Actor Chris Hemsworth is reportedly considering running for office in Byron Bay after cutting his teeth in local politics by opposing a resort and tourism development at Seven Mile Beach.
Some locals suspect Hemsworth’s involvement in the eco-campaign is a sign he could one day run for Mayor of Byron Shire Council, according to New Idea.
‘The move has set tongues wagging that the Thor star could be gearing up for a role in politics in the future,’ the magazine reports.
Mayoral ambitions? Chris Hemsworth is reportedly considering running for office in Byron Bay after cutting his teeth in local politics by opposing a resort development at Seven Mile Beach
Byron Shire’s current Mayor is Michael Lyon.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Chris Hemsworth’s Australian manager, Mark Morrisey, for comment.
Hemsworth, 37, earlier this month voiced his opposition to a resort and tourism development at Seven Mile Beach, a long stretch of coastline in the Byron Bay area near his $30million mansion, saying the land was sacred to Indigenous Australians.
He threw his support behind traditional custodians who want to stop the plans, as well as local environmental group Friends of Seven Mile.
Campaign: Locals suspect Hemsworth’s involvement in the eco-campaign is a sign he could one day run for Mayor of Byron Shire Council, according to New Idea. Seven Mile Beach is located south of Broken Head towards Lennox Head, and there is a development application to build 27 new eco-tourist cabins on the land and a wellness facility at Linnaeus Estate (pictured)
Seven Mile Beach is located south of Broken Head towards Lennox Head, and there is a development application to build 27 new eco-tourist cabins on the land and a wellness facility at Linnaeus Estate.
Hemsworth and his family began building their mansion, which is on Broken Head Road and overlooks Seven Mile Beach, in late 2017.
A development application approved by Byron Shire Council estimated the cost of construction to be $18million.
The home is now worth an estimated $30million, according to various reports. Daily Mail Australia is also not suggesting Hemsworth built his mansion on land that is sacred to Indigenous people.
Hemsworth uploaded a video to Instagram on May 19 declaring his allegiance to Friends of Seven Mile, who are urging people to ‘take action’ against the proposed development.
Hemsworth had condemned the Seven Mile Beach proposal on Wednesday, throwing his support behind traditional custodians who want to stop the plans because the land is sacred to Indigenous people
‘I stand shoulder to shoulder, in solidarity with Aunty Lois Cook in opposition to the tourism development at Seven Mile Beach,’ he said.
‘I fully support traditional custodians to be able to comfortably tell their people’s stories, to preserve and protect their homelands.
‘This proposed development would have a direct impact on these sacred and significant Indigenous sites.’
He also shared a video of activist Lois Cook, a traditional custodian of Ngangbul Country in the Bundjalung Nation of eastern Australia who is backing the Friends of Seven Mile cause.
‘I am shocked to hear the zoning had changed without consulting the community nor the Indigenous community,’ Ms Cook said.
‘We were promised this site would be used for educational purpose only… I do not endorse the development of this site.’
Calling for change: Hemsworth marched alongside his daughter, India Rose, in a climate strike in Byron Bay in 2019, calling for action on the issue
Hemsworth marched alongside his daughter, India Rose, in a climate strike at Byron Bay in 2019, calling for action on the issue.
He shouted in the crowd: ‘What do we want? Climate action. When do we want it? Now!’
The star also wrote in a lengthy caption that we must ‘move away from the burning of fossil fuels, no more new oil, gas, coal projects’.
Protest: He yelled in the crowd, ‘What do we want? Climate action. When do we want it? Now!’