The organiser of this year’s New Zealand Tiny House & Alternative Living Conference in Auckland is expecting plenty of public interest in the event.
The one-day event on May 23 helps people discover, learn about and celebrate NZ’s tiny house and alternative living
movement. Organiser Sharla May says this movement is growing as people swap expensive standard housing for cheaper, more
flexible alternatives.
“Standard housing is increasingly unaffordable in NZ,” she says. ”The tiny house scene is growing as a consequence of
this; tiny living appeals to a wide audience. It’s popular with young people trying to start out in their first home,
older people who want to escape the rat race or anyone who simply wants to be kinder to the planet.
The national conference is the only event of its kind in NZ and is being held in Auckland for the second time. Previous
events have also been held in Christchurch and the Wairarapa, with the latter selling out. “Each event gets bigger and
better,” Sharla says.
More than 300 people attended the 2019 Auckland conference and Sharla is expecting more this year. She has confirmed
some interesting speakers, including Lucy Aitken-Read, who lives off-grid in a yurt in a Coromandel forest, tiny house builder Chris Morrison and
LandShare founder and NZTHA spokesperson Nathan Orr.
Sharla has been involved with the event since its inception and enjoys sharing her passion for tiny living. “It’s
exciting to see Kiwis take up tiny living. Our conference covers everything from managing a tiny house build to
furnishing, design and decor. I want people to come away with ideas and inspiration, and the knowledge that tiny living
is a viable, affordable alternative to standard housing.”
The 2020 Tiny House and Alternative Living Conference is on May 23 from 9am – 5.30pm at 9 Lambie Drive, Manukau. For
more information visit www.nztinyhouseconference.