The Porter Store
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An early example (c. 1850s) of corrugated iron in vernacular Australian architecture — in this case, it’s also a prefabricated portable building. What could be more nostalgic than a portable building still in use well in excess of its lifespan? It’s just like our school days!
Corrugated iron, like cast iron lace, served as ballast in ships making the UK-Australia trip. When they returned, they carried Melbourne bluestone — the paving for such iconic locations as London’s Trafalgar Square. Thus, the technical requirements of shipping shaped the characteristic architectural forms of both the Imperial centre and the colonial periphery.
