How to live like a Hollywood celebrity in Byron Bay

Byron Bay has become a hotspot for celebrities over the past few years. 

And while there have been concerns that the influx of A-listers may have driven up property prices, folks can still find a somewhat affordable home in the larger Byron Shire area.

According to Realestate.com.au, would-be buyers can secure a snug apartment for less than $500,000.

Back in May, a studio apartment in Mullumbimby sold for $410,000.

For something larger, a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Ocean Shores sold in January for $419,000.

Also in Ocean Shores, another two-bedroom unit in the same building sold for $435,000.

Unfortunately, to live in the actual Byron Bay is much pricier, and the median house price is now $1.1million.

However, a bargain can still be found if you look hard enough.

In October, a small first-floor studio apartment near the beach sold on Byron Bay’s Easy Street for $495,000.

The apartment comes with features like a covered balcony, a study nook, and access to a shared lap pool.

Several celebrities live in or around Byron Bay, including The Block’s Elyse Knowles, model Gemma Ward, and Hollywood couple Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky. 

Zac Efron has also spent plenty of time in the town, while a number of TV and film productions have started filming locally in the last few months.

As Byron Bay’s reputation as the place to be grows, real estate agents say properties are being snapped up sight unseen or via Zoom inspection.

Long-term resident Mandy Nolan recently told Daily Mail Australia the heart and soul of Byron Bay – the ‘artists, musicians, crystal healers and dope dealers’ – deserve to keep the ‘s**tty little shacks’ they call home.

‘If you want in on what we’ve spent decades creating… take care of the many who are being squeezed out,’ she said.