We’ve all been there: the sun’s out, it’s a stunning day, and the beach is calling to you. Unfortunately, it’s also calling to everyone else in Sydney, so by the time you pull up to your sandy stretch of choice, parking anywhere in sight of the water seems impossible.
Well, for those who enjoy the string of beautiful beaches near Manly, a new online tool is here to solve your parking problems.
Created by Transport for NSW in partnership with Sydney-based start-up Spot Parking, the Northern Beaches Parking Finder maps 15 square kilometres of kerbside across Manly and the surrounding suburbs including North Balgowlah, Seaforth, Balgowlah Heights, Manly Vale and the area around Q Station and the North Head. The map is carefully colour-coded and filterable to help users find the locations of every public parking spot in the area, including where to find dozens of free parking spaces. It also has up-to-date info on the costs of the hourly parking, where to find disabled parking, and resident permit areas and loading zones to avoid.
It’s hoped that the online tool, which is totally free to use, will encourage more people to visit the Manly area. And if you’re already thinking that this could really come in handy in many other Sydney neighbourhoods, you’re not alone in that thought. There are already plans in the works to potentially roll out similar parking finder maps to other popular areas around the city, including Parramatta and the CBD. Watch this (parking) space.