Lowes boss lists $30m Whale Beach super-estate

It’s only fitting that the CEO and co-owner of menswear giant, Lowes, has fabricated an extra-large family compound overlooking one of Australia’s most exclusive beaches.

Linda Penn and her dentist husband, David, have just listed their clifftop villa, Lodge Dauphin, at Whale Beach on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Although no public price guide has been announced by the father-and-son agent duo, David Edwards and BJ of LJ Hooker Palm Beach, a source places expectations at “about” $30 million.

More than just a glamorous trophy home, Lodge Dauphin is a self-contained resort, complete with a private golf course, sauna, spa, and infinity pool.

The Penns bought the mansion in 2012 for $3.075 million, according to title records, but took three years to craft a show-stopping estate with the help of an expert team of award-winning designers.

Acclaimed architect Michael Suttor crafted the sandstone main residence, while designer Deanne Rooz curated its sophisticated interiors. Outdoors, landscapers Richard Unsworth and Paul Bangay created a waterside wonderland with terraced fairways on the 2150 sq. metre site.

A private playground with sweeping ocean views across Whale Beach up to the Central Coast, the expansive Whale Beach property cascades down the clifftop, surrounded by towering pine and gum trees as well as gardens bursting with native flora, manicured hedges, and immersive garden zones.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom home was built from more than 1000 tonnes of stone, and features multiple living spaces over three primary levels. Rich natural materials are showcased throughout the property, with stone, solid oak, marble, brass, and European Oak antique basket-weave flooring all elevating the luxury interiors.

Beyond a central entry court, the everyday spaces include a palatial lounge and dining area with high cathedral ceilings, a central marble fireplace, and a vast balcony with enviable views.

This same level houses a state-of-the-art kitchen with an integrated Sub-Zero fridge and freezer, a Wolf oven, a gas stove, and a separate drinks fridge.

The upper level features a separate lounge area and four bedrooms, each with a private ensuite and built-ins. In the primary bedroom, there is an opulent open ensuite with a handmade freestanding bathtub, twin vanities, a powder room and a walk-in wardrobe.

Three of the four bedrooms also have personal balconies.

A self-contained guest bedroom with a kitchenette on the entry level is an ideal space for visitors or live-in staff.

Resort-style amenities on the lower floor include a large gym or games area with a wet bar, a sauna, a wine cellar, and a vast terrace spilling out to the heated infinity pool, “egg” spa, and poolside lounge room.

Taking resort-style living to another level, the landscaped grounds also feature more than 50 smart-zoned areas, 200 LED copper garden lights, and A4 Bent Grass greens on the personal golf course.

The high-tech compound has the latest smart home integration, including lighting, seven-zone air conditioning, Vintec air filtration, 30 security cameras, Sonos sound, and irrigation.

Additional features of the property include three water tanks, Wi-Fi throughout the grounds, an elevator to all levels, underfloor heating, three powder rooms, and a double-lockup garage with a turntable.

Lodge Dauphin at 143-145 Whale Beach Rd, Whale Beach is listed with LJ Hooker Palm Beach agents BJ and David Edwards.

The Centennial Collection, the new apartment development on the edge of Centennial Park in Bondi Junction, continues to break local residential property records.

A local Eastern suburbs buyer has splashed $11 million on a three-bedroom, sub-penthouse on level 10 of the development, topping the previous record within the same development.

At 266 sqm, including internal and external space, the north-facing residence achieved more than $55,000 per sqm, making it one of the most expensive apartment transactions ever recorded in Sydney’s eastern suburbs outside the harbourfront enclaves of Double Bay and Darling Point.

The buyer had originally purchased a three-bedroom apartment in The Centennial Collection in 2025 for $6.5 million before deciding to secure the larger half-floor sub-penthouse.

Ray White Projects Director of Sales Marcello Bo, who is managing sales for the project, said the transaction highlighted the continued strength of demand for premium apartments in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

“This sale is a clear indication of buoyancy in the upper end of the market and reinforces the strong demand and appetite for primely located, larger-sized apartments with all the luxurious inclusions you would expect with a development of this calibre,” Bo said.

“It also demonstrates that superbly-designed, lifestyle-driven residences in tightly held locations continue to outperform, particularly when they deliver scale, privacy, rarity and long-term liveability that aligns with how buyers want to live today.”

The Centennial Collection occupies a prominent gateway site overlooking Centennial Park at the junction of Bondi Junction, Woollahra and Paddington. Following recent State Significant Development approval, the project now comprises 79 apartments across two adjoining towers rising 13 and 16 storeys.

The development has been designed to target owner-occupiers seeking larger-format apartments, with residences featuring inclusions more commonly associated with standalone homes, including private rooftop pools, bedroom fireplaces, wet bars, butler’s pantries and full-sized wine fridges.

The record-setting residence was originally designed as one of the project’s penthouses before the approval process allowed additional levels to be added to the scheme.

Positioned on Level 10, the apartment occupies half a floor and has no common walls. It offers 270-degree views spanning Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Centennial Park and both the northern and southern headlands.

The purchaser said that proximity to Centennial Park, transport connectivity, and the surrounding lifestyle amenities ultimately drove his decision.

“I’m constantly looking at developments everywhere in the east, from Darling Point to Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay, all the beaches, Bondi, Bronte, Tamarama, Woollahra. I wanted something new,” he said.

“Everywhere you go, there’s a trade-off. It might have a great floor plan, but it doesn’t have a view. Working in the city, your daily commute impacts everything, so Bondi Junction train station was a huge factor in my decision.”

The buyer, an avid cyclist who rides regularly in Centennial Park, said his view of the location changed significantly as he spent more time assessing the eastern suburbs market.

“At first, I thought, who would want to live there? It’s one of the busiest intersections in the eastern suburbs. But when you peel it all back, it’s one of the best locations in Sydney. You’re close to everything, you can walk to everything, the amenity is incredible, and the views are amazing.”

Bondi Junction is slated to look materially different in the coming decades, with a draft 100-page masterplan proposing a regeneration of the suburb which would include thousands more apartments as well as a revitalised commercial, retail, and dining precinct.

Lowes boss lists $30m Whale Beach super-estate

Lodge Dauphin, a sprawling designer compound above Whale Beach, hits the market with expectations around $30 million, offering a private resort with ocean views.

A record-breaking $11 million sale at The Centennial Collection has set a new benchmark for luxury apartment living in Bondi Junction.