But now with prices rising strongly all along those beaches, clearance rates at auction at an all-time high, and quality new developments being snapped up at launch, the publicity that constantly surrounds Hawkins' building projects is credited with helping put the area back on the map.

"The northern beaches [area] has come roaring back over the last month or two," says Domain Group senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson. "One weekend recently, it had a clearance rate of more than 90 per cent.

"The northern beaches used to be just for the locals, but now it's attracting change-over buyers, upgraders and downsizers from the north, north-west, inner west, even the eastern suburbs. There's no doubt it's now a very strong market, with the more southern beaches and places like Manly particularly strong."

Keeping the excitement buoyed are top-of-the-market new projects like The Bower at Manly's Cabbage Tree Bay, an exclusive six-apartment freehold building over five levels designed by architect Koichi Takada right on the water's edge, launching off the plan in June (see box).

"I think people are now really discovering the Manly and northern beaches lifestyle," says the lead agent, Lloyds Property director Haig Connolly. "This is the ultimate expression of that lifestyle, where you're looking straight on to water from your balcony, and you're being lulled to sleep by the tides."

The Manly median house price now sits at $1.96 million, up 5.9 per cent last year, and 29.6 per cent over the last five  years – with apartment prices rising by 41.7 per cent in the same period, on Domain Group figures. Seaforth now sits at $1,642,000, up 6.3 per cent on last year and Dee Why at $1.26 million, up an incredible 36.2 per cent.

"The market at the northern beaches, particularly in Manly, is the strongest I've ever seen it," says Steve Thomas, principal of Belle Property Manly. "The lower to middle end of the market is going well, but now the higher end has taken off and we're seeing a lot of deals of $3 million, $4 million and $5 million.

"We sold Jen Hawkins' house in Curl Curl for over $4 million and she and Jake are doing so much work now, also with Koichi Takada. They see the northern beaches as having a very big future, and bring it plenty of publicity."

Buyers from the eastern suburbs, lower North Shore and inner west are discovering their money buys so much more at the northern beaches, says Stone's Manly partner and sales agent Tim Mumford.

"Here, they can have more space, a larger block or bigger apartment, a backyard, the beach and restaurants and cafes. Manly has become a real destination hotspot now, and that's now spreading further to the other beaches too."

McGrath Dee Why agent Mario Esposito agrees a lot more people are now discovering the region, and moving in. "They see there's real value for money as prices haven't yet caught up with the rest of Sydney," he says. "For the cost of a small home in the inner west, you can buy a big home here, with a garden close to the beach, and people are now choosing that kind of lifestyle."

That strength of feeling is taking many by surprise. CBRE executive director Justin Brown hasn't officially launched a new 103-apartment complex called Pure at Dee Why yet – but 75 per cent have already sold.

"I think it's been a bit of a forgotten gem up till now," he says. "Only 15 per cent of our buyers were from here; the rest were from other areas who've just found it. But the high level of demand has taken us by surprise."

The Northern Beaches' top selling suburbs

• Seaforth - $1,642,750 (median price); 6.3 per cent (change over one year); 18.6 per cent (change over five years)
• Mona Vale - $1.2 million; 3.4 per cent; 33.7 per cent
• Avalon - $1,357,500; 8.2 per cent; 20.7 per cent
• Warriewood - $1.19 million; 18.7 per cent; 50.1 per cent
• Manly - $1.96 million; 5.9 per cent; 29.6 per cent
• Balgowlah - $1.48 million; 13 per cent; 17.9 per cent
• Cromer - $1,118,050; 13.2 per cent; 43.6 per cent 
• Beacon Hill - $1,182,500; 17 per cent; 41.6 per cent
• Newport - $1.38 million; 22.7 per cent; 36.3 per cent
• Dee Why - $1.26 million; 36.2 per cent; 64.2 per cent

Source: Andrew Wilson, Domain Group

Case study: Beach lifestyle a winner

The laid-back Northern Beaches' lifestyle is one that just can't be beaten, says prize-winning artist Nafisa Naomi.

