As Australia grapples with a cost-of-living crisis, innovative solutions like agritourism and tiny homes are providing a glimmer of hope for communities such as Braidwood, a heritage-listed town in the Snowy Mountains. Recent research by Good360 Australia reveals that the financial strain on households across the country has intensified for some Australians, with 34 percent of respondents reporting the crisis feels more severe than last year.
PHOTO: Tiny homes could hold the key to rapidly alleviating the housing shortage CREDIT: Adapt Homes
This dire financial stress many Australians find them selves enduring is made no easier amidst an on-going housing shortage. Shortages of accomodation in towns can lead to greater travel times and additional pressures on household budgets when families are forced to live further from regional centres.
In Braidwood, with a population of 1,700, the housing shortage for essential workers adds to the challenges. “We’ve got a real problem with ensuring we have enough houses for the people we need to keep Braidwood ticking over. It’s hard to attract people to work here when there isn’t enough housing available,” explains George Sherriff, Chair of the Braidwood and Villages Chamber. He further notes that quality tiny houses could rapidly alleviate the shortage, enabling local growth and stability.
Adapt Homes, established by retired Naval Commander Geoff McGinley, is spearheading the tiny home movement in the region. These homes are uniquely designed to meet high standards including 7-star energy efficiency and bushfire resilience.
“Communities across Australia are facing the same issues,” McGinley notes. “Tiny houses built to the same standards of traditional homes can provide an essential lifeline for these communities.”
Agritourism has surged nationally, according to Adapt Homes, with operators increasing by 50 percent between 2020 and 2023. The sentiment is reflected locally with operators beginning to raise their voices.
Helen Faulkner, owner of Saddle Camp in Braidwood, asserts that tiny homes have turned their fortunes amid drought, welcoming global visitors while offering diverse income. “Bringing quality tiny houses to Braidwood would not only create new income opportunities, it would also build resilience in our town, whether dealing with natural disasters or tackling the current housing shortage,” she says.
PHOTO: Helen Faulkner, owner of Saddle Camp, Braidwood CREDIT: Saddle Camp
To help landowners explore the opportunity, the Chamber is hosting a Farm Stay Tiny Home Field Day at Braidwood Farm Stay on April 9, 2025. The event offers hope for a region and community amid crisis.
PHOTO: Adapt Homes will be at the Braidwood, Farm Stay Tiny Home Field Day CREDIT: Adapt Homes.
The ideas for innovation come amid broader national struggles. Good360 Australia’s survey underscores the harsh reality faced by many Australians: 20 percent have forgone buying clothing, and 19 percent have cut back on food and healthcare to afford basics. The distress also impacts mental health, with 14 percent reporting adverse effects.
PHOTO: Good360’s survey reveals the dire situations everyday Australians find them selves in CREDIT: Good360
Alison Covington AM, Founder of Good360, stresses, “This is more than just an economic issue; it’s a crisis affecting people’s quality of life, mental wellbeing, and dignity.”
PHOTO: Alison Covington AM, Founder of Good360 CREDIT: Good360
Good360 calls for greater government and retail support to alleviate some of these burdens, highlighting how $2.5 billion of unsold goods could assist those in need instead of going to waste. “There’s so much that can and should be done,” adds Ms Covington.