Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Brick-making on the banks of the river at Carcoar, looking south

Brick-making on the banks of the river at Carcoar, looking south

1873
Glass photonegative

This is probably the temporary works of itinerant brickmakers George and William Wood on the banks of the Belubula River. Hand-made bricks were still made in rural Australia into the twentieth century. The brickmaker stood at the moulding table for 12 to 14 hours a day and with the help of assistants could make 3500 to 5000 bricks in a day from clay quarried nearby. The moulded bricks were left to dry in an area called a ‘hack’ or ‘hackstead’ and the bricks were covered with straw to protect them from rain or harsh sun. After two weeks, the bricks could be fired.

From Australian Town and Country Journal, 17 April 1875

Strangers in Carcoar are often surprised at its antiquated appearance. Even its places of public worship, although commodious and substantially built, have no architectural beauty about them, and a large convent lately built, at a very heavy cost to the district, requires but a wall round it to give it the appearance of a modern gaol. The court-house reminds one of some charity school, such as is to be seen at tile back of some suburban townships in the old country... The streets and footpaths exhibit a sad want of municipal institutions. The streets and footpaths, some of the stores, and many of the back premises are flooded by every heavy shower of rain, still there is no combined effort made towards improvement, or to got the town placed under municipal control. Indeed the Carcorians seem to have a dread of all public responsibility, excepting magisterial, and would rather have the satisfaction of growling at the Government than run the risk of having a growl at themselves. I may safely say that few towns could be drained at a less cost, or have road metal and timber more convenient; but from habit it would seem that so long as they can wade through the winter and are not completely chocked by the dust in summer, all is well. [Australian Town and Country Journal, 17 April 1875, p10].