Northern Beaches
Clontarf
A tiny harbour-front pocket between Balgowlah and Mosman, with Clontarf Beach and Clontarf Reserve the social heart. Mostly Federation cottages and Mid-century homes on streets that drop steeply to the beach. Tightly-held with very low turnover. Suits buyers wanting a beachside enclave 12 minutes from the city.
- To CBD
- ~24 min
- Schools profiled
- 3
- Pros / Cons
- 4 / 4
Connectivity
Getting around
- Railway
- Sydney Trains
No heavy-rail in suburb.
Sydney MetroIndirect — closest Sydney Metro M1 Barangaroo 30 min by bus. From Barangaroo: Martin Place 2 min.
- Buses
Routes 132, 144 along Sandy Bay Road. Manly 8 min, North Sydney 20 min, Town Hall 28 min.
- By car
Spit Bridge for west-bound trips; Warringah Freeway. Drive times off-peak: Sydney CBD 22 min, North Sydney 14 min, Chatswood 14 min, Macquarie Park 18 min.
Local life
What's in Clontarf
The shops, parks, pubs and landmarks that locals actually use.
park
parkClontarf Reserve
A popular park in Clontarf (4.6★ · 1549 reviews). Sandy Bay Road, Clontarf
Photo: Google
cafeBalgowlah Heights Deli
A popular cafe in Clontarf (4.4★ · 87 reviews). 122 Beatrice Street, Balgowlah Heights
Photo: Google
cafe
restaurantOrmeggio at The Spit
A popular restaurant in Clontarf (4.5★ · 1333 reviews). D’Albora Marinas, Spit Road, Mosman
Photo: Google
restaurantAfous Moroccan and Spanish Tapas
A popular restaurant in Clontarf (4.8★ · 619 reviews). Fergusons Marina, 83 Parriwi Road, Mosman
Photo: Google
restaurantMiddle Harbour 16 Ft Skiff Sailing Club
A popular restaurant in Clontarf (4.4★ · 160 reviews). 237 Spit Road, Mosman
Photo: Google
venueSt Siandra
A popular venue in Clontarf (4.6★ · 366 reviews). 75 Lower, Parriwi Road, Mosman
Photo: Google
landmarkIsoldes Beach
A popular landmark in Clontarf (4.8★ · 23 reviews). Clontarf Track, Clontarf
Photo: Google
landmark
landmarkSpit West Reserve
A popular landmark in Clontarf (4.6★ · 450 reviews). The Spit Reserve, Spit Road, Mosman
Photo: Google
Education
Schools & tertiary
Primary: Balgowlah Heights Public; secondary: Manly West (boys) or Mackellar Girls.
Primary
Catchment primary in adjoining Balgowlah Heights
Secondary
- Manly Selective CampusSelective
Selective school in Manly West
- Mackellar Girls CampusPublic
Public girls' high school
Real estate
Medians (2026)
Numbers coming soon. We're populating medians from Domain and CoreLogic — this section will fill in as the data lands.
The honest read
Pros & cons
What works
- Clontarf Beach and reserve on the doorstep
- Tightly-held with low turnover
- Federation cottages with harbour views
- 12-minute drive to Mosman
Watch outs
- Very small suburb — limited stock
- Spit Bridge bottleneck
- No shopping in suburb
- Premium pricing for the harbour-front address
Looking to buy or rent in Clontarf?
Browse current listings or talk to one of our agents who knows the area inside out.