An hour north of Sidney Australia, there is a suburb where relaxation is the sound of the ocean, a mecca for surfers and a holiday for sunbathers. One hundred years ago Shelly Beach was a haven for boat owners, Providing protection from winds and seas from the south. What’s also changed is the hillside, which in the early 1920s was home to only several buildings but is now covered with expensive homes from which their occupants can take advantage of the expansive views to the north.

Shelly beach over looking the northern suburbs.

The beach its only a few blocks away from the tourist traps, featuring a diversity of accommodation venues and is extremely close to major shopping centres and The Entrance giving the locals easy access to and from the nearby neighborhoods of North Sidney.

A straight path to the beach from Shelly Beach

On the western point of the beach is a famous surf break known as “Bower” which offers one of the most shallow breaking waves in Sydney. Further along from Bower are Winki and Deadman’s, two other well-known breaks which are popular with surfers, especially on south-east, and east swells. Shelly beach is also one of only 2 west facing ocean beaches on the east coast of Australia.

The beach features rock walks and is great for exploring.

Beautiful stretch of coastline known as the Northern Beaches, including Dee Why, Curl Curl and Narrabeen. This area offers great surf beaches, cliff-top walks, and lots of dining options.

The beach features rock walks great for exploring.

There are many activities you can enjoy while visiting the area like hire a bike at Manly Bike Tours and go for a cycle along the cycle-paths, Take the kids to Oceanworld Manly to marvel at turtles and tropical fish, escape the midday sun at the string of cafes and restaurants that runalong the beachfront, follow the harbour foreshore along the Manly to Spit Bridge scenic walk, get the whole family surfing with a group lesson, hike in taking the majestic views of the harbour surrounded by Australian bushland, or join the local lifesaving clubs, a great place to take the kids for a swim.

Families enjoy outings at Shelly beach, enjoy lots of activities or just enjoy the surf.

The weather its great almost all year round, sunny with mostly warm temperatures in the summer and mild temperatures in the winter reaching 20c in the winter. With similar sea temperatures (20 °C) its still a good idea to wear boardshorts or a shorty, or better still a thin summer wetsuit to keep the UV off.

Sculptures on one of the rocks along the walk ways.

Shelly Beach has showers, toilets and a kiosk along with two free electic barbeques, perfect for that family picnic. For a more formal dining option, from fancy to casual, there are a few restaurant on the beach to choose from.

..or you can just relax watching the sunsets from one of the many little spots along the beach.