Byron Bay’s most famous resident Chris Hemsworth has faced scrutiny after he publicly opposed a resort and tourism development at Seven Mile Beach.
Some Aussies argue the Hollywood actor, 37, has no grounds to complain, given that he recently developed his own $30million mansion overlooking the very same beach he now doesn’t want developers to touch.
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.
Byron Bay’s most famous resident Chris Hemsworth has faced scrutiny after he publicly opposed a resort and tourism development at Seven Mile Beach – despite building his $30million mansion nearby
The Thor: Ragnarok star, whose LA-style mansion has been dubbed ‘Fort Hemsworth’, has since been criticised on social media.
Daily Mail Australia cannot repeat the commentary for legal reasons, but in summary some Aussies took a cynical view of his motives.
However, Hemsworth has made it clear he opposes the development on environmental grounds and because of his support for the Indigenous custodians.
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
Some Aussies argue the Hollywood actor, 37, has no grounds to complain, given that he recently developed his own $30million mansion (pictured) overlooking the very same beach he now doesn’t want developers to touch
There is no reason to doubt this, as Hemsworth is a committed environmentalist who has expressed support for First Nations causes in the past, and even decorated his home with an enormous Aboriginal mural.
Daily Mail Australia is also not suggesting Hemsworth built his mansion on land that is sacred to Indigenous people.
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.
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)
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.
The property has been dubbed ‘Fort Hemsworth’ due to its monolithic aesthetic, and the development faced some resistance from locals, who compared it to a multi-storey car park or Westfield shopping centre.
On Wednesday, Hemsworth uploaded a video to Instagram of himself declaring his allegiance to Friends of Seven Mile – an environmental group urging people to ‘take action’ against the proposed development
Lois Cook (pictured), a traditional custodian of Ngangbul Country in the Bundjalung Nation of eastern Australia, said: ‘We were promised this site would be used for educational purpose only… I do not endorse the development of this site’
On Wednesday, Hemsworth uploaded a video to Instagram of himself declaring his allegiance to Friends of Seven Mile – an environmental group urging people to ‘take action’ against the proposed development.
‘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 at 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!’