Introduction

"You may - if you have any soul within you, you always must - halt a while in the centre of the bridge, and look long and lovingly up the lagoon. It is a fair perspective always, but most divine on an afternoon with the sun well down the hills, and a silvery light upon all the broadwater." - Francis Meyer, 1880, "Beautiful Manly"

Manly Lagoon is a small coastal lagoon situated at the boundary of Manly and Warringah in Sydney's Northern Beaches area. Manly Lagoon catchment consists 3 major freshwater creeks; Burnt Bridge Creek, Manly Creek, and Brookvale Creek.

Manly Lagoon in the Afternoon

The water body of the lagoon has the following dimensions:

Catchment area: 17.9 km2 Perimeter: 4.77 km Length: 2.23 km Maximum width: 0.13 km Water area: 0.19 km2

Manly Lagoon was once an unspoilt coastal wetland and only 30 years ago was a swimmable waterway abundant with aquatic flora and fauna and was the site of annual game fishing events. Manly Lagoon has always been a highly used recreational area for the local community and is regarded as a historically significant area. Historical photographs are available at the Manly LagoonWatch from the Manly Hydraulics Laboratory.