Sunday 4th January 2026
Creative Housing Talks, Live Music, Food Trucks, Tiny houses & more…
Your host Tim Ross guides you through The Slow Lane – an invitation to pause, rethink, and explore new ways of living.
We are thrilled to be expanding Nightjar into a Festival Series! With community always at the heart of what we do, we love bringing people together to connect and have fun! The Slow Lane is an inaugural one-day event dedicated to exploring how we can live smarter, smaller and more sustainably.
A Day of Conversation and Connection
Across the day, a diverse speaker line up will spark thoughtful conversations and share lived experiences from those reimagining what home, community and connection can be.
Speakers include:
• James Goodlet (Altereco Design) — in conversation with Tim Ross Small Second Dwellings and Retrofitting your Current House
• Rachel Thompson (LJM Tiny Homes), local architect & member of ATHA Wayne Reid, join Tim Ross for a conversation exploring the personal stories behind tiny-house living — from navigating design choices to the realities of building and residing in compact spaces. Wayne, an architect and board member of the Australian Tiny House Association (ATHA), will be joined by his daughter Sophie, who shares her lived experience of growing up in a tiny home. Together, they offer insight into award-winning design, sustainability and the human side of small-space living
• Diana Connell (Global Sisters) — Ambassador for Women’s Economic & Housing Security, speaking about housing inclusion and the Little Green Houses for Her initiative, empowering women who’ve experienced violence to take steps toward safe and secure housing.
• James McLennan (Farm My School) — exploring food security and the power of transforming school grounds into thriving community farms.
• Jade Miles (Black Barn Farm) — closing the day with insights from her book Huddle: How We Build a Tomorrow of Togetherness, exploring belonging, connection and community in an era of change.
Beyond the Talks
Slow Lane is about more than discussion — it’s a full sensory experience. Guests can enjoy sustainable living stalls, food trucks, and interactive kids’ spaces throughout the day. Late Afternoon, the Big Top transforms into an evening of live music featuring Victorian musician Tom Harrington and Rupert Bullard, visiting from Lutruwita (Tasmania).
Event Overview
Tiny house, second dwelling & van conversion conversations, product stalls (solar etc) Food Trucks, Coffee & Main Stage music.
Venue Info
Torquay Common – Surf Beach Drive, Torquay VIC 3228
Dates and Times
Sun 4 Jan 10:30am–9pm
Tiny Home Giveaway!!! – Grab your ticket to win
We’re teaming up with Beau from Your Tiny Home Co. to give someone the chance to win a stunning, custom-built tiny home!
Every Slow Lane Festival ticket gives you the chance to win 1 of 20 Bronze one-time memberships, each membership giving you one entry into Your Tiny Home Co.’s newest tiny home giveaway!
Want more entries or want to learn how it all works? Head to www.yourtinyhomeco.com
Good luck, see you at Slow Lane!
Winners of the free memberships announced 14 Jan 2026 via email & socials.
Tiny home giveaway winner announced 31 Jan 2026.
WIN A BLUETTI PORTABLE POWER BANK VALUED AT $1499 RRP
Keep your phone alive, your vibes high and your weekend adventures powered. Powers up to 7 devices simultaneously – perfect for fueling your essentials during camping and road trips and most importantly long Summer nights with friends!
Vist our Instagram post here – hit like, follow along and tag your festival mates for your chance to win 2 tickets + a Bluetti! Share to your stories for an extra entry.
This giveaway is conducted by the Slow Lane Festival. Winner will be contacted prior to the 4 Jan and must be in attendance at the Slow Lane Festival to collect the prize.
What’s On
Tim Ross
Our host for the event, Tim Ross, is a celebrated comedian and a passionate advocate for architecture and design promoting its value in multiple forms.
Presenter. Comedian. Architecture & Design Enthusiast
Jade Miles
Creating futuresteading huddles for tomorrow togetherness.
“Every decision we make has an impact – on other human s, creatures and ecosystems. Your decisions can be degenerative, sustainable or regenerative – which will you choose?”
“Every decision we make has an impact
Speaker
Farm My School
Farm My School is a not-for-profit organisation which collaborates with schools to transform their underutilised grounds into regenerative farms that nourish, educate and connect communities.
Speaker
Global Sisters
Global Sisters is a not-for-profit supporting women to start and grow their own businesses. Through free programs, mentoring, and a connected community, we’ve helped over 8,000 women build confidence, develop skills, and take steps towards economic security while growing stronger, women-led micro businesses across Australia.
