Cultural Insights to Australia 16: Remnants of the Past (iv)

Insight 16: Remnants of the Past (iv)

Australia was colonised as a new country – and that meant things came and went, lived and died, flourished and declined. This has left many old constructions, some listed as historic ruins; others just crumbling shapes on the landscape.

13. Old Chimney stackDerelict Farmhouse

Here is another couple of remnants, the first showing an old chimney stack. A wooden house was once there, but it has long disappeared. Like dinosaur bones, all we have is the hard part: the brick work from the fireplace. Sights like this raise questions. What sort of house was it? What did it look like? Who lived there? What was their life like? What happened to them?

The second photo is an old farmhouse. You can see the chimney behind it. Maybe, in 50 years time, it will look like the previous picture. Looking at this photo, the same questions arise.

When I see these places, I always want to explore inside them, wondering if some lost treasure or antique from the past will be found.