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{{Distinguish|North Beach (disambiguation)|North Shore (Sydney)|North Sydney (disambiguation)}}
{{about|the region of Sydney|the local government area encompassing the region|Northern Beaches Council}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = region
| name         = Northern Beaches
| state        = nsw
| image        ={{multiple image
  | border        = infobox
  | total_width   = 280
  | perrow        = 1/1
  | caption_align = center
  | image1        = 2nd leg, on this Air Canada plane - Sydney to Vancouver, BC (13113712045).jpg
  | caption1      = [[Long Reef (New South Wales)|Long Reef]] (bottom), to [[Palm Beach, New South Wales|Palm Beach]], the northern half of Sydney's Northern Beaches
  | image2        = Northern Beaches lga sydney.png
  | caption2      = Map of Northern Beaches region
}}
| pop          = 263,554 
| pop_year     = 2021 census
| pop_footnotes=<ref>{{Census 2021 AUS |id=122 |name=Sydney – Northern Beaches |access-date=6 February 2024 |quick=on}}</ref>
| poprank      = 
| density      = 
| est          = 
| area         = 
| lga          = [[Northern Beaches Council]]
| stategov     = [[Electoral district of Davidson|Davidson]]
| stategov2    = [[Electoral district of Manly|Manly]]
| stategov3    = [[Electoral district of Pittwater|Pittwater]]
| stategov4    = [[Electoral district of Wakehurst|Wakehurst]]
| fedgov       = [[Division of Mackellar|Mackellar]]
| fedgov2      = [[Division of Warringah|Warringah]]
| near-nw      = [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]]
| near-n       = [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]]
| near-ne      = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
| near-w       = [[Forest District (Sydney)|Forest District]]
[[Northern Sydney]]
| near-e       = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
| near-sw      = [[North Shore (Sydney)|North Shore]]
| near-s       = [[North Shore (Sydney)|North Shore]]
| near-se      = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
}}

The '''Northern Beaches''' is a region within [[Northern Sydney]], in the state of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]], near the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast. This area extends south to the entrance of [[Port Jackson]] (Sydney Harbour), west to [[Middle Harbour]] and north to the entrance of [[Broken Bay]]. The area was formerly inhabited by the Garigal or Caregal people in a region known as Guringai country.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206011427/https://files-preprod-d9.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/nbc-prod-files/documents/general-information/pittwaters-past/lh-aboriginalpeople.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2024 |url-status=live |title=Aboriginal People|url=https://files-preprod-d9.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/nbc-prod-files/documents/general-information/pittwaters-past/lh-aboriginalpeople.pdf|publisher=Northern Beaches Council |access-date=6 February 2024}}</ref>

The Northern Beaches district is governed on a local level by the [[Northern Beaches Council]], which was formed in May 2016 from [[Warringah Council]] (est. 1906), [[Manly Council]] (est. 1877), and [[Pittwater Council]] (est. 1992).

==History==

[[File:Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse, Palm Beach, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA.jpg|thumb|Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse, Palm Beach, New South Wales, Australia]]
The traditional Aboriginal inhabitants of the land now known as the Northern Beaches were the Garigal people of the [[Eora]] nation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clans of Sydney - |url=https://www.aboriginalheritage.org/history/clans-of-sydney/ |access-date=2025-09-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Within a few years of European settlement, the Garigal had mostly disappeared from this area mainly due to an outbreak of smallpox in 1789. Much evidence of their habitation remains especially their rock etchings in [[Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park]] which borders northern beaches's north-western side. The northern beaches region was explored early on in the settlement of Sydney, only a few weeks after the arrival of the [[First Fleet]]. However, it remained a rural area for most of the 19th and early 20th centuries, with only small settlements in the valleys between headlands. While it was geographically close to the city centre, to reach the area over land from Sydney via [[Mona Vale Road]] was a trip of more than {{convert|100|km}}.

