Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth and his wife, Elsa Pataky, bought a 4.2-hectare coastal property near Byron Bay, Australia, for A$7 million in 2014, demolished its eight-bedroom Balinese-style residence and replaced it with a sprawling modern mansion featuring a 50-metre rooftop infinity pool.
asserted
Hemsworth → buy → pool
More than a decade later, a report published in 2026 has drawn attention to further recreational additions reportedly made to the compound, including a tennis court and a dirt-bike track, according to The Express Gazette.
uncertain
report → publish → Gazette
The estate, located at Broken Head on the New South Wales coast, overlooks Seven Mile Beach and lies around 12 kilometres from Byron Bay.
asserted
estate → locate → Bay
The couple's decision to transform the site into a contemporary family home attracted considerable attention, with the scale of the construction becoming a talking point among local residents.
asserted
scale → transform → residents
Before Hemsworth acquired the land, the property was known as Kooeloah, a private resort with an eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom residence, a lagoon-style swimming pool and ocean views.
asserted
property → acquire → residence
The property had reportedly been offered for around A$15 million in 2011, but remained on the market before Hemsworth and Pataky bought it three years later for A$7 million.
uncertain
Hemsworth → offer → million
The couple decided against retaining the existing residence and instead pursued a complete redevelopment.
asserted
couple → decide → redevelopment
They submitted a development application to Byron Shire Council in late 2016, which was approved in March 2017.
asserted
which → submit → March
Construction began later that year, and aerial photographs published in 2018 and 2019 documented the scale of the replacement structure.
asserted
photographs → begin → structure
The new home was designed with six bedrooms, a gym, steam room, media room, games room and expansive outdoor spaces.
asserted
home → design → bedrooms
The rooftop infinity pool, measuring 50 metres, became one of the property's most widely reported features.
asserted
pool → measure → features
According to realestate.com.au, construction costs were estimated at approximately A$8.8 million in 2019, while the completed estate was described at the time as a roughly A$20 million property.
uncertain
estate → accord → property
Later reporting in 2025 suggested that the home's value could have reached A$50 million, although such figures were estimates rather than confirmed sale prices.
uncertain
figures → suggest → million
The couple also installed hundreds of solar panels, commissioned artwork for the interior and incorporated extensive areas for outdoor recreation and family activities.
asserted
couple → instal → recreation
In 2019, Hemsworth shared photographs of a large mural created by Indigenous Australian artist Otis Hope Carey.
asserted
Hemsworth → share → Carey
Titled Darrundang Gaagal, meaning "thanking the ocean", the work uses patterns associated with the ceremonial dancing of the Gumbaynggirr people and imagery representing the ocean's healing powers.
asserted
work → title → powers
The estate also gained a skateboard ramp, another feature documented in aerial photographs in late 2019.
asserted
estate → gain → 2019
Its combination of contemporary architecture, leisure facilities and privacy helped turn the property into one of Australia's most recognisable celebrity homes.
asserted
combination → turn → homes
The scale of the redevelopment was not universally welcomed.
asserted
scale → welcome → redevelopment
Some Byron Bay residents criticised the building's size, comparing it to a shopping centre or a concrete palace.
asserted
residents → criticise → centre
Others defended the project, pointing to the couple's approvals and use of local tradespeople.
asserted
Others → defend → tradespeople
Tennis court and dirt-bike track reportedly added
A newer report published by The Express Gazette in 2026 says the property has gained additional recreational facilities, including a tennis court and a purpose-built dirt-bike track.
uncertain
property → add → court
The report refers to aerial images from late July 2026 and says planning documents put the tennis court's estimated cost at nearly A$150,000.
asserted
documents → refer → 150,000
It also suggests that the estate's value could now exceed A$75 million.
uncertain
value → suggest → million
However, that valuation has not been independently established, and the report's claims about the new amenities require corroboration from stronger sources, such as the underlying planning documents or independently verified aerial imagery.
uncertain
claims → establish → documents
The additions, if confirmed, would extend the estate's existing emphasis on recreation and fitness.
asserted
additions → confirm → recreation
Hemsworth has spoken publicly about his interest in physical training, while the couple have shared occasional glimpses of their family life at the property.
asserted
couple → speak → property
The home already includes a gym, spa, steam room and large outdoor areas.
asserted
home → include → gym
The newer facilities should not be confused with the original construction plans, which documented the six-bedroom house, rooftop infinity pool and other leisure spaces but did not establish the presence of a tennis court or dirt-bike track.
asserted
which → confuse → court
Why the family chose Australia's east coast
asserted
family → choose → coast
Hemsworth and Pataky moved from Los Angeles to the Byron Bay region with their three children in 2014.
asserted
Hemsworth → move → 2014
The move reflected their preference for a quieter lifestyle away from the intense attention associated with Hollywood.
asserted
move → reflect → Hollywood
Hemsworth has said that he feels less famous and more grounded in Byron Bay.
asserted
he → say → Bay
The region has since become a destination for other high-profile residents, including members of the Hemsworth family.
asserted
region → become → family
In 2025, realestate.com.au reported that Hemsworth's brother, Liam, had acquired nearby land and was planning a substantial home of his own.
asserted
brother → report → own
The family's property holdings have added to the area's profile, although the growth in local property values cannot be attributed to any single celebrity purchase alone.
asserted
growth → add → purchase
The Aporia
