Whale Beach

Whale Beach is a northern beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Whale Beach is a northern beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Whale Beach is located 40 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council, in the Northern Beaches region.

The origin of the name Whale Beach is unknown, it is presumed to be associated either with the shape of the northern headland, or a beaching of a whale.

Whale Beach was part of a 400 acre grant to James Napper in 1816. This land grant was left untouched during the nineteenth century. In 1900 it was offered for sale by the Barrenjoey Land Company in large blocks, suitable for grazing, however none of the land got sold. In 1912 the land was offered again in smaller blocks and all sold. This was the beginning of development at Whale Beach. In 1913 the Whale Beach Kiosk was built and supplied the needs of visitors. By 1918 Whale Beach road had been laid down and Jack Webster made further roads from 1927. Eventually a number of holiday homes were built. From the 1950s when transport became easier and motor cars more common, the area became a residential suburb.

Whale Beach is the location of a distinctive home designed by the architect Alexander Stewart Jolly. On Careel Head, overlooking Whale Beach, Careel House is a single-storey bungalow made from sandstone blocks that were quarried at the site. Heritage-listed, it was built in 1931.Whale Beach is home to The Big Swim, an ocean swim of several kilometres from Palm Beach to Whale Beach. The Big Swim has been held in January each year since 1974.