New book celebrating Australia’s regional towns hits close to home

Nov 12, 2024

Brendon Kelson, Yass Jewellers (building late 19th century), Comur St, 1996, courtesy National Library of Australia. Photo by Contributed

The architectural styles and streetscapes of Australia’s regional towns are undeniably one for the books.

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Now, the National Library of Australia has made it so.

The book, Our Streets, features over 100 black-and-white photographs from the National Library’s Regional Cities and Major Towns Project.

From the solid foundation of Forester’s Hall in Shepparton to the chugging paddle steamers departing from Echuca’s wharf and the historical brick-and-mortar buildings across the country, each photograph is a standstill moment of the local climate, history, landscape and people.

Renowned comedian and architecture enthusiast Tim Ross contributed a foreword that set an engaging tone, trickling into the architectural language of Australia’s towns.

Whether it’s the modernist RSL club, the art deco cinema, the stilted Queenslander, or the elaborate Edwardian, this book is a page-turner of stories within the structures.

Scheduled for release in November 2024, Our Streets promises to be a charming addition to any Australian’s bookshelf.