Speaker
James Goodlet - Altereco
James Goodlet is the Director of Altereco Design and an accredited Passive House designer with nearly three decades of experience. Raised in a family of builders, he brings a practical, collaborative approach to creating resilient, low-energy homes. James is committed to improving Australia’s housing future through high-performance retrofits and new builds that prioritise health, comfort, and environmental responsibility.
Speaker
Rachel Thompson
Rachel Thompson is a creative thinker and intentional-living advocate who co-designed her family’s award-winning tiny home with LJM Tiny Homes. Inspired by sustainable living, she wanted a way for her family to live simply, beautifully, and close to nature.
The home, designed to feel spacious and welcoming, won the Tiny House Industry Australia Awards for Best Design and Best Family Home. Rachel now shares her lived experience of tiny-home living, offering insight into the challenges, freedoms, and joys of living simply, sustainably, and well.
Speaker
Ben Shaw
Discover how growing food together can transform both land and community. Since Covid, We Dig The Dairy — just outside Ocean Grove — has been cultivating regeneratively grown produce for ten local families. Through shared labour, aligned values, and just a handful of seasonal working bees, this community – powered market garden has flourished into a vibrant , soul – nourishing space. Come hear the story of how collaboration makes growing food not only easier, but far more meaningful
Speaker
Speaker
Dr Rachel Goldlust
Dr Rachel Goldlust is a planner, researcher, policy officer, presenter, and educator specialising in natural building, pl anning, and design. A Mastermind educator in the Build Outside the Box course, she helps people realise their natural home dreams. With a Masters in Planning and a PhD in environmental and off grid living options, Rachel advises on sustainable housing, alt ernative living, and community options, sharing her expertise with audiences nationwide and online.
Speaker
Adam Hickman
Evergreen Homes
Adam started his career in construction in 2005 as a young man in the UK, specialising in traditional roofing techniques and heritage restoration and construction.
After moving to Australia in 2011 he deepened his passion for sustainable living which led him on a journey through building projects around Australia and overseas, using natural materials and sustainable and eco-friendly building techniques.
He now specialises in Tiny Home construction, traditional timber framing and natural building. Whether it’s a Tiny House or a Traditional Timber Frame, Adam takes pride in building quality homes that keep in mind both environmental sustainability and beautiful aesthetics.
Speaker
Two Mangos Vans
Two Mango Vans is a Mornington Peninsula – based campervan conversion studio specialising in handcrafted, fully fitted vans d esigned for adventure, comfort, and creativity. With over 14 years of building experience — and 4 years dedicated solely to campervan design — we transform empty shells into functional, artful homes on wheels. Every build is custom, intentional, and made to su pport a freer, slower lifestyle.
Onsite for you to explore
Ellu Tiny Built
ELLU Tiny Bui lt was founded by Eli and Luke, two best mates who are passionate about design, craftsmanship, and sustainable living. Together, they combine their eye for detail and functionality with expertise in building and construction, creating beautifully finished, practical tiny homes that reflect their clients’ vision and values.
Wayfinding Folk
We are Bryson & Nat, two S urf C oast locals behind Wayfinding Folk. We have been travelling full time on the road for the last 2 years. Living in our self – conve rted Toyota Hiace Commuter. Our van build has been consciously created & hand built with a mixture of recycled materials.
Onsite for you to explore
Tiny Homes & Second Dwellings
Small living solutions for the Surf Coast
Tiny home & second dwelling discussions
Australian Tiny House Association
The Australian Tiny House Association (ATHA) is a not-for-profit organisation advocating for the tiny house movement across Australia. ATHA supports sustainable, affordable, and flexible living through education, community engagement, and policy reform, promoting recognition of tiny houses on wheels and skids as a legitimate and innovative housing solution for diverse lifestyles and needs.
We Threshold Mobile Sauna
weThreshold is a mobile sauna and cold‑plunge experience designed to bring people together through heat, cold, and conversation. Our guided contrast therapy sessions create connection, resilience, and presence. Fully self‑contained and festival‑ready, we offer a unique space for recovery, grounding, and shared transformation.
Quay Tiny Homes
Small living solutions for the Surf Coast
Passionate about transforming your dreams into reality, one tiny home at a time.
Live Music under the Big Top
Tom Harrington
Chorus Club
CHORUS CLUB is a pop-up choir where YOU are the choir 🙂 Come along and learn to sing your part in harmony with friends new and old. It’s fun, we promise! You’ll be led by Tess and Ben of New Swell Choir, a weekly choir in Pt Lonsdale and Torquay. This is their occasional side joy project to get even more people singing! Every body and every voice is so very welcome.
Rupert Bullard
Maz Green
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