Last Updated on May 6, 2021 by Red Nomad OZ
My liking for neatness, order and logic most likely explains my affinity for corrugated iron. Although the unkind might attribute it to control freak tendencies!
Whatever it is, corrugated iron’s neat rows and precise undulations, and patterns of light and shade hold an artistic appeal. This appeal actually increases as the decay inevitable in Australia’s harsh climate starts breaking the iron down.
The tiny and nearly deserted Eurelia railway station siding is in South Australia’s mid-north just south of Carrieton. It’s symptomatic of the decline and fall of the rural railway network that once linked remote outposts and delivered supplies across the country.
The decay of the unused station structures now rusting, falling apart and succumbing to dry rot echoes the decay of a rail system once the life-blood of rural Australia.
But the other side of decay is its unexpected beauty.
The fading paintwork on the corrugated iron of the Eurelia goods shed ruin, overlaid with the graffiti inevitable to a large, deserted and empty building is a stunning patchwork of colour, light and shade. And the crumbling cut-off 44 gallon drum is a prop I couldn’t have bettered in a million years …
Eurelia’s inadvertent art installation owes much to the fine properties of corrugated iron in decay. And while it’s unlikely the rail network will be resurrected in my lifetime – if ever – the clean-lined rusting beauty of its decay overlaid with fading colours and random signatures will just get better as the years roll on.
But maybe that’s just my inner control-freak talking!
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@FruitCake – Haha, love the story about putting the roofing iron over the tiles … maybe I should try that over the camper trailer canvas?? Sometimes the drumming of the rain only a few inches from my face is a bit much!!! And … plastic tanks are also unlikely to survive a bushfire!!!
Great colours, as everyone agrees. As for the sound of rain on a corro roof – there’s nothing more soothing. Knew a chap who lived in a house with a tiled roof… but put a piece of roofing iron outside his window so he would hear the rain at night.
And PS… tapping a plastic water tank is nowhere near as informative as tapping an iron one [or just feeling the change in temperature near the water line] to guess how soon one will taste kerosene in a cup of tea…
@Visual Communication – Thanx!! I saw it in the viewer and thought ‘YES’!!!
love love the first corrugated iron pic
@Merisi – Thank you! I couldn’t help but think it was art – I was just there to capture, not create!
@Deb – Yes, there’s definitely ‘music’ that will evolve as the ‘installation’ breaks down!
@Spiderdama – Thank you!
@Sallie – I’ll be interested to watch its further decline … the changes to shapes and colours will be fascinating to capture!
@JM – Thank you!
@whiteangel – I’m glad you’re enjoying it & look forward to seeing more of you!
@SFlaGuy – Haha, the 1000 words refers to the picture(s) – anything added by me is superfluous … as for a video – I’m not sure the world is ready for my acting ‘talents’!!!!
@Iris – Rain on corrugated iron is the best sound in the world!!! And a whiff of eucalyptus makes any moment better!!
@Linda – Thank you!
@Manzanita – We’re clearly ALL inspired by rust in some way … but in my case, it’s probably the RED that sucks me in!
@Jana – I like finding abstracts in the non-abstract – and you’re right about our uniqueness! Thanx for your visit!
@Peter – Thank you!
@Lynette – I’ve tried really hard to post a pic without words, but I just can’t!
@Randy – Rust is good. Rust is RED!
@ODP – Decay is often underrated!! I can’t imagine many of my photos without it!
@paul – One does one’s poor best …
@Julie – I DO struggle with brevity, don’t I?!?!
@Carraol – I couldn’t believe the magic in the viewer on my camera so I pressed the button QUICK!
@Zosia – Thank you! And I hope you enjoy the Aussie Adventures ride!!
@Ramakant Pradhan – I see a stint as my banner shot in this photo’s future …
@Karl Demetz – Thank you!
@Birdman – Thank god for that!
@magiceye – Thank you!
@Gerald – Perhaps so. I guess this is what iron does when it relaxes …
@VP – Thank you!! It’s sometimes amazing how it all comes together in a photo!
@Sharon – Repeating patterns make the world go round!!!
