Q Station Retreat is located on Manly's famous North Head, in the heart of Sydney Harbour National Park. This gorgeous 4 star retreat was opened in 2008, and is on the site of the former Quarantine Station. From the 1830s to 1984, migrants arriving in Sydney with suspected contagious diseases stopped inside North Head and off-loaded their passengers and crew into quarantine to protect the locals from falling ill.
Passengers arriving at the former Quarantine Station
After a period of 40 days, most people were allowed to leave and integrate into their new Australian lives.
You can learn more about the history of the Quarantine Station including the class distinctions and conditions of its residents
here
A far cry from the detention-like centre of the past, Q Station Retreat is now a place of fun and leisure. It has a unique museum, harbourside dining, beautiful accommodation and is a spectacular conference venue.
Accommodation:
Q Station offers 73 rooms and 6 cottages, catering for groups of up to 6. The lovely rooms include all modern facilities and are surrounded by 180 degree views of Sydney's stunning harbour, as well as the breathtaking beauty of the Australian bush. There are rooms to suit every budget.
Deluxe Suite
Historic Retreat Cottage
Dining:
The Boilerhouse Harbourside Restaurant is set right on the edge of the harbour, just footsteps from the beach, and is open daily for dinner – and lunch on weekends. Start your dining experience with a drink in the Engine Room or on the terrace. The restaurant has been named after two carefully restored giant boilers, and the enormous pipes and valves which cover the walls. When it was a Quarantine station, these boilers and pipes sent steam to the autoclaves and boiling water to the showers and the laundry.
You can choose to dine inside on the mezzanine, where you can watch the chefs prepare your meal, or outside to make the most of the beachside ambience.
Boilerhouse
Lunch from 11:00am - Saturday and Sunday
Dinner - 7 Days from 4pm
Engine Room Lounge & Terrace
Open from 5pm until late on Friday and from 11am until late on Saturday and Sunday
Prices start from $16 for entrees, to $36 for mains.
Phone number for bookings: (02) 9466 1500
The Mezzanine at Boilerhouse Restaurant
Dining outside near the beach
Tours:
All on-site facilities are open for day visitors and overnight guests. One of the more popular tours at Q Station is the Ghost Tour. You'll be guided through Q Station's most haunted buildings and listen to stories and legends of unexplained phenomena by lantern light. Not for the faint hearted.
Don't get too spooked
Functions:
The venue is set in tranquil and inspiring surroundings and would be the perfect place to hold a wedding. There are 15 function rooms in total, catering from 4 – 400 people.
A stunning setting for a wedding
And the great thing is that 20% of what you spend at Q Station is reinvested directly back into the long term conservation of this very special site.
Some of the most spectacular views in Sydney
