Satellite Image Reveals the Harsh Reality: Australia's Dream Shattered After 30 Years
Introduction
A satellite image of Australia has unveiled a harsh truth—over the past 30 years, so much has been lost, and the once-glorious "Australian Dream" has now been shattered.
1. Satellite Image Exposes the Brutal Reality: The Australian Dream is Shattered
Despite the continued economic growth in Australia, rising living costs are putting unprecedented pressure on average families.
A recent satellite image of Sydney's western suburbs has vividly illustrated the broken “great Australian dream.”
The image shows two neighbouring suburbs, Cranebrook and Jordan Springs, separated by Northern Road, which also divides 30 years of history.
Cranebrook retains the architectural charm of the 1980s and 1990s, with homes generally occupying more than 600 square meters, featuring spacious yards for children to run around in, some even with swimming pools.
However, just a street away in Jordan Springs, a new development presents a starkly different picture: small houses packed tightly together like sardines, with narrow gaps between them. Carports can barely accommodate two cars side by side, and you need to zoom in on Google Earth to spot the tiny patch of grass in the backyards.
This change is no accident. From the end of World War II to the 2000s, Australian families didn’t have to give up their backyard for community playgrounds or multi-story housing.
In the late 1960s, over 70% of Australian families owned their own home, and the homes were of better quality—typically occupying a quarter-acre with a garden, a Hills hoist clothesline, a barbecue, and sometimes even a pool.
During the 1980s and 1990s, many families lived in four-bedroom houses, equipped with two bathrooms, two living areas, a double-car garage, and spacious front and backyards to play in.
But today, new suburban homes have backyards too small to fit even a hot tub. This living standard has become a thing of the past.
With skyrocketing property costs, the “Australian Dream” of homeownership is now virtually unattainable for many.
2. Australian Property Prices Soar, Forcing Families to Adapt
According to Money.com.au, since 1975, the average property price in Australia’s capital cities has surged by 3435%, while full-time incomes have only increased by 1183% in the same period.
In Sydney, the median house price has soared from $34,000 in 1975 to $1.627 million in 2024, with the price-to-income ratio nearly quadrupling.
Currently, a Sydney mortgage requires 143% of the national median monthly salary—compared to just 44% fifty years ago.
Brisbane has seen an even steeper rise, with property prices up by 3801%. The price-to-income ratio has jumped from 4 times in 1975 to 11 times today, with mortgage payments now consuming 81% of the average income, compared to just 31% back then.
What’s even more worrying is that these changes are reshaping the way Australian families live.
In the past, a single-income family could easily afford a house with a large yard, but in Australia today, that lifestyle is a thing of the past.
Now, both parents have to work full-time just to afford a home or rental, and children often end up in daycare.
3. Quality of New Homes a Growing Concern
The quality of newly built homes is also raising alarm. Peter Drennan, Director of research data company primara.com.au, points out:
“Homes from 40 years ago were built on larger plots of land and with better quality materials. Today, homes are built as cheaply as possible because the cost of producing everything has gone up, meaning the quality is nowhere near what it used to be.”
Facing this ongoing housing crisis, experts believe that fundamental reforms are needed.
“The government has yet to take any effective measures,” Drennan warns. “If no action is taken soon, the living environment in the next 25 years will be even more concerning.”
Conclusion: From Spacious Yards to Cramped Spaces
This satellite image not only reveals the decline in housing conditions but also highlights a painful reality: the once-accessible ideal lifestyle has become a distant dream, now out of reach for most Australians.
The great Australian dream is no longer a simple goal but an increasingly unattainable luxury.