Book excerpt: The story of Australian architecture might be said to parallel the endeavours of Australians to adapt & reconcile themselves with their home & neighbours. It is the story of 200 years of coming to terms with the land: of adaptation, insight & making do. Early settlers were poorly provisioned, profoundly ignorant of the land & richly prejudiced towards its peoples. They pursued many paths over many terrains. From the moist temperate region of Tasmania with heavy Palladian villas to the monsoonal north with open, lightweight stilt houses, the continent has induced most different regional building styles.