MORNINGTON Peninsula’s first tiny house on wheels for crisis accommodation was handed over to the Salvation Army last Friday (12 June) after an incredible community effort.
The unique project, the first of its kind on the peninsula, is being hailed as a significant step towards providing immediate, dignified shelter for individuals or a small family in urgent need.
The fully mobile home was built by former shire mayor Simon Brooks, along with a few other tradespeople, who have volunteered countless hours of their time to bring the vision to life. Supported by the Dromana Association and Rotary Club of Dromana, the project has been entirely community-funded, with $75,000 raised through fundraisers and donations.
The tiny house will run as a pilot to trial and test various aspects of providing short-term emergency accommodation. It will ultimately be aimed at offering short-term accommodation, including for women and children fleeing family violence, people at risk of experiencing homelessness, or to help people get back on their feet.
The tiny house features a small kitchen including a sink, oven, cooktop, and bench space, a bathroom, and a bedroom area that includes a queen-size bed, pull-out storage, and a single bed for a child that also pulls out from under the main bed.
The prototype unit has been designed to operate as either a tiny house on wheels or as a small class 1a dwelling (ground-mounted). Brooks, the president of the Dromana Association and a builder of 35 years, has spent countless hours building the tiny house, which he hopes will garner continued support for similar projects in the future.
At the handover event, Brooks told attendees, “The Catalyst Tiny House pilot project has has been technically and organisationally challenging but I’m hopeful the end result will be worth it”.
“This project could not have happened without the many people stepping up and providing assistance; from monetary donations, services and materials, fixtures and items.
“This is a community-led and delivered project; and this factor is very important to me; demonstrating the value these projects can bring as we see governments and agencies struggle to deliver ‘more with less’ through unwieldy processes that frankly are not often fit for purpose.”
The peninsula is facing a crisis in emergency accommodation, with data from Melbourne Zero showing that as of last month, there were 168 actively homeless on the peninsula, with 132 sleeping rough. That figure is up from 114 actively homeless in December.
Brooks said Rotary and the Dromana Association were proud to support solutions that brought an immediate impact. Maw Civil, a civil construction and earth-moving company in Dromana, kindly offered their workshop for the construction process, while local businesses and community groups have provided financial support, mates rates, donated goods, and plenty of encouragement.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 June 2026
