Through his published pieces, Dalton reveals his occupation with, what could be redolent of, the idioms of a Queensland architecture as well as the concerns he has regarding the state of Australian architecture at the time. Dalton sensitively documents the particulars of building in Queensland, in doing so, he reflects on the "characteristic qualities" of Queensland architecture in a period of changing semblances, covers the minutiae of building in and responding to the local climate, as well as exploring the sensitivity of the ubiquitous verandah. Beyond Queensland, Dalton engages in a consistent critique of the attitudes and behaviours of the profession, through the reviewing of buildings within Australia and overseas, Dalton exemplifies a disdain for the conservative and eulogises works which possess an intricate understanding of the relationship between building and place. Additionally, he admonishes the scheming bureaucratic processes in which authorities allow for the development of cities (particularly in Brisbane), as well as bluntly lambasting the lack of concern the profession in Australia has for the future, pleading for "foresight" in the midst of "hindsight and insight" and a framework for supposition and experimentation.
