Imagine stepping back to a time when Manly was advertised as “The Future Premier Watering Place of Brisbane”. That was in 1887. A description that rings true even now. Manly is a charming bayside suburb. Locals love it. Visitors hesitate to leave. Especially if you love the water.
Manly’s story starts long before European settlement. The Mipirimm subclan of the Quandamooka people first occupied this area. Manly and Lota were known together as Narlung. It likely meant “the place of long shadows”.
European settlement began in 1859. Thomas Jones obtained a land grant. Joseph Lewthwaite built the first house. It was a stone homestead called Wyvernleigh. This is now the intersection of Oceana Terrace and Kooralgin Street. It was later known as Tingalpa House.
What we know as Manly was once Wyvernleigh. It was part of Lewthwaite’s estate. This included a sugar plantation.
Aboriginal people maintained a connection to Manly. They had town camps in Manly and Wynnum. Local groups ran fishing expeditions into the 1920s. They also hunted oysters and turtles.
In 1882, James R. Dickson auctioned land for the Manly Beach Estate. It was named after Manly in Sydney. The estate had 177 allotments. They were bounded by Arnold Street, Moreton Bay, Spring Street, and Ernest Street.
An 1885 auction offered more land to the north. Advertising mentioned the coming railway. The railway arrived in 1889. It provided a direct service to Brisbane. By the early 1900s, Manly was a popular seaside destination.
Boating is popular in Manly today. This is thanks to its sheltered coastal location. Manly is home to the largest boat harbour facility in the southern hemisphere.
Several boating clubs call Manly home. These include the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club. Others are the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club and the Darling Point Sailing Squadron.
The Brisbane Coast Guard has its largest flotilla here. The Lord Mayor of Brisbane is its patron. This tradition started in 2011.
One of Brisbane’s earliest state schools is in Manly. Manly State School opened in 1910. It was so popular that parents camped overnight to secure a place. ABC announcer Spencer Howson attended the school.
Manly Railway Station opened in 1888. It was the original terminus of the line. The line extended to Cleveland a year later. The station was rebuilt in 1992. The original timber station was infested with termites.
As you explore Manly, remember its layers of history. From its indigenous roots to its seaside resort days. It’s a suburb with a unique story. A story still being written today.