Australian Heritage

Frameworks

Essays that examine the ideas, assumptions, and patterns that shape Australian history — providing context and interpretive frameworks for the stories Australian Heritage tells.

How We Learned to Demolish Our Cities

In the post-war drive to modernise, Australian cities dismantled the civic fabric that once anchored daily life. Markets, streetscapes, and public buildings were neglected, reclassified as obsolete, and cleared away. This essay explores how demolition became normalised nationwide.

By Matt Stirling

/ 26 Jan 2026