From the inner city we move to consider how Australians have adapted to a climate with which most were initially unfamiliar. Archive journals reveal how unprepared the pioneers were for the tropics. So, from a suburban Brisbane residence to a Bundaberg sugar plantation and from a Rockhampton railway house to a literally itinerant dwelling in Longreach, this episode explores the gradual adaptation to life in the tropics and the evolution of one of Australia's most iconic houses. We survey the conflicting reasons given for raising the house above the ground - was it air circulation, flood mitigation or simply expediency? We cover the depredations of the white ant and the various solutions that were thrown at that ongoing problem. Finally we move to the Top End, to examine the introduction of an Asian influence on Australian housing, one that has survived the bombings of the Second World War, the devastation of Cyclone Tracey and the assaults of property developers. The series will explore how Australia has shaped the Australian house - and in turn, how the Australian house has shaped the lives and cultures of Australians. Throughout the series, John Doyle will chart the journey of the Australian house so far, through observations and conversations with a range of experts, enthusiasts and home owners around the country.