorded. In many ...
passenger terminal
wharf
A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths (mooring locatio ...
and recreational area located at West Esplanade and serving
Manly, a
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
suburb in the
Northern Beaches Council
The Northern Beaches Council is a local government area located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 after the amalgamation of Manly, Pittwater and Warringa ...
local government area of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia. Since the 1850s, it has served as the Manly embarkation and disembarkation point for the
Manly to Sydney ferry service.
The wharf has been redeveloped a number of times since the first structure was constructed in 1856.
New facilities were added in the early 20th century, and it was rebuilt in a modernist style in the early 1940s, the basic form of which remains today. The wharf was added to the
New South Wales State Heritage Register
The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...
on 18 April 2000.
In addition to passenger services, a cargo service was also run to Manly until the 1928-opening of the
Spit Bridge
Spit may refer to:
Common uses
* Spit (archaeology), a term for a unit of archaeological excavation
* Spit (landform), a section of land that extends into a body of water
* Spit or rotisserie, a rotating device used for cooking by roasting over ...
.
Following the closure of the cargo service, an amusement park,
Manly Fun Pier
The Manly Fun Pier (or Manly Amusement Pier) was a small amusement park located on a wharf in Manly, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaC ...
, was opened on the east wharf in 1931 which closed prior to the 1990 redevelopment of the wharf.
Services
To the south west of the main wharf is the Manly Hotel Wharf also known as the East Wharf, which from a transport perspective is regarded as part of Manly Wharf. Services from that wharf are shown as operating from platform 3 in the services below.
The main wharf is served by
Sydney Ferries
Sydney Ferries is the public transport ferry network serving the city of Sydney, New South Wales. Services operate on Sydney Harbour and the connecting Parramatta River. The network is controlled by the New South Wales Government's transport a ...
and
Manly Fast Ferry services to and from
Circular Quay
Circular Quay is a harbour, former working port and now international passenger shipping port, public piazza and tourism precinct, heritage area, and transport node located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the northern edge of the Syd ...
. The Hotel Wharf is served by
Captain Cook Cruises and other My Fast Ferry services around
Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
.
Interchanges
Keolis Downer Northern Beaches
Keolis Downer Northern Beaches is a bus operator in Sydney, Australia. A subsidiary of Keolis Downer, it operates services in Sydney Bus Region 8 on the Lower North Shore and Northern Beaches under contract to Transport for NSW. Its headquart ...
operate services from The Esplanade and Belgrave Street. In the 1980s, a bus interchange was built outside the wharf. It was demolished when the wharf was redeveloped and the stops moved further away.
History
![Sydney Ferries FAIRLIGHT and BRIGHTON at Manly Wharf](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Sydney_Ferries_FAIRLIGHT_and_BRIGHTON_at_Manly_Wharf.jpg)
The first wharf was constructed in 1856 on the same site as the present wharf.
[ Lumby (2016) says the date was 1855, and the wharf built by English-born merchant and Manly enthusiast, ]Henry Gilbert Smith
Henry Gilbert Smith (1802 – 1 April 1886) was an English-born Australian businessman, banker and politician, known as the "Father of Manly". He was the founder and developer of the Sydney suburb of Manly, where he built Fairlight House fa ...
, who envisaged the place as a seaside resort. Smith bought up land in 1853 and eventually acquired an interest in steam ferries serving the locality. As well as building a house known as "Fairlight", Smith was responsible for cottages, a hotel, church, school, pleasure grounds and swimming baths. He also had much to do with planting the first Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla
''Araucaria heterophylla'' (synonym ''A. excelsa'') is a species of conifer. As its vernacular name Norfolk Island pine (or Norfolk pine) implies, the tree is endemic to Norfolk Island, an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific ...
) on the ocean front.
Prior to the construction of the first Spit Bridge
Spit may refer to:
Common uses
* Spit (archaeology), a term for a unit of archaeological excavation
* Spit (landform), a section of land that extends into a body of water
* Spit or rotisserie, a rotating device used for cooking by roasting over ...
in 1928, retired passenger ferries were used as cargo carriers.[ Following the closure of the cargo service, an amusement park, ]Manly Fun Pier
The Manly Fun Pier (or Manly Amusement Pier) was a small amusement park located on a wharf in Manly, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaC ...
, was opened on the east wharf. The amusement park closed in 1989 and the two wharf structures were redeveloped in 1990.
Improvements were made to the wharf in the first half of the 20th century. These were swept away at the end of the inter-war era after the Maritime Services Board decided to construct an "imposing" new wharf during 1938 following several years of local agitation. A fire at the wharf in 1939 precipitated further action.[
The ]Maritime Services Board
The Maritime Services Board was a statutory authority of the Government of New South Wales responsible for marine safety, regulation of commercial and recreational boating and oversight of port operations.
