Abstract: We begin with a provocation. Australia has some of the best housing research in the world and yet we are trailing behind many countries that have more proactive and coordinated approaches to the provision of affordable housing. The affordable housing industry in Australia is both underfunded and risk averse yet pockets of innovation in planning, design and construction are occurring in many states. In this paper we suggest that housing expositions (housing expos) are a useful strategy for building partnerships across developer, design, real estate and consumer sectors. Housing expos have developed and promoted innovation in the design and delivery of housing in Germany, Scandinavia, Japan and Scotland. We argue that housing expos have the potential to demonstrate alternative living environments as viable options to the current housing choices which are largely limited to new apartments for singles and couples and detached suburban housing designed for families. Housing expos can also demonstrate new construction strategies such as prefabrication. Key themes which could be usefully explored within Australian housing expos include higher density living for families, place-making for health and community, life-cycle costing and sustainability, green urbanism, prefabrication and design for an ageing population.