Fairy Bower Ocean Pool, Manly: Location, opening hours & price
The Fairy Bower Ocean Pool in Manly is on Marine Parade on the way to Shelly Beach. There’s no charge to use this 20 metre rock pool.
The Fairy Bower Ocean Pool is one of those gorgeous spots that Sydneysiders prefer to keep to themselves. It’s in one of Sydney’s most touristy areas – Manly – but few visitors ever stumble across Fairy Bower Ocean Pool.
That’s partly because it’s not at Manly Wharf or Manly Beach, the two parts of Manly that people flock to in their thousands.
Manly experiences to book before you arrive
- Northern Beaches and Ku-Ring-Gai National Park guided tour – enjoy the best of northern Sydney.
- Manly and Shelly Beach snorkelling tour – discover Sydney’s secret underwater world.
- Stand-up paddleboard hire – glide along the harbour.
- Self-guided bike tour – visit several gorgeous spots on two wheels.
- Single kayak or double kayak hire – paddle yourself to hidden harbour beaches.
Where is Fairy Bower Ocean Pool?
To find Fairy Bower Ocean Pool, you need to venture south of Manly Beach and walk along Marine Parade towards Shelly Beach. You’ll go past a series of rock flats that locals have the audacity to call Fairy Bower Beach. At the eastern end, you’ll find a triangular pool, cut out from the rocks. This is Fairy Bower Ocean Pool.
This is one of many ocean pools in Sydney – others include Wylie’s Ocean Baths in Coogee. At about 20 metres long, it is one of the smallest. However, when people talk about the Manly Pool or Manly Ocean Pool, this is the one they mean.
Aside from the triangular shape, the thing that makes Fairy Bower Ocean Pool stand out are the nymph-like sculptures dotting the rock edge. These artworks by Helen Leete are called “the Oceanides”.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
Fairy Bower Ocean Pool opening hours and price
In theory, the Fairy Bower Ocean Pool is always open, and there is no charge to use it. However, it is closed on Wednesday and Friday nights for cleaning. How long it takes for the pool to fill up again afterwards depends on sea conditions.
Other places for a swim around Manly worth include Collins Beach, Store Beach, Little Manly Beach, Freshwater Beach and Queenscliff Beach. You can also try swimming in the Fairy Bower Pool on Marine Parade at Shelly Beach.
Good restaurants and bars in Manly include 4 Pines, Hugo’s Manly, the Ivanhoe Hotel and the Manly Greenhouse.
Manly accommodation recommendations
The best places to stay in Manly are:
- For character, heritage and national park location: Q Station.
- For luxury: Manly Pacific MGallery.
- For well-equipped apartments: Quest Manly.
- To be by the beach: Manly Paradise Motel and Apartments.
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