Is the suburban dream still alive in Australia? Evidence from Brisbane

ABSTRACT

In view of major contemporary concerns about urban sprawl and related externalities, this article investigates the motivations of suburban residents for choosing this lifestyle, their level of satisfaction with a low-density, car-oriented environment, and their potential interest in embracing alternative living arrangements (i.e. compact urban settings). Interviews conducted in Brisbane, Australia, reveal that the suburban dream is still very alive. A number of factors, including life stage (i.e. the child-rearing stage), lifestyle (preference for ‘peace and quiet’), space (i.e. large home and garden), affordability (i.e. exorbitant house prices in the inner city), and tradition (i.e. the Australian Dream), negatively influence suburbanites’ intention to pursue urban living. A few factors, including accessibility and, to a lesser extent, environmental consciousness and amenity (i.e. lack of safety concerns in the inner city, public transport orientation, and the good quality of city schools), positively influence people’s interest in pursuing compact urban living. Overall, the results are discouraging in terms of Australia’s urban sustainability outlook.

KEYWORDS:

• Suburbs
• suburban living
• behavioural studies
• cultural aspects
• Brisbane
• Australia

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to all the study participants in Brisbane.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors .

ORCID

Dorina Pojani http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-6338

Notes

1 As a methodology, grounded theory involves the construction of theory through the analysis of data. By contrast, positivist approaches are based on existing theoretical frameworks, and the collected data is used to show how the theory applies to, or deviates from, the phenomenon under study.

2 See, for example:

− Architecture&Design, Accessed November 13, 2015. http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/how-millenials-will-affect-the-design-of-our-homes

− Gizmodo, Accessed July 17, 2015. www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/07/millennials-will-live-in-cities-unlike-anything-weve-seen-before/

− The Australian, Accessed June 13, 2015. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/housing-affordability-how-generation-y-lost-its-way-home/news-story/c3a96535eadfca8ba24e02f74000392a

− Property Council, Accessed November 15, 2016. https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/Web/Content/News/National/2016/How_will_millennials_change_the_way_we_live__work_and_play_.aspx

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported through a grant from the University of Queensland.