{"id":775931,"date":"2026-07-03T06:50:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/775931\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T06:50:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:50:13","slug":"zac-efron-visits-peninsula-workshop-for-eco-home-build","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/775931\/","title":{"rendered":"Zac Efron visits Peninsula workshop for eco-home build"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84447\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84447\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_597bd6a6bd371e088235882bebe9a4e2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-capiid=\"597bd6a6bd371e088235882bebe9a4e2\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84447\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist\u2019s render of the home which movie star Zac Efron is building at his northern NSW property. Picture: Supplied.<\/p>\n<p>Hollywood star Zac Efron has visited a Mornington Peninsula workshop that\u2019s playing an important part in building his $3.76m future home in NSW.<\/p>\n<p>The US-born actor has starred in films including the High School Musical series, Hairspray, 17 Again, Dirty Grandpa, Baywatch, Ricky Stanicky, The Greatest Showman, and The Iron Claw, plus Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile in which he played the role of serial killer Ted Bundy.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Efron bought a 128ha rainforest land parcel in Tweed Valley, an area located between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay.<\/p>\n<p>RELATED: <a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/zac-efrons-ricky-stanicky-movie-house-in-surrey-hills-hits-market\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Zac Efron\u2019s Ricky Stanicky movie house in Surrey Hills hits market<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/inside-livinia-nixons-brighton-home-that-sold-for-9m\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Inside Livinia Nixon\u2019s Brighton home that sold for $9m+<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/staggering-property-empires-of-famous-shrek-stars\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Staggering property empires of famous Shrek stars<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The famous celebrity is building an off-grid, six-bedroom house from eco-friendly materials on the site with completion slated for September 2026.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s estimated the build will cost about $3.76m, while the actor paid $2m for the block.<\/p>\n<p>Efron appointed the Victorian-based, no-waste living champion and environmental activist Joost Bakker, along with architect Frank Burride, to help design his future home.<\/p>\n<p>The actor first met Mr Bakker when he visited the ecowarrior\u2019s former zero-waste eco-house, urban farm and dining experience, named the Future Food System, in Melbourne\u2019s Federation Square while filming the documentary series Down to Earth.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Bakker accompanied Efron on his recent visit to the custom joinery and cabinetry company Burmak Cabinets, in Hastings, a suburb in Melbourne\u2019s outer south east.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84439\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_b865242e430603e6717518d1400fe7f0.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"b865242e430603e6717518d1400fe7f0\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84439\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">No-waste living champion Joost Bakker and Zac Efron are working on the design of the actor\u2019s future house in NSW. Picture: Instagram.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84440\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_ab86caffa38ba0351edcd6a3c42a5c2a.jpeg\" alt=\"Zac Efron at Burmak Cabinets in Hasting. -For herald sun real estate. Picture: Instagram@burmakcabinets.png\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"ab86caffa38ba0351edcd6a3c42a5c2a\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84440\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zac Efron at Burmak Cabinets in Hastings, on the Mornington Peninsula. Picture: Instagram@burmakcabinets.<\/p>\n<p>Efron was checking out the hemp joinery which the company is crafting for his Tweed Valley residence, to be featured in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry and cupboards.<\/p>\n<p>The Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor helped to plant the hemp which has since been harvested and compressed into a harder material for use throughout his house, dubbed the FutureCave.<\/p>\n<p>Burmak Cabinets\u2019 managing director Brad Kyle said the business, which employs 15 workers, has just started making the joinery for Efron.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe absolutely loves it, he loves the product, he loves what we\u2019re making out of it and he was super excited, which is really cool,\u201d Mr Kyle said.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84441\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84441\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_28d69913bba07bc1215e59b7a52724a1.jpeg\" alt=\"Joost Bakker and Zac Efron with Frank and Bron from @futurefoodsystem working on the star's NSW home - for herald sun real estate. Picture - Instagram@joostbakker\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"28d69913bba07bc1215e59b7a52724a1\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joost Bakker and Zac Efron with Bronwen Main and Frank Burridge, whose Melbourne-based design practice focuses on climate-responsive architecture. Picture: Instagram@joostbakker.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84442\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84442\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_350eebad2157e98c295f30095381c3ec.jpeg\" alt=\"Country Living Joost\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-capiid=\"350eebad2157e98c295f30095381c3ec\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84442\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In 2012, Joost Bakker opened the world\u2019s first zero waste restaurant, Silo by Joost, in Melbourne although the business has since shutdown.<\/p>\n<p>Efron toured part of the factory and started finalising colour selections for his future home, although nothing has been completely locked in as yet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had a good understanding of what we did at the factory and seeing that, all the board, cutting and all that sort of stuff,\u201d Mr Kyle added.<\/p>\n<p>He said Efron was \u201cabsolutely lovely\u201d and had been happy to pose for a photo with all the workshop\u2019s staff members.