The Victorian period of architecture, was of course, defined by the accession to the British throne of Queen Victoria in1839. And despite the depression of 1842, during which time much building was halted and abandoned, there soon emerged a greater sense of optimism, especially with the discovery of gold in Australia. Cities grew, towns emerged, new trails were blazed and soon building was thriving once again and Australia went from being a penal colony to a booming economy in its own right, and one which was also bringing in great wealth to Britain.

Australian agriculture and industry was also prospering, adding even more wealth to both Australia and Britain. Now, in Australia, there were many new wealthy clients needing houses, factories and public buildings. These clients wanted these building to reflect their wealth, their standing within the community and their status.

The Victorian Georgian style of architecture was a continuation of the Old Colonial Georgian which had been used in Australia for some time. In some places its style was quite entrenched in buildings for all budgets, and its measured symmetrical proportions were typically maintained.

This time around however, many of the supplies needed for construction were of better quality and more readily available. From the very basics such as bricks – a better quality resulted in a better look and with emphasis on more accurate and regular coursing, a much higher standard of building was soon apparent. The traditional wooden shingles on roofing gave way to the slate shingle and even more popular was the introduction and widespread use of the corrugated iron sheeting. This type of roofing was applied to all styles of building – from the most modest of homes to the most substantial of public buildings.

The corrugated iron bull-nosed verandah roofs which became so common during this time, were often painted in stripes of alternating colours – this was in tribute to the British en vogue style of canvas awnings.

With the introduction of new building techniques and new manufacturing methods, glazing also took a turn for the better and new production methods enabled glass to be produced in larger sheets at more economical rates. This meant that windows did not have to be small and pokey anymore, but could be more expansive and decorative. Dormer windows also became more common. During this time too, door panelling moved from the more common 6 panels to 4. Columns, instead of the usual timber construction were now being made of cast iron.

This was a very interesting period in architecture and one whose legacy is still visible right across Southern and Eastern Australia.