From the suburbs to the bush and the inner city, Australians have been obsessed with the idea of home and the dream of home ownership.
In this exhibition comedian, television presenter, and architecture and design enthusiast Tim Ross casts his unique eye across the Library’s archives and images. Uncovering stories from across the decades of how we have been sold and realised ideas of home, Tim looks at why Australians have chased home ownership, and explores some of the unique and special ways we have built in this place.
We are a nation that is undeniably fixated on property, but increasingly the headlines are about housing scarcity, affordability and mortgage pain. For many Australians, owning a home now seems like an unattainable dream. So, what can we learn from our past to help solve the problems of the future, and how can we reimagine the Australian Dream?
This free exhibition is on display at the State Library of New south Wales until the 15th March 2026.
Photos by Ben Apfelbaum
