Sydney’s northern beaches didn’t earn the “island peninsula” label for nothing. And for wealthy Whale Beach residents, the new development down the street is every NIMBY’s worst nightmare.
A wealthy couple moves in and immediately begins work on a new house, causing endless noise and increased congestion on what was once a quiet, idyllic street.
To make matters worse, their $30 million project is more of a Westfield-style resort than a cozy beachfront home. Their ambitions are so great that the criminals even bought the humble house next door, just so they could demolish it.
This is exactly the situation facing the neighbors of supermodel Jennifer Hawkins and her husband, real estate developer Jake Wall.
Locals are outraged by the Rayner Road renovations that have been underway for almost four years, but when Daily Mail Australia paid a visit on Wednesday morning, there was at least one silver lining.
When it is finally sold, it will be a monster sale. It will probably break records. And, fingers crossed, it will also increase the prices of other homes on the street.
The Whale Beach megamansion of Jennifer Hawkins and her husband, builder Jake Wall, is getting even bigger. Photographed in 2013
The original 1950s house on the site was demolished in 2021, a year after Hawkins and Wall purchased it. Building noise has constantly disturbed what was once the quietest corner of the quiet suburb.
The narrow cul-de-sac leading to Hawkins and Wall’s mega-mansion looks more like a path than a street, raising concerns about the “constant flow of trucks” that park and block the narrow road for “hours and hours.”
Only 29 homes are situated on the cliffside strip, and residents tell Daily Mail Australia they are “tired” of the endless chaos and disruption.
One resident, Paul, says it takes him 15 minutes to pull out of his driveway when workers are on foot.
“If they want to build a mega complex then that’s their prerogative, but, by God, we’re getting tired of this: the construction, the traffic, the noise,” he says.
“It’s just a miserable situation. Most people who live here full time are looking for peace and quiet, but there hasn’t been any quiet since they started construction.
‘At any time there are cranes, huge trucks, vans, tile deliveries, they all affect the flow of the street and it is no longer easy for us to come and go as we please. It takes 15 minutes to exit the street due to traffic buildup.
“You have to add 15 minutes to your trip just to get off the street because of the delay (construction) is causing.”
New images from the construction site show the neighboring property completely leveled, with an excavator shoveling gravel on top of what was once a humble family home.
A photo from May shows the now-demolished house next door that Hawkins and Wall bought for $7 million in 2023.
‘I met Jake (Wall) and he’s a good guy and he handles it the best he can. Its construction will put the rest of our “shacks” to shame, he adds.
“We all hope it will be finished by the middle of next year, but it probably won’t be.”
Another angry neighbor is fed up with the seemingly endless disruption to their previously peaceful lives.
“It’s been a headache for four years, every time we go down the driveway,” the local says irritably.
“They have a commotion that helps manage it – the constant trucks and cars – but sometimes they don’t, so there is the occasional argument with traders about who has the right of way.
“This goes on for years and years and we’re probably the hardest hit.” It’s the noise that bothers us as much as the cranes and the street (which is blocked).’
Two trucks are seen coming and going from the Rayner Road property. Residents are outraged by the renovations that have been underway for more than three years.
Hawkins and Wall bought the house next door in 2023. What was once a sweet coastal home has now become rubble.
But ultimately, they believe the development will be a boon to the neighborhood, considering its exorbitant price tag.
‘I think overall (the compound) will be good. “If it sells for $40 million, we’ll be in a desirable little pocket, but all I want is for the sale to happen.”
In their latest bold move, Hawkins and Wall purchased a neighboring four-bedroom house and demolished it to make way for “construction of a dwelling including landscaping,” according to approved site plans.
The married couple bought the house next door in 2023 for $7 million before submitting a development application in May 2024.
New images from the construction site show the neighboring property completely leveled, with an excavator shoveling gravel over what was once a humble family home.
Nearby residents are outraged by renovations that have been underway for more than three years; the original 1950s house will be demolished in 2021.
The huge development dwarfs neighboring properties and appears four times larger than surrounding homes.
Aerial images obtained by Daily Mail Australia last month show construction underway on the massive plot of land.
Workers shelter from the heat during Daily Mail Australia’s visit to the site on Wednesday.
The site boasts stunning sea views and sits atop a stunning cliff on Whale Beach.
It is being redeveloped to offer multi-level car accommodation with a parking space, as well as guest accommodation and a padel court.
Hawkins and Wall’s original double-block purchase was demolished to make way for a multi-level modern mansion that will include a basketball court, infinity pool, home theater, sauna and four-car garage.
The high-end property will also have an internal elevator connecting all three floors, as well as five bedrooms, multiple living spaces and a large kitchen.
It already boasts stunning sea views and is located on top of a stunning cliff close to local amenities.
Hawkins and Wall are known for their home remodeling and high-end home construction.
The couple have no intention of living at the Whale Beach property and have reportedly already sold it to a high-profile businessman.
Aerial images obtained by Daily Mail Australia last month showed construction underway on the massive plot of land, which is four times the size of neighboring mansions.
The couple began work on their mega-mansion in December 2022 after receiving approval from the Northern Beaches Council for a $3.3 million build.
Hawkins and Wall’s original double block purchase was demolished to make way for a modern multi-level mansion.
One upset resident said he was fed up with the endless construction work and described it as “the biggest thing on the whole peninsula right now.”
Previous premises They said they were fed up with the endless construction work and described it as “the biggest thing on the entire peninsula at the moment.”
“It’s so big,” they said. ‘It’s out of place with Whale Beach, it’s too big and unnecessary. I have anxiety now.’
The resident added they were concerned Northern Beaches Council was not receiving adequate rates and taxes for the project, which they believed would now far exceed the $3.3 million budgeted.
‘I would say the costs now would be a minimum of $10 million. “I think the city council is losing all this money because they are not controlling the project,” they said.
They added that there were also serious concerns among locals about how the proposed $30 million home would fit in with the other properties in the neighborhood, which had an average value of around $10 million.
The Northern Beaches Council told Daily Mail Australia in a statement that while the original grant costs were exceeded, there was no legal precedent for charging additional fees.
“At the time of submission of the development application in 2020, Council considered the cost estimate report prepared by a licensed builder and did not find any irregularities in the cost estimate,” they said.
“The cost of construction has increased substantially since 2020. However, there is no legislative basis for charging additional fees for development applications where construction costs have increased.”