An anonymous Australian has sought to debunk a decades-old rumour that a distinctive waterfront mansion in Surfers Paradise belongs to Hong Kong-born movie star Jackie Chan, saying in a Reddit post that the property is a family home built by their father.
The post, titled "Jackie Chan's House" and published on September 8, said the poster's mother is the long-term resident and owner of 87 Commodore Drive and that the rumour began when a riverboat tour guide pointed to the house and told passengers it was Chan's. "My mum has people ringing the doorbell or slipping notes into the letterbox all the time, wanting to meet Jackie Chan," the poster wrote, adding that the house was the final build by their "brilliant builder" father about 35 years ago.
Property records cited in coverage of the post show 87 Commodore Drive was purchased in 1983 for $275,000. The Reddit poster said the house, known for its curved roof and prominent riverfront position, was ahead of its time in building materials and practices and remained in the family until the father died last year.
The rumour, the poster said, spread after a tour guide "decided to spice up their commentary by pointing to my parents' place and declaring, 'That's Jackie Chan's house.'" Repetition by other guides and tourists, the post said, turned the story into accepted local lore and has been repeated in online videos and on boat tours along the Nerang River.
The post drew hundreds of responses and prompted national attention after being discussed on television. On the TODAY show, hosts noted both the poster's account and scepticism among viewers, with some commenters suggesting the claim could itself be a hoax or a diversion. One widely upvoted reply suggested, jokingly, that the original poster might actually be Chan trying to stop tourists from disturbing his home.
Other respondents treated the post as genuine and offered lighthearted suggestions for the family, including charging for tours or placing a life-size cutout of the actor in a window. Several people who said they had been on Gold Coast boat tours confirmed they had heard guides point out the home as belonging to Jackie Chan and recalled versions of the story connecting the house to Chan while he filmed in Australia in the 1990s.
Chan has publicly acknowledged family ties to Australia; he has said his parents lived in Canberra for many years, and media reports in recent years have noted his appearances at events in Australia. The actor’s known links to the country have lent plausibility to the rumour for some visitors and tour operators.
In the Reddit post, the anonymous owner’s child said the family has largely taken the attention in good humour. "We don't even bother correcting the tour guide," the poster wrote. "At the end of the day, it adds to the Gold Coast's charm, so we're happy to let the myth roll on." The post concluded that while the father never had Jackie Chan's fame, "he ended up with something else — hundreds of thousands of people around the world have snapped pictures of his final masterpiece, all under the wrong name."