“The Ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul”
— Robert Wylan —
Our Story
Growing up on a beach in Far North Queensland, it was impossible not to fall in love with the ocean and the incredible abundance it provides. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of walking the mudflats at low tide, spear in hand, with friends — hunting and gathering mud crab, flathead, mullet, cockles, razor clams and whatever else we could find after hours of trudging through mangroves. There’s still nothing quite as satisfying as a mud crab cooked over coals or boiled fresh in a bucket of seawater.
As a young chef, I was fortunate to work in some of Australia’s best kitchens and hotels — places where food truly mattered and the ingredient was king. Kitchens where quality always came first, and where even at a buffet for 150 people, oysters were shucked to order because that’s simply how it should be. Those experiences shaped not only my cooking, but my philosophy.
When we opened Blue Manna, we set out to create the kind of place we’d love to spend time in ourselves — somewhere relaxed yet refined, where you can gather with friends, enjoy warm, genuine service, eat exceptional seafood and drink great local wine.
Almost 8 years on, that vision continues to drive us. Coby’s signature Asian twist, combined with some of the best seafood Australia has to offer, keeps our guests coming back — and keeps us inspired every day.