Ivanhoe Park, Manly

Ivanhoe Park is located on Sydney Road, Manly. It is a State Heritage-listed site and an important public open space used by the communities of Manly and surrounding areas. It has a rich shared history associated with Aboriginal people and 150 years of recreation, sport and wider community use.

Ivanhoe Park covers 4.53 hectares and is divided into two distinct cultural and landscaped areas. Ivanhoe Park Botanic Garden provides a traditional passive parkland and gardens. On the other side are active sport and recreation facilities including Manly Oval, tennis courts and lawn bowling greens.

GML was engaged by Northern Beaches Council to prepare a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) in conjunction with the new Landscape Masterplan and Plan of Management for the park. GML led a team of heritage specialists including a historian, landscape architect, Aboriginal and historical archaeologists, and a heritage architect to develop the CMP.

GML identified important Aboriginal, archaeological, cultural, landscape and built elements within the park, as well as provided guidance to ensure the park’s ongoing conservation and enable a viable future for the site.

Northern Beaches Council invited community comments on the CMP and the draft Landscape Masterplan and the draft Plan of Management in August and September 2021. The CMP was the overarching document informing the findings and recommendations of the draft landscape Masterplan and the draft Plan of Management prepared by other consultants for the Council.

Northern Beaches Council resolved to adopt the Landscape Masterplan and Plan of Management for Ivanhoe Park in October 2021, with approval granted by the Department of Planning and Environment in October 2022.