Zac Efron’s northern NSW home to be turned into sustainable haven

A development application for the northern NSW property owned by actor Zac Efron outlines how it could become the “most sustainable” home in the world.

A development application for “the most sustainable home in the world” has been lodged for the northern NSW property owned by the Hollywood celebrity Zac Efron.

The proposal lists the environmental activist Joost Bakker as the proponent, giving rise to the unconfirmed speculation Efron could in the process of quietly offloading the property to his mate.

It could be an exciting collaboration or alternatively Efron could just want to keep his name out of the publicly available documents having once advised he was a “very private person.”

Zac Efron purchased the property near Byron Bay in 2020. Picture: zacefron/Instagram

The Hollywood actor struck up a friendship with activist Joost Bakker while he was living in Australia. Picture: Andy Rogers

Efron’s name remains on the official title, but not on the Tweed Shire building application paperwork for the zero waste, off-grid home at Tomewin which comes with a $2.685m build cost.

The planning consultancy, Planners North noted it had been “engaged by the owner” to prepare a development application for a dwelling with a gym.

The project refers to the dwelling as “Futurecave”, providing for a six-bedroom, two-storey house with a series of pods connected by a covered walkway.

Covering 830sq m space, it has been designed by architect Frank Burridge at Main Studio.

A development application for "the most sustainable home in the world" has been lodged for the northern NSW property owned by the Hollywood celebrity Zac Efron.

“Pods are dispersed on the site to celebrate the landscape, reduce building bulk, encourage connection to outdoors and frame key views,” the application lodged this week advises.

The pods will be fabricated off-site with hemp board panels.

Each features a green roof to retain water as a wicking bed for plants, fostering plants out of reach of rabbits to support endangered butterflies and fireflies.

The sustainable home would include six bedrooms and feature a series of pods connected by a walkway.

The documents submitted call it a “carbon-sequestering, habitat-creating home.”

The land boasts rainforest with three clear-water creeks and rock waterfalls.

The High School Musical star bought the secluded 128ha holding for $2m in late 2020, having spent much of the pandemic lockdowns in Byron Bay, where he briefly found an Aussie love while renting a luxury home on Wategos Beach.

Zac Efron purchased the property in 2020, after spending time in the area during lockdown.

Efron’s busy filming schedule over recent years has meant he’s not returned to Australia and his vacant property, set around 75 km north of Byron near the NSW and Queensland border.

Efron and Bakker developed their friendship when he lived in Australia.

It is not clear if Zac Efron intends on holding on to the property, or if he is offloading it to his friend Joost Bakker.

Bakker featured on Down to Earth, Zac Efron’s Netflix wellness show, after Efron visited Bakker’s self-sustaining Melbourne home.

Last week Efron was rushed to hospital following a swimming pool incident at a luxury villa in Ibiza in Spain. Efron has since shared an update on his Instagram that he was “Happy and healthy.”

Northern Rivers locals say they had heard Efron was a likely seller given frustrations at progressing building plans.

Its prior selling agent Brad Franks said he was still bound by a nondisclosure agreement.

Efron and Bakker have been contacted for comment.

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