Spring St
Not every job has a grand scope. Small jobs can neatly showcase attention to detail and commitment to quality outcomes. So it was with the restoration of the flagpole at 61 Spring St.
Background
61 Spring St was originally constructed in 1877 as a grand private residence. The site sits opposite the Old Treasury building at the junction of Spring and Collins St in Melbourne's CBD. After federation, it served as the Office of the Prime Minister of Australia from 1901 to 1912. The building’s slate roof is topped by a substantial Oregon flagpole.
Challenge
Due to the fragile slate roof, and even more fragile pole itself, access posed the biggest challenge on this task. The passage of time, combined with access limitations for maintenance, had contributed to significant deterioration in the flagpole’s condition. The flagpole sheave had seized, and the halyard had jammed. The finial was missing from the top of the pole and the exposure to the elements had led to substantial rot in the upper section of timber. The resultant delicate nature of the structure meant it was unable to directly support the weight of a repair technician.
Process
To overcome the access challenge, Spire’s technicians abseiled off the two adjacent high-rise buildings in tandem. This allowed the team to bypass the fragile slate roof and avoid using the flagpole for any work positioning. The rotted section was trimmed down, remaining timber sanded and treated with wood hardener then repainted. The wrought iron stays stabilising the lower third had their corrosion removed and were painted in two-part epoxy finishes. The halyard sheave was freed and lubricated, and a new double-braid halyard spliced into place. Finally, a new finial was fabricated from stainless steel sheet, painted in the same two-part epoxy products and mounted on the top of the pole. Stainless steel cleats and a new flag completed the job. All elements of the work, from rope splicing to sheet metal fabrication were handled in house at Spire.
