Stainless Steel Down Under by Alan Harrison

Following retirement from the stainless steel industry in December 2014, my wife and I undertook the holiday of a lifetime in Australia. This took the form of a journey from Melbourne to as far north as Bundaberg and finishing in Brisbane. However, I knew that I would not be able to completely forget about stainless steel. This article is a summary of what we came across during the trip.

Part of the Furniture

Not surprisingly, street furniture is widely made of stainless steel in the major Australian cities. A notable example is the modern tram stops in Melbourne. Unlike the other major cities of Australia, Melbourne chose to retain its tram system. This gives it a certain charm as some of the older tram cars are retained alongside the most modern tram cars made locally by Bombardier. Stainless steel is used extensively at each stop.

Silver Lining?

In 2011, much of the Queensland coast around Brisbane was devastated by severe flooding. Much of the Brisbane riverside infrastructure was severely damaged. The authorities have acted quickly to repair and indeed expand the riverside walkways along the meandering loops of the Brisbane River. Many hundreds of metres of stainless steel handrails have been installed on these walkways.

How to Make Handrails More Interesting

The use of stainless steel for handrails and balustrades is clearly very important. However, sometimes it has to be admitted that this is not the most inspiring application. Not so in the case of those that can be found in the picturesque town of Childers in Queensland.

Bells but No Whistles

One of the most intriguing applications of stainless steel is the Federation Bells in Melbourne. 39 cast bronze bells varying from 500 grams to 1.2 tonnes are situated on top of stainless steel pillars in Melbourne’s Birrarung Park near Federation Square. The bells can be programmed to play any tune. Anyone can submit a tune to be played on the bells via the website. We were privileged to meet the man behind the project, Harry Williamson, who happened to be on site when we visited. As there was some “tea staining” on some of the stainless steel supporting poles, I was able to direct him to ASSDA for advice on how to clean it up.

Memorials

Stainless steel is a natural material to provide lasting memorials due to its durability and strength. In the UK, this evidenced by such projects as the Hyde Park 7/7 Memorial and the National Memorial Arboretum. The 100

th Anniversary of ANZAC Day was especially poignant during our

trip. The 25th April is very special to the Australians, comparable to Remembrance Day in the UK.

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is approached by Anzac Parade which is lined by numerous sculptures in memory of various conflicts and parts of the Armed Forces. Typical of these are those dedicated to the RAAF and those who died in the Korean War.

Sculptures

Ever since the invention of stainless steel, artists have used the material to express their ideas. Highly polished stainless steel provides a medium which is not only beautiful in itself but also reflects its surroundings to further enhance the viewer’s experience. A good example can be found at the National Art Gallery Sculpture Garden at Canberra. With the refreshingly simple title of Cones, this sculpture is exactly as described!

The slightly more cryptic title of Morning Star is attached to another striking sculpture in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

On the cliff top above the Brisbane River at Kangaroo Point, stands the sculpture Venus Rising: Out of the Water and Into the Light by Wolfgang Buttress. The sculpture was chosen by the local population for this most visible of sites. The interaction of the different “layers” of materials and the ability to see inside the sculpture provides a variety of views of this work.

After visiting the sculpture, we relaxed at the nearby Cliffs Coffee bar, appropriately largely made out of stainless steel.

The Same Old Story

It is always disappointing to find poor examples of stainless steel. No doubt our counterparts in ASSDA are equally frustrated as the BSSA at the lack of understanding of the basics in grade and surface finish selection. Perhaps the worst example was at Williamstown near Melbourne. Clearly, a lot of money had been invested in a new beachside walkway with stainless steel handrails. Unfortunately, something had gone very wrong with the choice of material.

Give Me Strength

The combination of strength and durability is leading to increased use of stainless steel in bridges. This can either be for the main part of the bridge or for critical components. An example of the latter can be found on the Kurilpa Bridge at Brisbane. It is both beautiful and functional. It won an award in the Transport Category at the 2011 World Architecture Festival.

Something Old but Good as New

I was reminded of the recent centenary of the invention of stainless steel in 1913 when visiting an historical museum in Yarraman, Queensland. There on the table of a reconstructed kitchen of about 1930 was a stainless steel knife. Unsurprisingly, the logo on the blade was that of a Sheffield cutler – C.Johnson and Co. No doubt, this would be a very similar composition to the Harry Brearley 13% Cr grade. It was, of course, as good as new.

Wine to Gladden the Heart

One of the excursions we made to the Grampian Mountains in Victoria included a wine-tasting at the Seppelt Winery. It was good to see that the wine tanks were made from stainless steel. Both red and white wines were on offer. I’m no connoisseur but I suggest you give them a try if they appear in your local supermarket.

Seat of Power

The choice of Canberra for the Federal capital was controversial. It is largely an artificial city but nevertheless has some very interesting buildings. The new Parliament building is one of these. Its construction is crowned with a stainless steel flagpole weighing in at 220 tonnes.

Last but Not Least

My last example arises from that most obvious difference between Australia and “The Old Country”. At times, one could almost be deceived into thinking that we were back in Britain such was the similarity between the two countries, except for one thing - the climate. The outdoor life is ingrained in the Aussie psyche and this is best exemplified by the “barbie”. In the UK, a barbecue is something you have on the back garden patio. In Australia, barbecues are found in every public space you can think of. You just turn up with a load of steaks and chicken pieces, switch on the electric barbecue and away you go. These days, the vast majority of BBQs are made of stainless steel. The hygienic properties and ease of cleaning make stainless steel the ideal choice.