Zac Efron Quietly Building Sustainable Dream Home in Australian Rainforest

Zac Efron, 38, has been living low-profile in Byron Bay, New South Wales, while construction begins on his first-ever owned home — an ambitious off-grid retreat on a 128-hectare rainforest block in the Tweed Valley, roughly an hour inland from Byron Bay. The actor purchased the land in 2020 at a discounted price during the pandemic, a period during which he was also filming his Netflix docuseries 'Down to Earth' in Australia. He has partnered with environmental designer Joost Bakker and architect Frank Burride to build the property, dubbed 'Futurecave,' which will be constructed almost entirely from sustainable materials including hemp blocks, recycled oyster shells, and agricultural crop waste. The multi-pod, two-storey, six-bedroom structure will span approximately 830 square metres, feature a private gym and green rooftops, and is estimated to cost around AUD $3.76 million (approximately US $2.65 million). Bakker confirmed planning approval from Tweed Shire Council in early May 2025 and has been sharing construction updates on Instagram. Efron told the Australian Financial Review in December 2025 that he wants the home to allow him to feel 'as close to the Earth' as possible, and sources close to the actor say he is considering relocating to Australia permanently after selling his Los Angeles mansion for $7.5 million AUD in 2021. Efron remains professionally active, with four projects in development including an A24/HBO TV series based on the novel behind the 1987 film 'Angel Heart.'