Snorkeling Shelly Beach and Cabbage Tree Bay at Manly, Sydney

New South Wales Australasia Australia Locations

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Summary

By Luke

Summary

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

By Luke

Brilliant snorkel spot where you can see Giant Cuttlefish, Eastern Blue Gropers, Stingrays, and Wobbegong Sharks. Cabbage Tree Bay nature reserve is protected and located in the popular tourist town of Manly in North Beaches a short 20-minutes from Sydney’s Harbour, New South Wales.

Pros

  • Sheltered bay
  • Incredible diverse marine life in a small area
  • Short distance from the beach
  • Free to snorkel

Cons

  • Very busy with tourists on weekends and in summer (Dec-Feb)
  • Visibility can vary
  • No Coral Reef
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Snorkel Video

Snorkeling Shelly Beach and Cabbage Tree Bay

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Snorkel Snaps

Fiddler Ray, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
Camouflaged Fiddler Ray
Fan Bellied Leatherjacket, Shelly Beach, Manly
Fan Bellied Leatherjacket
Sea Kelp glistening in the sunlight
Kelp
Australian Mado, Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve
Australian Mado
Dusky Flathead Cabbage Tree Bay 2
Common Stingree, Cabbage Tree Bay Nature Reserve
Common Stingree
Rock Cale Fish, Cabbage tree Bay
Rock Cale Fish
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Where is Shelly Beach / Cabbage Tree Bay?

The popular snorkel spots and nature reserve is located in the coastal town of Manly, North of Sydney city centre, in the Australian state of New South Wales. The snorkel spot runs from the beach along the rocky coastline.

Snorkel Spot

Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve Map
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve Map
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Snorkel Review

Highlights

Coral Reef Icon

No Coral

Thermometer Icon

3-5 Meters Average Depth

Australian Mado Icon

Good Visibility

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Easy to Medium Difficulty

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Cafe’s nearby

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Free, tours $40-50 USD

Sea Urchin Icon

Sea Urchins Present

Jellyfish Icon

Jellyfish can Be Present

When:

Who:

Tour Cost:

Star Rating:

Cost:

Multiple 2024, 2025

Luke

Free

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Shelly Beach is located to the Northern end of Cabbage Tree Bay nature reserve, in the coastal town of Manly, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Manly is a 20-minute Ferry journey from the city centre, passing the opera house and Harbour Bridge. The protected aquatic reserve is one of the most popular snorkel spots in Sydney, and New South Wales, as the protected sheltered bay is home to a breadth of diverse marine life, and accessible from the beach.

Snorkel spot, Shelly Beach, Manly, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Snorkeling the kelp forest shores of Shelly Beach

Snorkel Spot


Shelly Beach

Snorkel spot at Shelly Beach, Manly, Sydney, NSW
Shelly Beach snorkel spot on a summers day

Cabbage Tree Bay

Cabbage Tree Bay snorkel spot, Manly, Sydney, NSW
Rocky shoreline runs along the coast
Eastern Hulafish, Cabbage Tree Bay
Eastern hulafish swimming above the Kelp forest

Where to enter the water

Enter at the beach

Shelly Beach, Manly, Sydney
Shelly Beach

Enter using the Bower Steps

Cabbage Tree Bay Entrance, Manly
Cabbage Tree Bay Entrance
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve Entrance
Cabbage Tree Bay Entrance

Safety Tip:

Starting from Shelly Beach is a safer entry and snorkeling around the bay and then back. I’d recommend wearing a rash vest to protect you from UV rays, and jellyfish. The bay can occasionally get bluebottle jellyfish with a South Westerly wind.

Sea Urchin, Cabbage Tree Bay
Jellyfish Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly, Sydney
Bluebottle Jellyfish, Manly Beach

Shelly Beach Marine Life

Humpback Scorpionfish, Shelley Beach, Manly, Sydney
Can you spot the camouflaged Scorpionfish?
Sergeant Baker, Shelley Beach, Manly
Female Sergeant Baker Fish perched on the sea bed
Black-Spot Goatfish, Shelley Beach
Vibrant Black-Spot Goatfish are popular in shallow waters
Blue Eastern Groper, Shelly Beach, Manly, Sydney
Eastern Blue Groper can be seen in the shallows of Shelly Beach
Female Eastern Groper Wrasse, Shelly Beach
Female Eastern Groper Wrasse
Spotted Wobbegong, Shelly Beach
Spotted Wobbegong
Fan Bellied Leatherjacket, Shelly Beach, Manly
Fan Bellied Leatherjacket

Top Tip:

