Thursday 16 July 2026
Outdoor kitchens are booming — and the price tags are eye-watering
Home & Garden

Outdoor kitchens are booming — and the price tags are eye-watering

Australia's growing love affair with year-round entertaining shows no sign of cooling.

By Fern Ashcroft · Published 10 July 2026 · 4 min read

Not long ago, an "outdoor kitchen" meant a barbecue and a bag of ice. Today, it means induction cooktops, integrated fridges, custom stonework and, increasingly, plumbed espresso.

The average high-end build is now clearing $180,000 — a figure that would have felt absurd five years ago.

Builders say demand has doubled in 18 months. Waiting lists are running past a year.

The full report reveals internal communications, previously undisclosed timelines, and verified source material that reshapes the entire narrative around this story. Subscribers get the complete investigation, including on-the-record interviews.

Behind closed doors, decisions were being made that neither the public nor most of the staff had any awareness of at the time — a pattern that our reporting suggests goes far deeper than anyone has admitted publicly.

Premium Story

Did you enjoy this article?

Subscribe to Peace Hollow for unlimited access to exclusive content. Subscribe from only $5 per month.