Store Beach, Manly: Location, swimming & kayak hire

Inside Sydney Harbour National Park, Manly’s Store Beach is only accessible by water. Hire a kayak by Manly Wharf to get there.

Store Beach in Manly is one of Sydney’s most enjoyable finds. But you’re going to have to put in some effort to get there.

This hidden beach on Sydney Harbour is in the North Head section of Sydney Harbour National Park. It lies between Collins Beach and Quarantine Beach, and is about 200 metres long.

Store Beach got its name as it is where ships delivering supplies to the old North Head Quarantine Station would land their cargo.

It’s possible to do tours of the Quarantine Station, but you’ll not get there from Store Beach as there is no path to the top of the headland.

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.

How to get to Store Beach: Manly kayak hire

In fact, Store Beach is only accessible by water. Unless you have your own yacht and are prepared to moor it in Spring Cove, that means the only way to get to Store Beach is by kayak.

This is where the Manly Kayak Centre next to the Manly Wharf comes in very handy indeed. This kayak rental outfit, which also runs paddleboarding tours, offers a four hour kayak hire for $55.

This gives you enough time to get to grips with your kayak and paddle, leisurely saunter over to Store Beach and have a good couple of hours swimming and snorkelling.

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.

Is it safe to swim at Store Beach?

As Sydney beaches go, it’s relatively safe to swim at Store Beach, as North Head offers significant protection from ocean swells.

However, for fairly obvious reasons, there are no lifeguards at Store Beach. You swim, therefore, at your own risk.

Visiting Store Beach after dark is not permitted, in order to protect the Manly penguin colony that calls the beach home.

Get your Aussie beach kit on the cheap
Fix up great deals on swimwear, beach towels and snorkelling gear now.
And look for discounts on sunglasses, sun cream or a really good book.

Other lesser-known beaches around Manly worth include 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.