Micro houses: Trends and implications on the Gold Coast

Housing affordability is a major crisis affecting both capital and regional cities around the world. In response to this predicament and the desire of many families to downsize, micro houses have become increasingly popular both in Australia and globally in recent years. Micro houses, which are smaller, more organised and more energy efficient than conventional houses, can lead to several benefits but are also associated with several issues. The Gold Coast is a city located in South East Queensland with approximately half-a-million population. As a major regional city based heavily on the tourism and construction industries, the city has been experiencing rapidly increasing housing prices and population. In this regard, micro houses are playing an increasingly important role on the Gold Coast, particularly in the newer housing estates. Given this context, the objective of this paper is to critically evaluate the trends and implications of micro houses on the Gold Coast.