History
The Maritime Services Board (MSB ...
engaged gifted young modernist architect Arthur Baldwinson
Arthur Baldwinson (1908–1969) was one of Australia's first generation of prominent modernist architects to experience the European modernist movement first hand. His modernist contemporaries include Roy Grounds and Frederick Romberg in Victoria ...
(1908–68), not long after his return from several years working in England, to design major reconstructions of the ferry wharves at Manly and Circular Quay
Circular Quay is a harbour, former working port and now international passenger shipping port, public piazza and tourism precinct, heritage area, and transport node located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the northern edge of the Syd ...
.[
The wharf was built in a modernistic transport idiom with typical stylistic features of era such as play of circular and rectangular geometric terms, bayed facade to the water (marine connotations), wide arc plan at entrance, clock tower with "fins," flat roofing marked by wide fascia board. The current entrance was originally designed as a tram terminus and turning area. The structure was subjected to major alterations to the wharf wings involving a T-shaped clerestorey.] The works were completed in 1941.[
Until the mid-1960s, ferries docked at both sides of the wharf. When the ]Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company
The Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company (PJ&MSC) was a publicly listed company that operated the Manly ferries in Sydney, Australia. After being taken over by Brambles Industries, the ferry service was eventually taken over by the State G ...
introduced hydrofoils
A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...
to the Manly service in the mid-1960s, a pontoon was attached to the eastern side to allow the hydrofoils to berth without their foils fouling the wharf. This was removed when the hydrofoils were replaced by JetCats in 1991. When the Freshwater class ferries were introduced in the 1980s, the western berth was rebuilt to accommodate their onboard gangways.
The wharf complex has a number of retail outlets and restaurants. In 2014, plans were lodged to add a second storey to the wharf.Manly Wharf revamp looks towards fine dining
''Hospitality Magazine'' 26 September 2014
The wharf was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register
The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...
on 18 April 2000.[
]
Description
A broad wharf supported on timber piers Piers may refer to:
* Pier, a raised structure over a body of water
* Pier (architecture), an architectural support
* Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name)
* Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...
and with a concrete platform. The superstructure is constructed of steel and timber. The facade and side walls form an important architectural design, similar to the Circular Quay ferry terminals.
The original part of the wharf was built in a modernistic transport idiom, with typical stylistic features of era including play of circular and rectangular geometric terms, bayed facade to the water (marine connotations), wide arc plan at entrance, clock tower with "fins", flat roofing marked by wide fascia
A fascia (; plural fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; from Latin: "band") is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches to, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. ...
board. The current entrance was originally designed as a tram terminus and turning area. Timber clad framed structure opening and large internal spaces, concrete deck to west enclosed by "ship" railing. Some original shop fittings, signage etc. Subjected to major alterations to the wharf wings involving a T-shaped clerestorey.[
]
Modifications and dates
Additions to the wharf include the hydrofoil pontoon , and the more recent elevated platforms for new ferries.[
Extensive refurbishment in 1990.][
]
Heritage listing
As at 11 April 2001, the wharf was considered of environmental significance as a visually prominent man-made feature; and of historical significance for its associations with the maritime activities at Manly as a tourist destination and suburb of Sydney, dependent on the ferry link to the CBD.[
Together with Circular Quay, the wharf is the only substantial older style ferry wharf surviving in ]Port Jackson
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
: association with Manly's history as a recreational centre.[
Manly Wharf was listed on the ]New South Wales State Heritage Register
The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...
on 18 April 2000 having satisfied the following criteria.[
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
Of historical significance for its associations with the maritime activities at Manly as a tourist destination and suburb of Sydney, dependent on the ferry link to the Sydney CBD.][
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.
Of environmental significance as a visually prominent manmade feature.][
The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
Of social significance as the ferry link to Sydney CBD by commuters and visitors.][
]
See also
*Manly Cove Pavilion
The Manly Cove Pavilion is a heritage register, heritage-listed former changing room, dressing pavilion and public toilet, amenities block and now public toilet, public amenities and restaurant at West Esplanade, Manly, New South Wales, Manly, ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
Attribution
External links
Manly Wharf
at Transport for New South Wales (Archive
12 June 2019
Manly Wharf Public Transport Map
Transport for NSW
{{Transport for New South Wales ferry wharves, Manly=y, state=collapsed
Ferry wharves in Sydney
New South Wales State Heritage Register
Manly, New South Wales
Parks in New South Wales
Water transport in New South Wales
Wharves in Australia
Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register