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Kyle said he hoped to see hemp joinery, which is chemical free, become more widely-used in the Australian building industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the main difference with hemp and traditional materials is that they contain formaldehyde in the glues, which obviously isn\u2019t ideal \u2013 whereas this is completely natural,\u201d the managing director explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo when we\u2019re working with that product our factory smells completely different, it smells like you\u2019re on a fresh farm, that\u2019s quite incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84443\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_db6f977a350c9c5bf8bd37fe489e1897.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-capiid=\"db6f977a350c9c5bf8bd37fe489e1897\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84443\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zac Efron checks out materials for his sustainable house. Picture: Instagram@joostbakker.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84444\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_eca2804a145c013ddcdcec94e999261f.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"eca2804a145c013ddcdcec94e999261f\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84444\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The residence is set to become one of the most eco-friendly dwellings on the planet, thanks to its environmentally-friendly build and materials. Photo: Instagram@joostbakker.<\/p>\n<p>Processing the hemp from planting through to harvesting and compressing it into a board-like material takes about 130 days in total.<\/p>\n<p>It also involves no agricultural waste as virtually all of the hemp plant is utilised.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really quick, which is also great for the farmers because they\u2019re getting better yield out of what they\u2019re growing,\u201d Mr Kyle said,<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s fantastic for the (building) industry, this industry is such a wasteful industry and it needs to do better \u2013 so the sooner this can become like a mainstream product, the better in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84445\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84445\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_e38b8c93ab63407b6304bc32b0da797a.jpeg\" alt=\"Supplied Editorial\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"e38b8c93ab63407b6304bc32b0da797a\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zac Efron portrays professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich in the 2023 biographical film The Iron Claw. Picture: Supplied.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84446\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84446\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capi_32b066c7183adbe450b437755f160283_8cb9b4d8578cb32b8cd5792b253f62ef.jpeg\" alt=\"BESTPIX - 49th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To Nicole Kidman\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-capiid=\"8cb9b4d8578cb32b8cd5792b253f62ef\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-84446\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Efron attending the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To Nicole Kidman at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Picture: Jon Kopaloff\/Getty Images for AFI.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Kyle added that the hemp product was no more expensive than traditional building materials when it came to building a typical Australian house.<\/p>\n<p>The plant is within the same plant species as marijuana, but is far more fibrous and suited to building purposes and contains only a tiny, non-intoxicating, fraction of the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that the cannabis species is famed for.<\/p>\n<p>Efron\u2019s visit to the factory took place in June but the factory posted the news on Instagram today.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from hemp joinery, Efron\u2019s two-storey, 830sq m house will include materials such as hemp blocks, recycled oyster shells and particle boards, which will be used as internal bricks.<\/p>\n<p>The abode <a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/inside-zac-efrons-37m-offgrid-hemp-australian-futurecave\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">will consist of multiple pods connected by walkways <\/a>and a \u201cliving green roof\u201d topped by 100 tonnes of soil.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, Efron was also spotted in Point Lonsdale, when he visited the Lon Retreat &amp; Spa, as reported by the Geelong Advertiser.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, he popped into the Stokehouse in St Kilda for lunch.<\/p>\n<p>Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click <a title=\"www.newsletters.news.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newsletters.news.com.au\/heraldsun\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a> to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.<\/p>\n<p>MORE: <a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/inside-batman-stars-multimilliondollar-property-deals\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Inside Batman stars\u2019 multimillion-dollar property deals<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"www.realcommercial.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realcommercial.com.au\/news\/bulldogs-great-paul-dimattina-sells-pub-in-regional-victoria?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Bulldogs great Paul Dimattina sells pub in regional Victoria<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"www.realestate.com.au\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realestate.com.au\/news\/dandenong-ranges-fairytale-house-like-a-harry-potter-movie\/?campaignType=external&amp;campaignChannel=syndication&amp;campaignName=ncacont&amp;campaignContent=&amp;campaignSource=herald_sun&amp;campaignPlacement=article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Dandenong Ranges fairytale house \u2018like a Harry Potter movie\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An artist\u2019s render of the home which movie star Zac Efron is building at his northern NSW property.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":775932,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[64,63,105],"class_list":["post-775931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=775931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/775932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=775931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=775931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=775931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}