Built in the 1930s, the Old Bus Depot in Kingston, ACT is a cultural landmark that has withstood the test of time. Now thanks to Australian-made LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB ACCENT® 35 corrugated steel roofing, this heritage listed icon overlooking Lake Burley Griffin has been given a new lease of life.

According to Damian O’Halloran, owner of Hawker Roofing, “This is a popular site in Canberra that houses an art gallery and weekend markets and as it’s also a heritage listed building, there was some public and government concern in ensuring the site renovations stayed true to the historic flavour of the building.”

Originally covered in Super 6 asbestos based roofing technology, the changeover to the new roof required not only a product that would be as long lasting, but also one that exactly matched the style and heritage look of the original material.

By replacing the Old Bus Depot roof with LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB ACCENT® 35 in the Windspray® COLORBOND steel colour, O’Halloran was able to match the Super 6 heritage look without the OH&S implications of asbestos.

“With all the competing government, OH&S and heritage requirements, plus the huge size of the roof, Lysaght’s technical expertise made the roofing install the easiest part of this massive job,” said O’Halloran.

“The new roof, like the old one has a 15° slope and is so close to the original heritage design and look that unless you are standing right on top of the Old Bus Depot roof, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two.”

In terms of size and supply, the job required the Super 6 to be replaced with 1500m2 of LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB ACCENT® 35 corrugated steel roofing which equated to about 220 sheets.

“The 0.48 mm thick sheets varied between 16m and 23m in length and the Lysaght team was able to get them all manufactured and delivered in one go, saving both time and hassle during the rebuild,” said O’Halloran.

With corrugations that are 120% deeper and 50% wider than traditional (16mm) corrugated profiles, LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB ACCENT® 35 steel roofing is stronger than traditional corrugated steel roofing allowing it to span longer distances while at the same time, saving on structural and installation costs.

The LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB ACCENT® steel roofing range has been designed to provide greater resistance to damage and greater water carrying capacity that allows it to be used on roofs with lower pitches like the one on the Old Bus Depot.

“At the end of the day”, said O’Halloran, “Lysaght provided a superior product at the required time and quality allowing us to meet the heritage specifications of a building that once had one of the biggest single roof structures in Australia and is now an important part of the cultural fabric of the ACT.”