Since those days, urban growth proceeded slowly until the 1960s when development accelerated because of improved roads and a general increase in living standards in the regions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/historic-buildings-places/barrenjoey-lighthouse|title = Barrenjoey Lighthouse}}</ref>

In 1906, the Warringah Shire council was formed the NSW Government Gazette, along with 132 other new Shires within New South Wales. It ran roughly from [[Broken Bay]] in the north to [[Manly, New South Wales|Manly]] Lagoon to the south, and by [[Port Jackson|Middle Harbour Creek]] and [[Cowan Creek]] in the west. Pittwater was incorporated as the "A Riding" of Warringah Shire, however for many years there existed a sentiment held by some in A Riding, the northern Riding and the largest in Warringah, taking up more than 40% of Warringah's land area, that they were being increasingly ignored and subject to what they considered inappropriate development and policies for their area.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/pittwater_secession |title=Library-Pittwater Secession |access-date=26 May 2020 |archive-date=22 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722193319/http://www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/pittwater_secession |url-status=dead }}</ref> This culminated in 1991 when a non-compulsory postal poll of the residents of A Riding was taken over the question of a possible secession. This resulted in a 73.5% vote in favour of secession, however only 48.18% of residents took part in this vote. This vote was, however, 600 short of the total majority required. Over time, the Northern Beaches was often divided by the "Lower Northern Beaches", referring to the southern end of the region, and the "Upper Northern Beaches", referring to the northern end of the region ([[North Narrabeen]] to [[Palm Beach, New South Wales|Palm Beach]]).

In 2016, the Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016 insisted that the Northern Beaches region councils of Manly, Warringah and Pittwater become the [[Northern Beaches Council]]. This was effective from 12 May 2016.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016 | url=https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/regulations/2016-242.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601144946/http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/regulations/2016-242.pdf | archive-date=2016-06-01}}</ref>

Today, the Northern Beaches is very well part of the Sydney metropolis, however maintains an isolated environment from the other regions of Sydney including the neighbouring [[North Shore (Sydney)|North Shore]] region. The "[[Forest District (Sydney)|Forest District]]" became an unofficial district within the Northern Beaches region to describe the suburbs between [[Ingleside, New South Wales|Ingleside]] and the [[North Shore (Sydney)|Upper North Shore]].

==Suburbs and localities==
[[File:Manlybeach2013.jpg|thumb|Manly beach]]
;Suburbs
The suburbs of the Northern Beaches district are:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/placename_search?transaction=results&first=1&placename=&status=None&designation=SUBURB&lga=WARRINGAH&map=&parish=|title=Place name search|work=[[Geographical Names Board of New South Wales]]|date=n.d.|access-date=12 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001032359/http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/placename_search?transaction=results&first=1&placename=&status=None&designation=SUBURB&lga=WARRINGAH&map=&parish=|archive-date=1 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=13em|
* [[Allambie Heights]]
* [[Avalon Beach, New South Wales|Avalon]]
* [[Balgowlah Heights]]
* [[Balgowlah, New South Wales|Balgowlah]]
* [[Bayview, New South Wales|Bayview]]
* [[Beacon Hill, New South Wales|Beacon Hill]]
* [[Belrose, New South Wales|Belrose]]
* [[Bilgola Beach, New South Wales|Bilgola]]
* [[Bilgola Plateau, New South Wales|Bilgola Plateau]]
* [[Brookvale, New South Wales|Brookvale]]
* [[Church Point, New South Wales|Church Point]]
* [[Clareville, New South Wales|Clareville]]
* [[Clontarf, New South Wales|Clontarf]]
* [[Coasters Retreat, New South Wales|Coasters Retreat]]
* [[Collaroy Plateau]]
* [[Collaroy, New South Wales|Collaroy]]
* [[Cottage Point]]
* [[Cromer, New South Wales|Cromer]]
* [[Curl Curl]]
* [[Davidson, New South Wales|Davidson]]
* [[Dee Why]]
* [[Duffys Forest, New South Wales|Duffys Forest]]
* [[Elanora Heights, New South Wales|Elanora Heights]]
* [[Elvina Bay]]
* [[Fairlight, New South Wales|Fairlight]]
* [[Forestville, New South Wales|Forestville]]
* [[Frenchs Forest, New South Wales|Frenchs Forest]]
* [[Freshwater, New South Wales|Freshwater]]
* [[Great Mackerel Beach]]
* [[Ingleside, New South Wales|Ingleside]]
* [[Killarney Heights, New South Wales|Killarney Heights]]
* [[Lovett Bay]]
* [[Manly Vale]]
* [[Manly, New South Wales|Manly]]
* [[Mona Vale, New South Wales|Mona Vale]]
* [[Morning Bay, New South Wales|Morning Bay]]
* [[Narrabeen North, New South Wales|Narrabeen North]]
* [[Narrabeen]]
* [[Narraweena, New South Wales|Narraweena]]
* [[Newport, New South Wales|Newport]]
* [[North Balgowlah, New South Wales|North Balgowlah]]
* [[North Curl Curl, New South Wales|North Curl Curl]]
* [[North Manly, New South Wales|North Manly]]
* [[Oxford Falls, New South Wales|Oxford Falls]]
* [[Palm Beach, New South Wales|Palm Beach]]
* [[Queenscliff, New South Wales|Queenscliff]]
* [[Scotland Island]]
* [[Seaforth, New South Wales|Seaforth]]
* [[Terrey Hills]]
* [[Warriewood, New South Wales|Warriewood]]
* [[Whale Beach, New South Wales|Whale Beach]]
* [[Wheeler Heights, New South Wales|Wheeler Heights]]
}}

