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. 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.The estate, located at Broken Head on the New South Wales coast, overlooks Seven Mile Beach and lies around 12 kilometres from Byron Bay. The 4.2-hectare property is equivalent to approximately 10.4 acres. 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.
From a Balinese-style resort to a modern mansion
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. 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.The couple decided against retaining the existing residence and instead pursued a complete redevelopment. They submitted a development application to Byron Shire Council in late 2016, which was approved in March 2017. Construction began later that year, and aerial photographs published in 2018 and 2019 documented the scale of the replacement structure.The redevelopment was substantial. The new home was designed with six bedrooms, a gym, steam room, media room, games room and expansive outdoor spaces. The rooftop infinity pool, measuring 50 metres, became one of the property’s most widely reported 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. 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.
A pool, solar panels and an expansive outdoor setting
The pool was only one part of the property’s transformation. The couple also installed hundreds of solar panels, commissioned artwork for the interior and incorporated extensive areas for outdoor recreation and family activities. In 2019, Hemsworth shared photographs of a large mural created by Indigenous Australian artist Otis Hope 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.The estate also gained a skateboard ramp, another feature documented in aerial photographs in late 2019. Its combination of contemporary architecture, leisure facilities and privacy helped turn the property into one of Australia’s most recognisable celebrity homes. The scale of the redevelopment was not universally welcomed. Some Byron Bay residents criticised the building’s size, comparing it to a shopping centre or a concrete palace. Others defended the project, pointing to the couple’s approvals and use of local 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. 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. It also suggests that the estate’s value could now exceed A$75 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.The additions, if confirmed, would extend the estate’s existing emphasis on recreation and fitness. Hemsworth has spoken publicly about his interest in physical training, while the couple have shared occasional glimpses of their family life at the property. The home already includes a gym, spa, steam room and large outdoor areas. 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.
Why the family chose Australia’s east coast
Hemsworth and Pataky moved from Los Angeles to the Byron Bay region with their three children in 2014. The move reflected their preference for a quieter lifestyle away from the intense attention associated with Hollywood. Hemsworth has said that he feels less famous and more grounded in Byron Bay.The region has since become a destination for other high-profile residents, including members of the Hemsworth 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.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.