Fairy Bower Pool Manly is an absolutely charming and delightful little rock pool on Manly’s ocean side. Sydney’s rock pools are a pretty unique feature of our city’s coastline and they don’t come cuter and more appealing than this one, the baby of them all.


Fairy Bower is the smallest of Sydney’s rock pools, excepting a couple of the children’s pools.
You’ll find Fairy Bower half way along the walkway between Manly Beach and Shelly Beach.
The pool was built by locals in 1929 in what was known then as Cabbage Tree Bay. The promenade itself had been built in 1898.
NB If you’ve been told there’s a ‘Manly rock pool’ or a ‘Manly beach pool’ then this is the one that is meant.

Fairy Bower Rock Pool For Kids
We tend to stop at Fairy Bower for a short time on the way to Shelly Beach. Sometimes we snorkel along from Shelly and pull up at Fairy Bower for a rest and a splash.
There’s absolutely no shade at all at Fairy Bower, so it’s not somewhere to stay for a long time.
There are toilets and a change room right by the rock pool, very handy.
There’s a cafe/restauarant close by too. a lovely place to sit and enjoy the view, if your children allow you. The cafe and kiosk at Shelly Beach is only a few minutes walk away too and very child-friendly.
Snorkelling: The waters just outside Fairy Bower ocean pool are marvellous for snorkelling with teeming fish life.
Parking: Tricky! Best to walk along from Manly or from Shelly Beach car park – the roads around Fairy Bower are often very busy.


Fairy Bower Facts
Did you know that Fairy Bower is really quite a new suburb. Imagine that, in 1908, Fairy Bower Road still had only two houses, but by 1914 there were 13, and 21 in 1918.
And look at it now, pretty jam packed with amazing houses.
Read more about the history of Fairy Bower here.
You can read all about the history of NSW ocean pools here.
Are you a rock pool tragic like me?
Where’s your favourite rock pool of them all?
Hope you enjoyed this virtual visit to Fairy Bower sea pool!
Those rock pools are indeed very special. I’ve never swum in one – I need to try π
Next time you are down, Annabel, it’s a rock pool dip date.
Hi Seana
I love this pool. Thanks for reminding me about it. I forget about it because it’s so tucked away. But that’s one of the attractions!
Yes, it is… and the view is a big attraction too… and the beautiful clear waters for snorkelling just off the pool.
Well this is a cutie for sure. I will have to claim the rock pool at Townsville as my favourite though. Fresh sea water is continuously pumped in and marine stingers are filtered out. It is large with different depths and a concrete bottom which is cleaned weekly. The thing I like about the fairy pool is how clear the water is and it’s cute size. I’ve only seen it in your photo!