;Localities
The localities of the Northern Beaches district are:<ref>[https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/about-northern-beaches-council/wards-and-suburbs Northern Beaches Council Website-Wards & Suburbs].</ref><ref>[http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/placename_search?transaction=results&first=21&placename=&status=None&designation=SUBURB&lga=PITTWATER&map=&parish= Place name search – Geographical Names Board of NSW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001031839/http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/placename_search?transaction=results&first=21&placename=&status=None&designation=SUBURB&lga=PITTWATER&map=&parish= |date=1 October 2017 }}. Gnb.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved on 2014-04-12.</ref>
* [[Bantry Bay (New South Wales)|Bantry Bay]]
* [[Careel Bay, New South Wales|Careel Bay]]
* [[Wingala, New South Wales|Wingala]]

==Schools==
The following primary, high and K–12 schools are located on the Northern Beaches:

'''Primary'''

{{col div|colwidth=18em}}
*AGBU Alexander Primary School
*Allambie Heights Public School
*Avalon Public School
*Balgowlah North Public School
*[[Balgowlah Heights Public School]]
*Beacon Hill Public School
*Belrose Public School
*Bilgola Plateau Public School
*Collaroy Plateau Public School
*Cromer Public School
*Curl Curl North Public School
*Dee Why Public School
*Elanora Heights Public School
*Farmhouse Montessori Primary School
*Forestville Montessori School
*Forestville Public School
*Frenchs Forest Public School
*Harbord Public School
*John Colet School
*Kamaroi Rudolf Steiner School
*Kambora Public School
*Killarney Heights Public School
*Kinma School
*Manly Village Public School
*Manly Vale Public School
*Manly West Public School
*Maria Regina Catholic Primary School
*Mimosa Public School
*Mona Vale Public School
*Narrabeen Lakes Public School
*Narrabeen North Public School
*Narraweena Public School
*Newport Public School
*Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Primary School
*Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School
*Seaforth Public School
*St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School
*St John's Catholic Primary School
*St John The Baptist Catholic Primary School
*St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
*St Kevin's Catholic Primary School
*St Kieran's Catholic Primary School<ref>{{cite web |title=St Kieran's Catholic Primary School Manly Vale |url=https://www.skmvdbb.catholic.edu.au/}}</ref>
*[[St Luke's Grammar School]] (Bayview Campus)
*St Martin De Porres Catholic Primary School
*St Rose Catholic Primary School
*Terrey Hills Public School
*[[Wakehurst Public School]]
*Wheeler Heights Public School
*Yanginanook School
{{col div end}}

'''High'''

{{col div|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Barrenjoey High School]]
* [[Balgowlah Boys Campus]]
* [[Cromer Campus]]
* [[Davidson High School (New South Wales)|Davidson High School]]
* [[The Forest High School (New South Wales)|Forest High School]]
* [[Freshwater Senior Campus]]
* [[Killarney Heights High School]]
* [[Mackellar Girls Campus]]
* [[Manly Selective Campus]]
* [[Mater Maria Catholic College]]
* [[Narrabeen Sports High School]]
* [[Pittwater High School]]
* [[Stella Maris College (Manly)|Stella Maris College]]
* [[St Augustine's College (New South Wales)|St Augustine's College]] (Years 5 to 12)
* [[St Paul's Catholic College]]
{{col div end}}