@Kate – Actually, I don’t think you can get too much more substantial than well-constructed with high quality corrugated iron!! It takes FOREVER to break down …
@cieldequimper – Thank you!! Tell all your friends!!
@Suzanne – I never thought of that, but you’re right!! Maybe I should patent a pattern!
@BFG – And so much the better that most are RED!
@Kris – I think it needs some ageing first …
@Judy – VEEERRRY Slowly!!
@slim – Haha, I actually picked it because it was EASY …
@Stuart – Haha, that does it! I’m definitely patenting the design!!
@Rose – HAha, I NEARLY used a shearing shed for this post, but couldn’t resist the RED!
@LONDONLULU – You’ve uncovered my cunning plan! The whole post was just a surreptitious way to sneak in more RED!
@Dianne – It must be one of the few building materials that actually improves with age!
@Pauline – Thank you so much! It didn’t come easily, so I’m glad it was appreciated!
@TFG – Sadly down here the railway decline has meant certain death for many small towns and outposts. Not to mention the wastage of buildings and infrastructure! But what would I know?? I’m just a voter …
@River – Haha, I hope that’s a good thing??!!
@wilf – It is indeed, my friend!
@Tamera – It’s a weird feeling to receive greetings from somewhere higher than anywhere in OZ!!
@Glen – Guaranteed completely photo-shop free!
@Rob – Yes! And it’s SO cool that most of them are shades of RED!
@Andrew – I couldn’t suppress my melancholia at Eurelia – so sad to see the decline and fall of the rural rail network. Sadly, no one wants to see my decay either, so I stick to inanimate objects!
@TMWH – This is such heavy quality iron it’ll be a long time turning to dust … just as well for aspiring photographers, huh?!
@Indrani – I’m a texture girl too!
@Arija – It’s one of the best building materials around! I particularly like the small size as seen on many outback homes, particularly Broken Hill!
@Mary – Hahaha! It symbolises both social and geographic isolation!
@PDP – There’s a lot of such ‘art’ around OZ – can’t go wrong with texture & colour like this, huh?!
@Filip – Correct! The original colours of this iron are long gone … leaving the beauty I hope I have shown!
@Chris – Would be VERY interesting to compare notes on our deserts … there are others as well as those you describe, and it’s fascinating to know that Aussie Aboriginals lived in them for many thousands of years in a way that us big softies couldn’t!
Neat pictures! The first one is especially beautiful.
It sure is beautiful! I so wish it´ll rain at night when we´re in Perth – hopefully we get a cabin with that material as a roof again and … aww, I so love the sound of rain on it. Not the forget the smell of the eucalyptus-trees!
Lovely photos and I have been browsing you blog enjoying it.
Um… That’s like 300 words. (yes I counted them). Luckily these photos are speaking to me and with a funny accent no less. Speaking of which – When are you going to toss in a tiny video of yourself. I think your fans are ready for it.
Love the top shot. Fabulous colours!
I like it too. And the rust is red after all, did you say that already?
And the barn, ..well, not exactly living art, but it is changing all the time!
Enjoyed all these shots, I can imagine the wind makes this ‘art installation’ sound good as well as look good!
“Eurelia’s inadvertent art installation” – it truly is, those pictures are breathtakingly beautiful!
Rust never sleeps.
I love the first pic too. Great post for this theme!
Love the first pic. Will make a wonderful texture for backgrounds.
This iron makes very beautiful colors! Great shots!
I love the first photo. It’s like a modern art installation. Great colours.
Thank you for stopping by at Polonica: Home Again. I am looking forward to seeing more of your Australian adventures – I’ve joined your site.
Great post, the first image have an extraordinary array of colors and textures!
Yes, the one thousand word concept allows the inner you to let fly, Red. I agree that the opening shot is just superb!
Thanks for such a great contribution to our Theme Day.
An artful introductory shot, superb writing from psychoanalysis to geography and history, and excellent illustrations – great contribution to the theme!
Very nice paen to corrugated iron and decay. Perfect for Theme Day.
Great shots. I like the rust.
You’ve made a great Theme Day post. I’m glad you picked these for today. Thanks for the informative text.
