Australian Dream

The book explores the ‘Australian Dream’ of home ownership and its origins. It examines early colonial times and its reinvention in the post World War II era. It identifies how the once affordable Australian Dream has now turned into a crisis in Australia where median house prices well above $1m. The reasons for this transition from affordable to unaffordable are examined including its impact on Australians.

It addresses the growing ‘shadows’ with regard to the Australian Dream and its links to Suburbia, including growing health concerns (physical and mental), car dependency and peak oil, loss of environment, impacts on climate change and the cost of suburbia. It also explores such factors as the demographic ‘time bomb’, and changing economic conditions.

Final sections of the book suggest a possible alternative vision of the Australian Dream. Reimagining our cities and housing options, Urban Planning, Urban Design, Transport, Architecture. The book also looks at policy changes required by government to solve the crisis.