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why does tyra banks live in australia

Tyra Banks has been living in Sydney, Australia primarily because of her ice cream business, SMiZE & Dream, and because she fell in love with the lifestyle there with her family.

Why does Tyra Banks live in Australia? (Quick Scoop)

The core reason: her ice cream brand

Tyra didn’t move to Australia for TV first – she moved for ice cream.

  • She founded an ice cream company called SMiZE & Dream.
  • A major production facility for the brand is in Australia, where they worked on recipes and manufacturing at scale.
  • After repeatedly flying there for business, she says she “just fell in love with it” and decided to relocate with her partner and son.
  • Australia is one of the top three ice‑cream‑eating countries (alongside the U.S. and New Zealand), so it’s a strategic market for growing her brand.

In short, it’s a mix of business logic (huge ice cream market, production base) and personal attachment.

Family life and fresh start

Tyra has framed the move as a family decision and a reset from her old Los Angeles life.

  • She relocated to Sydney in late 2023 with her longtime partner Louis Bélanger‑Martin and her son York.
  • She has called living in Australia with her family a “dream come true.”
  • She even celebrated her 50th birthday in Australia, signaling it’s not a temporary work trip but a real home base.
  • Before the move, her Malibu oceanfront house was destroyed in the California wildfires, which likely made a clean break from LA life easier emotionally and practically.

From a “Hollywood grind” to ferry commutes on Sydney Harbour – she’s clearly leaning into a different rhythm of life.

What her day-to-day in Sydney looks like

Tyra has given small glimpses into her routine and local plans.

  • She’s shown mornings at her home in Sydney, making coffee and starting her workday there.
  • She talks about commuting by ferry and loving the harbour views at night.
  • She’s planning a 3,000‑square‑foot SMiZE & Dream flagship store in Darling Harbour.
  • Pop‑up locations like the “Slay Your Way Cafe” in a Sydney shopping centre have highlighted her brand locally and fueled more fan chatter online.

So it’s not just “living” there – she’s actively embedding her brand into Sydney’s food and retail scene.

Is she only in Australia now?

She’s strongly based in Sydney, but she hasn’t cut ties with the U.S. completely.

  • Interviews frame her as having “put down roots” in Sydney while still maintaining connections to New York and U.S. media.
  • Some coverage says she’s been quietly living in Australia for about 18 months, with talk of possible TV projects or a comeback “Down Under.”
  • She remains a global media figure, so it’s realistic to expect ongoing travel and cross‑Pacific work.

Fans on forums are already speculating about things like a TV return, hosting in Australia, or even an Australian Next Top Model‑style revival, though that’s fan talk, not confirmed plans.

Different angles people are discussing

Here’s how the topic is being framed in news and forums right now:

  • Business angle:
    • Smart move to a country that eats a lot of ice cream, with manufacturing already based there.
* A flagship store in a major tourist and nightlife hub (Darling Harbour) fits a global brand strategy.
  • Lifestyle angle:
    • Swapping LA’s intensity for a harbour city with ferry commutes and big water views.
* A “dream come true” family environment in Sydney.
  • Emotional/reset angle:
    • Malibu home destroyed by wildfires, followed not long after by a major international relocation – people naturally read this as part of a bigger life reset.
  • Forum/gossip angle:
    • Fans joke about her doing Australian accents, hosting an Aussie modeling show, or becoming a fixture in local TV.
* There’s playful chatter about her calling Australian Kmart “upscale” and adjusting to local retail culture.

Mini FAQ

Does Tyra Banks really live in Australia now?
Yes. Multiple 2025 interviews and reports confirm she has relocated to Sydney with her partner and son and is building her SMiZE & Dream business there.

Is it forever or temporary?
She hasn’t said it’s permanent, but she has “put down roots” in Sydney and is opening a major flagship store, which suggests a long‑term base rather than a short pop‑up stay.

Is the move mainly business or personal?
Both: it’s a strategic move for her ice cream brand in a top ice‑cream‑eating country and a lifestyle choice because she “fell in love” with Australia and enjoys living there with her family.

TL;DR: Tyra Banks lives in Australia because her SMiZE & Dream ice cream business is produced and expanding there, Australia is a huge ice cream market, she fell in love with Sydney’s lifestyle, and it offered a fresh family start after leaving her LA life behind.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.