Manly Beach Report: Sunday 25 October 2026

Your daily Manly beach report, Sunday 25 October 2026. Walk with me from Queenscliff to North Steyne on a thirty-degree scorcher, with storms on the way tonight. We’ve got the Bondi to Manly Ultra winners, the full story of the Manly ferry wheelhouse incident, and everything on in Manly this week.

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Chapters

0:00 Intro & today’s top 3
0:35 Beach report: surf & weather
1:20 Local news: Manly ferry incident
2:35 More news: new airport, Mona Vale tower
3:20 On the walk: Queenscliff to North Steyne
3:45 Bondi to Manly Ultra results
6:21 North Steyne
7:11 Duke Kahanamoku at Freshwater
8:16 Surf + Sound tonight
9:11 Coming up this week
10:26 Question of the day

Transcript

Intro & today’s top 3 (0:00)

HELLO! Ozghosty here! This is your daily Manly beach report. Today is the 25th of October 2026. Here are today’s top three. Number one: we’ve got the results from yesterday’s Bondi to Manly Ultra. Number two: it’s a scorcher, heading for thirty degrees, but storms are on the way this evening. And number three: Surf + Sound rolls on, with Babe Rainbow at Manly Wharf tonight. I’ll tell you who won the ultra on the walk. But first, the surf and weather.

Beach report: surf & weather (0:35)

Here’s your beach report. Sunny and hot, a top of around thirty, with northerly winds of twenty to thirty k’s. But watch the sky: storms are likely late this afternoon and tonight, and they could be severe, so keep an eye on the Bureau’s warnings. The surf’s around two metres from the nor’east and choppy with that wind, building this evening. The water’s about twenty degrees. Low tide is around twenty past two, high tide around twenty past eight tonight. UV is very high, so slip, slop, slap, and swim between the red and yellow flags.

Local news: Manly ferry incident (1:20)

Now, the local news, starting with a story from the Manly ferry. The Manly Observer reports that at around four o’clock on Friday the 16th of October, as a ferry from Circular Quay was docking at Manly Wharf, a man allegedly rushed the wheelhouse door just as crew were coming out. Crew believe he was affected by drugs, and say he was trying to get to the steering wheel. But another witness told the Observer he was actually going to complain about being splashed during the crossing. According to a witness, the engineer helped hold the man while the captain docked the ferry alone. Then, in the confusion, the gangplanks went down and the man walked off. Police have taken statements and are investigating, and Transdev, which runs the ferries, says its own investigation is underway. The Maritime Union says there’s no place for violence against ferry workers.

More news: new airport, Mona Vale tower (2:35)

In other news, the big one for Sydney today: Western Sydney International Airport has opened to passengers. The first flight, a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast, was due out at eleven this morning, and the first international flight, to Auckland, leaves tomorrow. And up at Mona Vale, a two-hundred-and-ninety-nine-home tower has been given the green light, one of the biggest housing approvals on the Northern Beaches in a while.

On the walk: Queenscliff to North Steyne (3:20)

Look at that crowd. A hot Sunday in late October and half of Sydney’s found its way to the beach. Where are you watching from today? Let me know in the comments.

Bondi to Manly Ultra results (3:45)

So, the ultra. Eighty kilometres from Bondi, around the harbour and up over North Head to finish on this beach. The men’s winner was James Paterson, in six hours, nineteen minutes. And here’s the great bit: he was back in seventh place after twenty k’s, then hit the front around the Spit and never looked back. He was second last year. The women’s race went to Greta Truscott, in seven hours twenty-eight. That’s a marathon, and then nearly another marathon, in one go.

Still to come: everything that’s on in Manly this week. And if you’re enjoying the walk, give it a like. It really helps the channel.

North Steyne (6:21)

We’re into North Steyne now. Somewhere along here is the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club, one of the oldest surf clubs in the world. If you see the volunteers in red and yellow today, say thanks.

Duke Kahanamoku at Freshwater (7:11)

Here’s a bit of local history. Just over the headland at the north end of the beach is Freshwater. On Christmas Eve, 1914, the Hawaiian swimmer Duke Kahanamoku paddled out there on a board he’d shaped from Aussie timber and showed Sydney how to stand up and ride a wave. It’s widely seen as the moment surfing took off in Australia, and his original board is still kept by the Freshwater surf club.

Surf + Sound tonight (8:16)

Tonight it’s Babe Rainbow, the psychedelic surf-pop band from Byron, at the Felons Barrel Room on Manly Wharf. Doors at seven. And if you’re down at the wharf today, the free Jeremyville art trail and the painted Land Rover Defenders are worth a look.

Coming up this week (9:11)

Coming up this week in Manly. Thursday the 29th: Kita Alexander plays Surf + Sound at the wharf. Friday the 30th: Skunkhour. Saturday the 31st, Halloween: the Queenscliff groms have their Grub Cup from seven in the morning, the free Boardrider Battle kicks off right here on Manly Beach, and Yolanda Be Cool play the wharf that night. And Sunday the 1st of November: day two of the Boardrider Battle, then GANGgajang and Winston Surfshirt close out the festival. Know of something else on in Manly this week? Drop it in the comments, and I’ll give it a shout-out on tomorrow’s walk.

Question of the day (10:26)

Question of the day: how are you spending this scorcher of a Sunday? Beach, pool, or hiding in the air con? Tell me in the comments. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and I’ll see you on the next one.