Cabbage Tree Bay Marine Life

Australian Giant Cuttlefish, Cabbage Tree Bay Nature Reserve
Australian Giant Cuttlefish
Australian Giant Cuttlefish, Cabbage Tree Bay Nature Reserve
Australian Giant Cuttlefish 4-meters down
Australian Giant Cuttlefish, Cabbage Tree Bay Nature Reserve
Australian Giant Cuttlefish gliding along the sea bed
Eastern Blue Groper Wrasse, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
Eastern Blue Groper Wrasse cruising through the kelp
Common Stingre, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly, Sydney
Majestic Common Stingree
Red Rockcod, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly, Sydney
Red Rockcod 4-meters down
Green Turtle, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly, Sydney
Green Turtle
Striped Eel Catfish, Cabbage Tree Bay
School of Striped Eel Catfish sheltering
Maori Wrasse, Cabbage Tree Bay
Maori Wrasse
Rad Morwong, Cabbage Tree Bay
Red Morwong
Southern Eagle Ray, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
Southern Eagle Ray
Eastern Blue Groper, Cabbage Tree Bay
Eastern Blue Groper
King Fish School, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
King Fish School on the drop off
Dusky Flathead, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
Dusky Flathead
New Zealand Eagle Ray, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
New Zealand Eagle Ray
Reef Manta Ray, Cabbage Tree Bay
A Manta Ray feeding in the bay
Spotted Wobbegong, Cabbage Tree Bay
Spotted Wobbegong
Spotted Wobbegong, Cabbage Tree Bay
Spotted Wobbegong

Summary

Tour Guide Options

It is free to snorkel at Shelly Beach and Cabbage Tree Bay nature reserve. There are snorkel tours and also meet-ups which range in price, at approximately $100.00 AUS dollars ($65.00 US dollars).

Best Snorkel Spot

In my opinion, the best snorkeling for seeing the Giant Cuttlefish and large Eastern Groper Wrasse is in Cabbage Tree Bay, they dart in between the large rocky seabed. For seeing unusual fish perched on the sea bed, on the corner of Shelly Beach was excellent, where you can see larger Wobbegongs, Scorpionfish, Sergeant Baker fish etc.

The best spot in the morning is in the deeper waters of Shelly Beach where you can see large marine life, such as Wobbegong sharks, Eagle Rays, and large schools of fish. If you don’t want to stay in shallow waters, then along the left-hand side off the beach, on the walkway side. This would be suitable, as you’ll see the kelp forests and smaller marine life.

Kelp, Cabbage Tree Bay
Stunning green and yellow Kelp Forest

Best Time Of Year

You can snorkel all year round in calm wave conditions, but conditions can be better during Australia’s Summer season which runs from April to October. The marine life can vary due to the time of the year, for example, you’re more likely to see Giant Cuttlefish in the Autumn and winter months.

From my experience of snorkeling at Shelly and Cabbage Tree Bay over 5+ times, the marine life varies nearly every snorkel. The popular marine life which is common all year round I’ve highlighted below.

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Popular Marine Life

Eastern Blue Groper Wrasse Icon

Eastern Groper Wrasse

Stingray Icon

Stingrays

Stripey Icon

Stripey

Sergeant Major Damselfish Icon

Damselfish

Black Spot Goatfish Icon

Black-Spot Goatfish

Australian Mado Icon

Australian Mado

Grey Mullet Icon

Grey Mullet

Australian Stingree Icon

Common Stingree

Australian Snapper Icon

Australian Snapper

Old Wife Icon

Old Wife

Kapala Ray Icon

Kapala Ray


Rare Marine Life Icon

Rare Marine Life

Pufferfish Icon

Pufferfish / Toadfish

Sea Turtle Icon

Green Turtle

Giant Cuttlefish Icon

Giant Cuttlefish

Blacktip Reef Shark Icon

Blacktip Reef Shark

Hawksbill Turtle Icon

Hawksbill Turtle

Striped Eel Catfish Icon

Striped Eel Catfish

Octopus Icon

Common Octopus

Spotted Wobbegong Shark Icon

Spotted Wobbegong Shark

Southern Eagle Ray Icon

Southern Eagle Ray

Mantaray Icon

Reef Manta Ray


Shelly Beach Sign

Marine Life Cabbage Tree Bay Sign
Marine Life Cabbage Tree Bay Sign
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What I Saw

(Seen on 2024, 2025)

Eastern Blue Groper WrasseKapala Stingray
Australian MadoRock Cale Fish
Crescent WrasseRough Leatherjacket
Black-Spot GoatfishOld Wife Fish
Neon DamselfishTarwhine
Sergeant BakerStarry Pufferfish
Old WifeMaori Wrasse
Common StingreeSouthern Eagle Ray
Striped Eel CatfishBlack Sea Urchin
Estuary CatfishSpotted Wobbegong Shark
ParoreGold Spot Mullet
Surge DemoiselleYellowtail Kingfish
East-Australian StripeyRed Rockcod
Mosaic LeatherjacketEastern Hulafish
Eastern PomfredRough Leatherjacket
Moon WrasseRed Morwong
Fiddler RayAustralian Giant Cuttlefish
Australian SnapperGreen Turtle
Hawksbill TurtleWhite-spotted Pufferfish
Southern Reef SquidAustralian Snapper
Black-Margined NudibranchShort-tailed Stingray
Dusky FlatheadEastern Shovelnose Stingree
Port Jackson SharkFan Bellied Leatherjacket
Reef Manta RayGrey Morwong
Blue Spotted ConetfishGirdled Scaylfin
Smooth ToadfishSilver Sweep
Yellowtail ScadWhite-Ear
Sand MulletCrimsonband Wrasse
Jelly BlubberGolden Kelp
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