This is Stop 16 on the Spit to Manly Walk as marked on the Manly to Spit Walk Map.

Manly, ‘Seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles from care'. This catchy slogan was how the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company's promoted Manly in the 1920s. Henry Gilbert Smith had succeeded in establishing Manly’s poplularity and the PJMSC promoted it as “Australia’s Premier Seaside Resort”.

The area around Manly Wharf is also the original home of Little (“Fairy”) Penguins, Eudyptula minor, which means “good diver”. They are the smallest speices of penguin growing to a maximum height of 30cm and weighing 1kg. The live for up to 20 years, sing and dance to attract a mate and usually pair for life.
This is the only mainland breeding colony in NSW and the only one in a major city in the world. Their numbers have fallen drastically in recent years to about 60 breeding pairs. They fall prey to foxes, dogs and propellers of speedboats.

Mr Stickybeak and his partner Mrs Silverwing are two of the most famous penguins. He got his name after walking up the steps of the wharf, crossing the road and waddling into the Flamenco Club. They met at rehabilitation at Taronga Zoo and are the last remaining penguins living under Manly wharf. They were relocated to a quieter place on North Head but they came back here. The remainder of the colony is fighting for survival in and around the Quarantine Station at North Head.

Read more about the Spit to Manly Walk and download the Manly to Spit Walk Map. Jump to any stop by clicking on the name below.

Stop 1: Ellery’s Punt Reserve
Stop 2: Fisher Bay ‘Midden’
Stop 3: Fisher Bay Houseboat
Stop 4: Sandy Bay, Hawkesbury Sandstone
Stop 5: Clontarf Reserve
Stop 6: Clontarf Pumping Station
Stop 7: Castle Rock Beach
Stop 8: Grotto Point Lighthouse
Stop 9: Grotto Point Aboriginal Engraving Site
Stop 10: Crater Cove
Stop 11: Dobroyd Head
Stop 12: Reef Beach
Stop 13: Forty Baskets Beach
Stop 14: North Harbour Reserve
Stop 15: Fairlight House
Stop 16: Manly Wharf – you are currently on this page

Image courtesy of Hamilton Lund, Destination NSW