The Great Australian Dream- A Home of our Own

Home ownership is once again a hot political issue. As house prices rose inexorably in the early twenty first century, many young people found themselves locked out of home ownership. And yet the desire to own ‘a home of our own’ is still as strong as ever. Join Margaret Anderson as she reflects on the highs and lows of home building in Victoria, from boarded-up streets in the Great Depression, through the acute shortages of the post-war years, to the peak of home ownership during the ‘long boom’ of the 1960s. We also consider how homes have changed over the years, from the outside laundry and toilet to the ensuite bathroom and more. Expectations in 2025 are very far from those of 1925.

Margaret Anderson is the historian director of the Old Treasury Building.

Presented as part of the ‘Belongings: Objects and Family Life‘ online exhibition from Old Treasury Building.