It's not just a dream; the tiny house movement is a reality more Australians are adopting as an alternative to decades of mortgage repayments.

Having first attracted wide-scale media attention when used to accommodate victims of Hurricane Katrina after it devastated New Orleans in 2005, tiny houses have attracted little interest in Australia where homes are among the largest in the world.

But with more exposure in the face of ever-increasing home prices, the tide is beginning to turn.

The causes of the movement are threefold: freedom from debt, minimal environmental impact, and the opportunity to live simply.

Jay Shafer, the US designer credited with founding the movement, defines tiny houses as being under 9.3 square metres.

The average cost is reportedly $US23,000 (about $28,000); a drop in the ocean compared torecently released figures of Melbourne's median home price hitting just over $615,000.

But the movement is not without its drawbacks. Tiny living requires less space and fewer possessions; the absence of which will test the average Australian.

At just 2 metres x 3.6 metres, Beck Benson's self-named "Tiny Abode" is pushing the boundaries of western living, even by the movement's standards.

"The big thing we've left out of the house that you would most likely find in a typical Aussie home is a television. I don't like the idea of every piece of furniture focused towards a lifeless screen," Ms Benson says.

"We also don't have an airconditioner, a dishwasher, a washing machine or a microwave. "

The environmentally friendly design of tiny houses was appealing to Ms Benson and co-builder Reece Brennan, who decided to build the house entirely from Australian materials using a 100 per cent recyclable steel frame.

"The Tiny Abode in footprint is far smaller than a traditional home and is sustainable in the sense that we have only used as much room as we need and as little building materials as possible. The sustainability of a composting toilet also helps," Ms Benson says.

While some owners of tiny houses have expressed frustration over strict council regulations restricting the movement, these can generally be sidestepped by adding wheels to the structure.

"We have had zero issues so far with regulations, laws or zoning and do not expect there to be any in the future. That whole area of concern turned out to be really pain-free and mostly easy to overcome," Ms Benson says.

The Tiny Abode will remain in Sydney until mid-2015 when building concludes. Once completed, Ms Benson will move into the home permanently.

"It is small but has all the necessities to be comfortable. I envision to plant it somewhere on a farm in rural NSW but we'll see where we end up," Ms Benson says.

"I began building this journey as a 22-year-old woman with no building experience, no design experience and no understanding of tools. I had useful, skilful friends around me and found a plethora of information online. If I can do it then anyone can," Ms Benson says.

For James Galletly, also known as The Upcyclist, being able to live mortgage-free sparked his interest in the movement.

"People can easily build a small home without going into debt. With no mortgage and no rent, financial self-sustainability can be a reality a whole lot earlier in life," Mr Galletly says.

"I would also hope with less financial pressure people will use their money based on what they believe in, not just on what is cheapest."

Galletly built his first tiny house nicknamed "The Tiny" to test out the concept and help introduce the movement to Sydney buyers.

It is made from 95 per cent recycled materials with a timber frame hut clad in corrugated Zincalume and weatherboards, the majority of which were sourced from The Bower Reuse & Repair Centre.

It has been designed to sell as a stand-alone 2 metre x 2.5 metre spare bedroom or study.

"Building a tiny house from recycled materials seemed like the perfect way to comment about current consumer culture while offering some alternate ideas," Mr Galletly says.

"The amount of energy required to heat or cool the house and products used to clean and maintain the house are all minuscule, as are the raw materials required to build in the first place."

At the time of writing, The Tiny was listed on eBay with a starting price of $4000.

While tiny houses are more viable for singles and couples, Mr Galletly believes the model can extend to suit families.

"If you look to the tiny house movement in North America, there are numerous examples of families with children downsizing and going tiny," Mr Galletly says.

"It's not about cramming your old life into a small space, it's about redesigning your life based around new ideals."

Mr Galletly is currently building his own tiny house, after which he will continue building more models for sale complete with a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping loft.

"Underneath all the tiny house hype is a straightforward call for people to just consume less. When you realise this, tiny houses become part of the larger conversation about how humans relate to the rest of the planet," Mr Galletly says.

The tiny house movement has also inspired Melbourne filmmaker Jeremy Beasley's latest project, a feature-length documentary titled Small is Beautiful.

The film documents several people who have chosen to live tiny while posing the question, "Are people who live in tiny houses happier?"

"One of the subjects has chosen to live tiny because it frees her from the financial burden of having to pay a mortgage. In her case this low-cost lifestyle allows her to pursue her very interesting dream of running a medical clinic based on the principle of 'the gift economy', whereby monetary payment for services is not required," Beasley says.

"In this way, tiny living opens up a world of possibilities for people to radically rethink the way we live, the way we consume, the way we work, and ultimately how our economy should be shaped."

After securing about 10 per cent of the film's finances via a successful Pozible campaign, Beasley has been to sustain the project and crew of more than 20 members.

"In hindsight, I could have made two tiny houses for the cost of the film, but this way I'm able to share tiny houses with thousands of people."

Small is Beautiful will be released in early 2015 through the film's website, iTunes and through selected screenings around Australia.

smh.com.au