Pindi Pindi Brickworks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pindi Pindi Brickworks |
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Pindi Pindi Brickworks
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| Location | Off the Bruce Highway, Pindi Pindi, Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Official name: Pindi Pindi Brickworks (former), Evans Firebricks Ltd, Pindi Pindi Firebricks Company | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological, built) |
| Designated | 27 October 2000 |
| Reference no. | 601655 |
| Significant period | c. 1933 (fabric) 1933- c. 1939, 1949-1958, 1961-1977 (historical) |
| Significant components | store/s / storeroom / storehouse, machinery/plant/equipment - manufacturing/processing, office/administration building, chimney/chimney stack, kiln, quarry, residential accommodation - housing |
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The Pindi Pindi Brickworks is an old brick factory located near the Bruce Highway in Pindi Pindi, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1933 and is now a heritage-listed site. This means it's an important historical place. It was also known as Evans Firebricks Ltd and Pindi Pindi Firebricks Company. The brickworks helped build many parts of North Queensland.
A Brief History of the Brickworks
The Pindi Pindi Brickworks started in 1933. A man named Edmund Evans set them up.
Why Bricks Were Made Here
Bricks were made here because there was a lot of good clay nearby. Also, there was a coal mine called Fleetwood Colliery close by. This mine supplied the brickworks with the coal they needed to heat their kilns.
Who Started the Brickworks?
Edmund Evans, a skilled bricklayer, started the factory. He had experience making bricks. A local person, W Adams, helped him find the best spot. Construction began in May 1933, and the first bricks were made by the end of that year. The goal was to supply bricks to all of North Queensland.
Early Days and Growth
Local people from Mackay invested money in the brickworks. The company was called Evans Firebricks Ltd. In 1934, 18 local workers were employed. Three workers dug up the clay, and fifteen worked in the factory. They produced 78,000 bricks that year!
The demand for building bricks grew. There was also a need for special bricks called firebricks. These firebricks were very important for the sugar industry in North Queensland. They were used in hot places like sugar mills.
In 1937, the company won a big contract. They supplied firebricks for building brick arches in train engines for Queensland Railways. Pindi Pindi was the only local company that could make these special bricks.
Changes and Challenges
In 1938, Edmund Evans left the company. Newbold Industries bought the brickworks. Bill Gunthorpe became the new manager. He lived on site in a brick house, which was one of the first brick veneer homes in the area. The company changed its name to the Pindi Pindi Firebricks Company. They kept supplying building materials to North Queensland.
During World War II, the brickworks had to close. This was because many workers joined the war effort. Also, construction projects stopped. To keep important machinery safe, it was even buried underground! The company closed completely in 1947.
Reopening and New Owners
In 1949, a local person named Tony Giaiotti reopened the brickworks. Edmund Evans came back to help him as an advisor.
How Bricks Were Made
The bricks at Pindi Pindi were made using a method called "semi-plastic." A small train line ran from the clay pit to the factory. The clay was ground up in a large pan. Then, it was dropped into a brick press. Building bricks and firebricks were made using a "dry press" method. However, the special bricks for train engine fireboxes had to be shaped by hand.
Early bricks from the factory had "EFB" (Evans Fire Bricks) stamped on them. The original brick pan and press came from a company called Fowlers in Sydney. Edmund Evans designed the "pug-mill," which was a machine that mixed the mud. A single-cylinder engine, imported from England, is still on site today. It might even still work!
Later Years and Closure
Pindi Pindi bricks were also sold in other parts of Queensland. Firebricks from here were used at the Mount Isa smelters and in Ipswich. The brickworks often had trouble finding enough workers. During the sugar crushing season, the factory would even close.
In the 1950s, the brickworks changed owners three times. George Fattseas bought it in 1951. Then, Bitkin and Machen bought it in 1955 but closed it in 1958. A Mackay builder, Alan Porter, bought the factory in 1961. He reopened it and owned it until 1977.
The Pindi Pindi works closed for good in 1977. The brick-making operations moved to a new site in Mackay. Most of the machinery was moved, but some important parts stayed behind. These include the kilns, the brick pan and press, and the old single-cylinder engine (a Ruston Hornsby engine).
Bricks from the Pindi Pindi Brickworks were used to build several important buildings in Mackay. These include the Mackay Central State School, the Mackay Court House, and the Mackay Technical College. The brickworks are no longer in use today.
What Remains at the Site
The old Pindi Pindi Brickworks site is next to Blackrock Creek. The Bruce Highway and a railway line are also nearby. Today, you can still see parts of the old factory.
Key Features You Can See
- Kilns and Chimneys: There are still two brick kilns with their tall chimneys. These chimneys are very noticeable. At the bottom of the kilns, you can see arched openings made of bricks.
- Clay Pit: You can still see where they dug out the clay and shale. This area is now next to another property.
- Processing Area: The original area where they processed the clay is still visible. The floor is made of bricks produced right there. You can also see some of the original wooden supports, roof beams, and trusses. The roof is made of corrugated iron, but most of the walls are open. The ground inside is dirt.
- Machinery: The original clay conveyor belt and pan are still under the covered work area.
- Buildings: Two small brick offices remain in one corner of the site. There's also a single-story brick house near the river at the southern end of the property.
Why This Place is Important
The former Pindi Pindi Brickworks was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 27, 2000. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical site.
Showing Queensland's History
The brickworks, started in 1933, are important because they show how industries grew in North Queensland. They met the need for building materials and also supplied special firebricks for the local sugar industry. It was the first brickworks outside Brisbane that could make these special firebricks. They even had a contract to supply them to Queensland Railways.
A Rare Part of History
The brickworks are special because the chimney stacks at Pindi Pindi are some of the last remaining ones in the area. This makes them a rare sight.
Learning About the Past
As an old industrial site, the Pindi Pindi Brickworks can teach us a lot. By studying it, we can learn more about how bricks were made in North Queensland long ago.
Beautiful and Recognizable
The tall chimney stacks at the former Pindi Pindi Brickworks are important because they stand out. They are a landmark in the area.
Connecting to the Community
The bricks made at Pindi Pindi helped build many parts of North Queensland, especially in the Mackay area. Because of this, the brickworks have a strong connection to the local community and its history.
