Quarantine Beach Boat Hire — Q-Station Manly Cove by Boat

Sheltered swim, Q-Station history walk, sandy anchorage near Manly. From $400/hr, 4-hour minimum.

🏖 Sheltered swim 🏛 Q-Station history ⚓ Easy anchorage 🌊 Near Manly
⭐ Trusted by 970+ Sydney events · 137 vessels in our fleet · No booking fees · Honest pricing

Quarantine Beach (also called Spring Cove or Store Beach North) sits inside Q-Station Manly — the historic quarantine station that’s now a hotel and conference venue. Anchor in the sheltered cove, swim ashore, and walk the 5-minute Q-Station history trail. Quieter than Store Beach next door, with a much smaller crowd even in peak summer.

From a $400/hr 4-hour BBQ cruise for 14 guests on a sailing catamaran, to a $1,200/hr luxury motoryacht family day for 22 — Boatique books the full Sydney Harbour fleet that can anchor at Quarantine Beach. Quotes back in under an hour.

Find Your Perfect Boat

Quarantine Beach is at the eastern end of Spring Cove, just inside Manly Cove. Most CBD-based boats reach it in 35-40 minutes (longer route around North Head). Best boats: family catamarans with safety nets, luxury motor yachts for the longer cruise out.

Send your guest count and date — we’ll come back with 3 boats.

Boat anchored at Quarantine Beach Manly

Why anchor at Quarantine Beach (instead of Store Beach)

🤫 Quieter than Store Beach

Store Beach is famous and busy on weekends. Quarantine Beach is 100m around the cove — calmer, quieter, with the Q-Station history walk.

🏛 Q-Station history walk

5-minute walk to the historic Q-Station precinct (1828 quarantine buildings now a hotel + conference centre). Self-guided history walk.

Sheltered sandy anchorage

Soft sandy bottom, 4-6 metres, sheltered from southerlies. Anchor holds easily. Captains routinely anchor 60-90 minutes.

🏊 Calm swim water

Sheltered cove means calm water on most days. Sandy beach, fine for kids and weak swimmers.

How a Quarantine Beach cruise day looks

Typical day: pickup from King Street or Rose Bay around 11am, cruise out via North Head (35-45 min), anchor at Quarantine Beach 12:30-2:30pm for BBQ + swim + history walk, then cruise back via Watsons Bay for lunch at Doyles. 5-hour cost: ~$2,500-3,500 all-in for 14 guests with BYO drinks and partner-catered BBQ.

Send us your date and guest count — we’ll send a fixed quote in under an hour.

BBQ lunch on a boat anchored at Quarantine Beach

Half day · BYO

From $1,600/4hr · BYO

4-hour cruise with Quarantine Beach swim stop. BYO drinks, BBQ on the back deck.

Luxury motoryacht

From $900/hr · Plated lunch

Climate-controlled saloon for the longer cruise. Plated lunch, anchor at Quarantine Beach, slow return.

Need a Quarantine Beach cruise quote?

Tell us your guest count and date — we’ll match boats and send a fixed all-in number.

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Group anchored at Quarantine Beach for swimming and history walk

Real Quarantine Beach cruises we’ve delivered

Family birthday · 16 guests · sailing catamaran

5-hour cruise from King Street, Quarantine Beach BBQ + history walk, Watson’s Bay stop, golden-hour return.

Visitors from overseas · 8 guests · luxury motoryacht

Slow tour of Sydney Harbour with anchor at Quarantine Beach for swim + Q-Station walk, plated lunch.

Couple’s day · 4 guests · sailing yacht

BYO Champagne + grazing platter, 4-hour cruise to Quarantine Beach + back via Bradleys Head sunset.

Long-weekend group · 22 guests · function catamaran

Full-day cruise, BBQ at Quarantine Beach, swim + history walk, evening return.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Quarantine Beach?

Inside Spring Cove on the western side of North Head, Manly. Part of the historic Q-Station precinct (now a Mantra hotel). 100m around the cove from Store Beach.

Is Quarantine Beach the same as Store Beach?

No — they’re adjacent. Store Beach is the larger and more famous swim-stop beach. Quarantine Beach is the smaller cove around the headland, with the Q-Station history walk.

Can we anchor at Quarantine Beach?

Yes — public anchorage in 4-6 metres on sand. Captain holds easily. Anchor for 60-120 minutes is typical.

Can we walk into the Q-Station?

Yes — 5-minute walk up the path to the historic Q-Station precinct. Self-guided history walk, café in the visitor centre, hotel restaurant if you want to book lunch.

Is Quarantine Beach good for swimming?

Yes — sheltered cove, sandy bottom, calm water. Best swim beach for nervous swimmers or kids.

How long does it take to cruise from the CBD?

35-45 minutes from King Street Wharf. 25-30 minutes from Rose Bay. The cruise goes via the main harbour and around North Head.

Can we visit Store Beach too?

Yes — boats often anchor at one for swimming and motor 100m to the other for variety. Both have sandy bottoms and easy anchorage.

What’s the best month for Quarantine Beach?

October to April for water temperature. The cove is sheltered year-round so even in winter a sunny lunch on board with the kids ashore is doable.

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Send your guest count and date — we’ll come back with a fixed quote in under an hour.

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Or call 0432 428 297

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