Manly Warringah War Memorial Park, known as Manly Dam, is an has a wonderful diversity of flora and fauna. It's great for picnics by the water and there are plenty of places to spread out and find your own little corner of bush from which to listen to the birds and gaze across the sparkling expanse of water. Kids can play in the well-equipped playground with gas barbecues and picnic tables close by or simply run around exploring the open grassy spaces close to the water's edge.
There is wheelchair access off the road up to section two of the dam. Vehicle access is in Manly Vale. or you could hire mountain bikes in Manly as Manly Dam has one of Sydney's most popular trails with plenty of technical descents and challenging climbs.
There are a number of bush walks around Manly Dam, ranging in length. The main one is the Park Circuit, also known as Manly Dam Heritage Walk, which is 7.3 kilometres in length and goes around the lake. For little ones, there is the Wildflower Walk (350 metres) and Nature Trail (1.5 kilometres).
There is a designated section in Manly Reservoir for motor boats, with a water ski ramp. There is also a designated non-motor boats section for kayaking, fishing or swimming.