"You come back home after a day at work and then you just take a stroll, or walk the dog on the beach and it's a great stress-reliever," says the artist known only by her first name Nafisa, who won the 2010 Archibald Packers' Prize for her portrait of rock historian Glenn A. Baker.

"Throughout mankind's history, water and the sea and the tides generate harmony. We just have a craving to be near water. And then there's nothing more exciting than watching a storm coming in over the ocean, or sitting on a beach, watching the sun set."

Nafisa lives at Dee Why with her silver toy poodle Romeo in a dual-level, two-bedroom apartment at 1 Dee Why Parade, close to the beach. She's now put it up for sale through McGrath Dee Why to help fund her new gallery H'Art Matters in Mosman.

She'll continue to live by the beach, however, which she finds really helps the creative flow. "There's a serenity about being by the ocean that's really important," she says. "And a romance. It's also easy to get from the city to the Northern Beaches, and then you're in a polar opposite environment."

In 2013 Nafisi had her portrait of entertainer Maria Venuti selected for the Archibald Salon des Refuses, and now her gallery is her latest venture. "But I'll still live close to the beach," she says. "The ocean has a very very strong pull."

Feature property

The Bower, 12-13 Marine Parade and 102 Bower Street, Cabbage Tree Bay, Manly
Price guide: $3.9 million - $8.9 million 

The first time celebrated architect Koichi Takada saw the site for a new apartment building on the waterfront at Manly, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"I thought, Wow!" he says. "I was standing still, I was so astonished. Oh my God, it was magical. I fell in love with it straight away."

Takada then designed the six-apartment building, with the two homes on the ground floor having their own gardens and one home per floor higher up, to try to celebrate its location, with a thin steel structure highlighting more the use of lots of glass, natural timber and stone. "I wanted a modern contemporary feel that has a lot of the essence of this beautiful location," he says.

Developer Victor Fong of MV Projects said he wanted the three, four and five-bedroom apartments to be oversized  and had talked to four different architects before choosing Takada. "The position is so beautiful and the development is going to be beautiful too," he says.

There's a natural rock platform directly outside The Bower which appears and disappears with the tides, in the middle of a natural aquatic reserve teeming with sealife.

"The view also takes in Shelly Beach and the whole series of headlands up the coast," says Lloyds Property agent Haig Conolly. "It's the most picturesque scene you could ever imagine."

The six apartments in The Bower (162-323sqm internally) from $3.9 million.  thebowermanly.com.au Ph Haig Conolly, Lloyds Property 0414 987 321   

Or try these  

Spring Cove Estate, Spring Cover Avenue, Manly
Price guide: From $2.49 million

Looking for a home on a secluded northern beach? There are still five blocks of land, and three houses, for sale at the new Spring Cove estate on former Catholic Church land at Manly. Developed by Oakstand Property Group and Denwol Group, they sit on 2.8 harbourfront hectares. Land only from 600-1000 sq m, from $2.49 million. Four-bedroom houses from  $4.79 million. springcove.com.au Phone Steve Thomas 0411 551 115

Pure, 23-29 Pacific Parade, Dee Why
Price guide: From $550,000 - $1.27 million

There are 24 apartments left in this Marchese Partners-designed seven-level north-facing building just footsteps away from the beach. One beds (50 sq m) with a 10 sq m wintergarden from $550,000; two beds (66-83 sq m) from $660,000; and three beds (120-140 sq m) with a 60 sq m outdoor terrace from $1.15 million. puredeewhy.com.au Phone 1800 064 717

White Rock, 1 Eastbank Avenue, Collaroy
Price guide: From $990,000 - $1.5 million

Six two-bed-plus-study apartments (102-119 sq m) remain in this 19-unit block looking directly over Collaroy Beach. Three face the front, and three are at the back, but all have 3.8-metre ceilings with double glazing and sliding doors to balconies. "It's a great building just 100 metres to the sand," says agent Peter Mosedale of Raine & Horne, Dee Why/ Collaroy. raineandhorne.com.au/deewhycollaroy. Phone 0408 177 207