“The Queenslander” - Overview of what a Queenslander House is

What is a Queenslander House?

The “Queenslander” house is a picture of a large sprawling timber structure on stumps with an extensive, deep, shaded verandah accessed via French doors. The roof is iron and the pitch is steep.

Front yard and street view

Back yard

Queenslander-style homes are not limited to Queensland alone and are very popular in Northern NSW and along the border areas of Queensland’s state boundaries. They were developed in response to the sub-tropical climate of Queensland, with heavy rainfall, and as such have a unique charm that many find appealing. A large number of Queenslander homes are actually characterized as character houses because of their significance in architectural history. (This may mean that renovations will have to keep the original style intact, so if you intend to completely renovate a Queenslander home make sure that you are aware of the regulations).

Queenslander House Maintenance

Part of the maintenance and renovation of these classic designs include the use of quad gutters supported on classic spike gutter brackets with Colorbond classic colours integrating the roof and gutter systems.

Add a bougainvillea, a Mango tree, and or a Frangipani to adorn the front garden of the house for a classic look

Traditionally the long hot summer days often ended with a torrential downpour. A house with wide verandahs that provided shelter from these conditions was essential. The importance of the verandahs, with quad gutters and spike brackets, as an architectural element in a tropical Australian house cannot be underestimated because it is one area that lent itself to an informal semi-outdoor lifestyle suited to the climate. The verandah became an integral part of every house and their use was an essential part of the Australian way of life. The cool space framed with white posts, decorative balustrades, and brackets became a symbol of the tropical house as an essential link between the indoors and the outdoors.

The Unique Character and Heritage of a Queenslander House

There is an open friendliness about these houses which, like their owners, is a characteristic of the warmer regions of Australia. They reflect a lifestyle that is a unique expression of the way people have adapted themselves to an environment vastly different from their historic European experience. These qualities have also given these houses a peculiarly Australian form of vernacular character not found elsewhere in the world. The “Queenslander” is an important part of Australia’s cultural heritage that is now valued. maintained or renovated in a classic style to building requirements suitable for the 2020s.