Weekender country
The Woy Woy Peninsula — Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Ettalong Beach, Booker Bay, Blackwall, St Huberts Island and Pearl Beach — was Sydney's weekend escape for decades. Streets filled with small fibro and weatherboard holiday houses on modest sandy blocks.
Now those blocks are being redeveloped for permanent homes, duplexes and townhouses.
Asbestos first, every time
On a Peninsula fibro house, asbestos is not a possibility — it is the working assumption. Cladding, eaves, bathrooms and laundries, garages, carports and fences.
- Survey and sample testing.
- Licensed removal, arranged through separately licensed asbestos removalists.
- Clearance.
- Demolition.
See asbestos removal.
Flat and sandy
Good news for machines and access. But:
- Sediment control on sand is essential — it moves fast in wind and rain.
- Soft ground can bog trucks after heavy rain.
- Low-lying land near Brisbane Water and the channels may be flood-affected.
- Acid sulfate soils in some areas matter for excavation of the new build.
Redevelopment
Duplexes and small multi-unit developments are common where zoning permits. The demolition sits within that approval.
Council
Central Coast Council. Many dwellings qualify for complying development; flood, heritage and other constraints can require a development application. See council and approvals.
Suburbs covered
Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Ettalong Beach, Booker Bay, Blackwall, St Huberts Island, Phegans Bay, Pearl Beach, Patonga and Horsfield Bay.
Typical jobs
- House demolition of fibro weekenders.
- Asbestos removal.
- Garage and shed removal.
Costs
See the 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 5024 3718 or send the job details through.
Across the Coast
| Gosford | 02 5024 3718 |
|---|---|
| Terrigal & Wamberal | 02 5944 5841 |
| Erina | 02 5024 3718 |
| The Entrance | 02 5024 3718 |
| Wyong & Tuggerah | 02 5024 3718 |
| Northern Lakes | 02 5024 3718 |
Questions people ask before they commit
Why is asbestos so common on the Peninsula?
Umina, Ettalong and Woy Woy were largely built out with holiday houses in the mid-twentieth century, when fibro was cheap and popular. Many are still standing, and most contain asbestos cement in cladding, eaves, wet areas or outbuildings.
Is the Peninsula flood-affected?
Parts of the low-lying Peninsula near Brisbane Water and the channels can be flood-affected, and some areas have acid sulfate soils. These mainly shape what gets built next, but they can affect the approval pathway and excavation.
Are Peninsula blocks easy to demolish?
Physically, often yes — flat, sandy and with reasonable access. The time and cost go into asbestos removal, sediment control on sandy soils, and occasionally narrow lanes or soft ground in wet weather.
What does it cost to demolish a fibro house in Umina?
As a 2026 guide, the demolition itself commonly runs $18,000 to $32,000 for a single-storey fibro house, with licensed asbestos removal priced separately from a survey — often a significant additional amount.