Collins Beach, Sydney: Why bother visiting?

Collins Beach (aka Collins Flat Beach) is a tiny cove near the North Head of the harbour. It’s a beautiful picnic spot with fabulous harbour views.

Collins Beach is one of Sydney’s secret beaches that gets hardly any attention, but offers that sprinkling of magic for anyone who makes their way there.

Where is Collins Beach?

This little-known Sydney Beach is tiny, and is tucked into the North Head section of Sydney Harbour National Park. It faces west into Sydney Harbour, and is at the end of Spring Cove, an indent between Store Beach and Little Manly Beach.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲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.

Collins Beach is about 70 metres long – this is a dainty harbour cove rather than an expansive ocean beach. A small creek trickles out at the southern end next to the sandstone rocks, and the flats stretch into the bay at low tide.

Collins Beach in Manly, Sydney. Phot by Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW.

Getting to Collins Beach

Part of Collins Beach’s appeal is that there are no facilities there. It feels much wilder than it is, and you have to walk down there from the clifftop street parking. If coming from Manly Wharf, it’s a 2.5km walk. It’s quicker as the crow flies, but there is limited access from the north.

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What Collins Beach does have in its favour is delectable harbour views. From here, you can stare out over the harbour towards the city. It is, therefore, a really good little picnic spot.

The people who tend to know about Collins Beach are the yachties. You’ll usually find several yachts moored beyond the sand flat.

Elsewhere in Manly

Other lesser-known beaches around Manly worth exploring include Little Manly Beach, Freshwater Beach and Queenscliff Beach. You can also go for a swim at the Fairy Bower Pool on Marine Parade at Shelly Beach.

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.