Symply ART. That is.
The first picture looks like cool+abstract art…its indeed difficult to explain why we sometimes like what we like, but this is what makes us unique right? happy rest of the weekend:-)
I agree with Suzanne…my wife is a quilter and I also instantly thought this would make a fantastic quilt design.
What a great subject to photograph. Well done!
It decays slowly, but decay it does. Nice post for this theme.
the first photo really shows how corrugated iron could be quite pretty at times 🙂
I really love the first shot too, it reminds me of a patchwork quilt. Lovely!
Your first shot is glorious!
I have seen so many of these corrugated sheets in poor townships in South Africa, and am happy that strong material such as this can be put to a useful purpose. Better to have more substantial housing, but that’s the way it is in some areas. Very colorful photo.
You’ve chosen a perfect subject for today’s theme. I fully understand your fascination with corrugated metals. I too have special affection for anything with repeating patterns in it.
You really got the best from those half-rusted pieces of corrugated iron!
rust has a certain aesthetic appeal – maybe it is the inherent reminders of a time less stressed.
Your photos of rust are very interesting. Haven’t you been on this rust kick for a while? I remember another rust and i mentioned Neil Young. He had an album out called Rust. Reminds me of the b/w pictures of the depressions years that are bleak yet really draws one in.
Great choice for theme day! I particularly like your first shot. Nice use of pattern and color. Cheers from Colorado!
The changing of the state is the beauty….
Who would have thought old corrugated iron came in such a range of colours.
Sad to see the decline of rail service. It’s happening here in the U.S. as well. Glad you found some great images in the old corrugated iron, wonderful multicolored patterns.
Brilliant perspectives!!
Excellent, didn´t realize rust could have so many colors
Strange how something so ugly, from one angle, can be so striking when seen from another
I don’t think I’ll quite see corrugated iron again in the same way – wonderful shots of decay! All that rust makes for marvelous combinations and possibilities (and yes, as Gracie at PerthDailyPhoto says, also lots of red!:)
I’ve seen many such sheds in my moves from one state to another, some of them shearing sheds, some railway sheds, many old backyard sheds that used to be outdoor laundries and detached garages. All beautiful in their own way, but i could never have described them as you have.
In Tucson, people use this style to “art up” their restaurants, homes etc. It’s such a beautiful look….I think. But the sun being as strong as it is here can be a powerful artist on copper, iron, etc. You really do hit some rural areas.
I want to see Australia so badly……it’s huge! Living in the desert makes me want to really see the desert near and around Perth and Central portions of Australia. I know a lot of it is remote, but the stories of the Aborigines, etc etc have always held my fascination. We both live in some incredible places:)
To me it’s easy to see the beauty of corrugated iron, in all its stages but not easy to described that beauty. You did so brilliantly, plus backed it up with images. Love it!
I do see the beauty in these disappearing stuffs. Well captured. I like the textures.
Corrugated iron with its rust and colour variations … the older and more scraggier the better …. a delight to my eyes Red.
G’day Red – Superb narrative accompanying these stunning shots – who couldn’t love the colours and stories of these decaying Aussie structures.
Some stunning old shearing sheds out there too!
Great post!
Amazing how nature can colour objects. You could not do it yourself.
Greetings,
Filip
I’m with you on this one Red, rust makes for very interesting images…and it’s red! It’s nice to think of this ‘rural art in progress’ sitting there in the outback!
Wasn’t it from corrugated iron shacks that people always reported UFO sitings?
Unexpected beauty, clamoring for its place. Art.~Mary
I’m no control freak but I just love our use of corrugated iron. There’s just nothing like it. I love the re-use of it with different coats of paint and decay, I love our dunnies made of it, I even had a large shed built and specified corrugated iron rather than those flat sheets. Good post.
All things return to dust, but what beauty while it lasts. Inspiring pictures, Red!
Doubt anyone sees beauty in my decay. I dislike modern corrugated iron with its skinny lines and ridges. The goods shed is proper corrugated iron, of the type that will rust through eventually. I noted the water pipe for refilling the train tanks. A slightly sad post, but nice.