A replica miner’s hut near my home prompted questions about accuracy, memory, and how early houses are represented today. Looking beyond the image, this reflection considers how provisional huts became houses through occupation and change, and what is lost when that process is flattened into a fixed aesthetic.

The Burra Charter offers guidance for working with Australia’s heritage, but its relevance extends beyond conservation. By understanding place, respecting accumulated values, and adapting carefully, it suggests a way of building that remains attentive to what already exists.