Lysaght Baroque cladding was selected for replacing the existing roof of the Stanthorpe Post Office, a historic building situated in the heart of Stanthorpe in Queensland. Lysaght Baroque was chosen because it was the best match for the original profile of the roof and suited the heritage architecture of the structure.

Stanthorpe is an agriculture-based city located 223km south west of Brisbane in south east Queensland near the NSW border. Stanthorpe Post Office was designed by J.S. Murdoch in 1901, prior to his appointment as the chief architect for the Commonwealth of Australia from 1921 to 1929. Featuring a graceful red brick structure complete with arches and the elaborate architectural details reminiscent of the era including a soaring clock tower, the post office has stood the test of time, serving Stanthorpe’s citizens for well over a century.

The Stanthorpe Post Office went through a refurbishment in 2016, which included a new roof installed by Sunshine Coast-based roofing contractor Ascent Building Solutions. Lysaght Baroque cladding was the perfect choice for the new roof as it combined an elegant heritage style with state-of-the-art performance.

According to Jared Hinkley, Director of Ascent Building Solutions, though the project involved only 350 square metres of roofing, finding the right material that suited the architectural style of the heritage building was a challenge. Since the building was heritage listed, everything had to match; Lysaght Baroque cladding was installed using the traditional heavy coated galvanised Z600 steel, which came very close to the original installation method.

One of five European-inspired profiles available in Lysaght’s Zenith premium range, Lysaght Baroque cladding features wide, flat pans defined by generous semi-circular ribs to deliver a unique visual character that fits both traditional and contemporary architecture. 

Jared explained that the choice of Lysaght Baroque cladding was fairly straightforward for the heritage refurbishment, but the installation was somewhat challenging due to the rainy weather and the steep nature of the roof. Since they had to strip off a fair section of the roof, and the installation methods of the old roof sheeting were different to a modern-day roof, there were a few things that had to be managed. 

However, the roofing contractor had complete support from Lysaght’s Sunshine Coast branch in terms of ensuring the availability of plenty of material and providing detailed installation guides.

Ben Sutton, manager at Lysaght’s Sunshine Coast branch said they were pleased to help Ascent Building Solutions meet the challenges of the roofing project. He said it was particularly rewarding to work on a project where they helped restore an important part of Australia’s architectural heritage.