Our Fathers' Tropic House: the Role of Man-made Materials in Early North Queensland Housing

Abstract

In the initial stages of North Queensland settlement, dwellings were predominantly hand-made and of local materials, including a large number of temporary and makeshift shelters. 1 Increased length of residence soon led to a desire amongst many settlers for dwellings that were larger, more weatherproof and more permanent. New materials were introduced which led to improved housing quality. Some of these new materials, particularly milled timber and galvanised iron, determined for better or worse the character of northern domestic architecture for more than fifty years.