The Australian Dream?

The Australian Dream? is an exhibition that critically examines the place of home ownership in Australian culture, using original archival material from the State Library of New South Wales. Co-curated by comedian, design advocate and television presenter Tim Ross, alongside Anna Dearnley from the Library’s Pictures team, the exhibition traces how the ideal of owning a home has been promoted, embraced, and adapted by Australians across generations.

Central to the exhibition is a reflection on how historical narratives and media campaigns have collectively shaped, codified and personalised the “Australian Dream” of home ownership. Archival photographs, documents, advertising material and personal stories are employed to illustrate the enduring grip that this ideal holds within Australian society, even as changing markets and increasing challenges to affordability and availability have made it less attainable for many.

Visitors are guided through a detailed investigation of how Australians’ understanding of home and housing has evolved, highlighting the persistent connection between identity, aspiration, and property ownership. The exhibition also addresses the tension between traditional depictions of home—often rooted in nostalgia—and the current realities facing individuals and families in an era marked by housing stress and inequality.

The curation benefits from Tim Ross’s distinctive approach, blending cultural insight, personal reflection and design awareness with Anna Dearnley’s expertise in the interpretation and preservation of architectural and social history. Together, they offer a narrative that contextualises the dream of home ownership within broader social and policy changes, considering how past ambitions might inform future solutions to contemporary housing issues.

The Australian Dream? targets those interested in architecture, design, cultural history, social change, and housing policy. It invites a broad audience—from design professionals and historians to the general public—to explore what the concept of home has meant in Australia, and how it may need to change. This exhibition provides a nuanced, historically grounded perspective on the “Australian Dream.” It encourages critical engagement with the hopes and realities of home ownership, urging visitors to reconsider and reimagine the significance and possibilities of “home” in a changing Australian society.