'''K–12'''
{{col div|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Covenant Christian School (Sydney)|Covenant Christian School]]
*Fisher Road School
* Galstaun College
* [[Northern Beaches Christian School]]
* [[Oxford Falls Grammar School]]
* [[The Pittwater House Schools]]
* [[St Luke's Grammar School]] (Dee Why Campus)
{{col div end}}

'''International Schools'''
{{col div|colwidth=18em}}
*[[German International School Sydney]]
*[[Sydney Japanese International School]]
{{col div end}}

'''Closed schools'''
{{col div|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Beacon Hill High School (New South Wales)|Beacon Hill High School]]
* Forestville Montessori High School
* Oxford Falls Public School
{{col div end}}

== Transport ==
[[File:Manly Wharf.jpg|thumb|[[Manly ferry wharf]]]]
Public transport in the Northern Beaches is primarily provided by buses. Major bus interchanges are at Pittwater Road at Brookvale, Dee Why, Mona Vale and [[Manly ferry wharf|Manly Wharf]]. Buses connect to [[Gordon railway station, Sydney|Gordon]], [[Chatswood railway station|Chatswood]] and [[North Sydney railway station|North Sydney]] stations on the [[North Shore railway line|North Shore line]], served by [[Sydney Trains]] [[North Shore & Western Line|North Shore & Western]] and [[Northern Line (Sydney)|Northern]] services, as well as stations in the CBD.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2017-08-22|title=Transport|url=https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/services/roads-and-paths/transport|access-date=2020-12-26|publisher=Northern Beaches Council}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title={{!}} transportnsw.info |url=https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/sydney-buses-network/197/37197 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=transportnsw.info}}</ref>

[[B-Line (Sydney)|B-Line]] buses travel from Mona Vale to [[Wynyard, Sydney|Wynyard]], stopping at Warriewood, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly Vale, [[Spit Junction, New South Wales|Spit Junction]] and [[Neutral Bay, New South Wales|Neutral Bay]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Transport for NSW|first=Customer Experience Division|title=B-Line bus service|url=http://transportnsw.info/travel-info/ways-to-get-around/bus/b-line-bus-service|access-date=2020-12-26|website=transportnsw.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=B-Line Mona Vale to City Wynyard|url=https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/sydney-buses-network/b1/280B1|access-date=2020-12-26|website=transportnsw.info}}</ref>

[[Manly ferry services]] operated by [[Sydney Ferries]] run from Manly to [[Circular Quay]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manly|url=https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/sydney-ferries/f1/090F1|access-date=2020-12-26|website=transportnsw.info}}</ref> The privately operated Manly Fast Ferry also runs to Circular Quay.<ref name=":0" />

[[Palm Beach Water Airport]] is located in Palm Beach.

== Arts and Culture ==
The Northern Beaches has a public library system, [[Northern Beaches Libraries]] and the [[Manly Art Gallery and Museum]].

==Sports==
Notable sports teams include the [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] (rugby league), [[North Harbour Rays]], [[Manly RUFC]], [[Warringah Rugby Club]] (rugby union), [[Manly Warringah District Cricket Club]] (cricket) and [[Manly United FC]] (soccer). The Sea Eagles play in the [[National Rugby League]], and play their home games at [[Brookvale Oval]].

==See also==
* [[Manly Beach]]
* [[Curl Curl Beach]]
* [[Barrenjoey, New South Wales|Barrenjoey]]
* [[Palm Beach, New South Wales|Palm Beach]]
* [[McKay Reserve, Palm Beach, New South Wales|McKay Reserve]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171229070755/http://www.manly.com.au/ Manly – Local Directory]

{{coord|-33.609|151.328|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:AU|display=title}}

{{Sydney regions}}
{{Australiansurf}}

[[Category:Northern Beaches| ]]
[[Category:Beaches of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Surfing locations in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Lists of beaches in Australia|Northern]]
[[Category:Lists of tourist attractions in Sydney]]