It seems that bricklayers are a very competitive breed.  Take Ron Elliott – he’s about to compete for Best Bricklayer against the best in the USA - the 16 winners from regional bricklayer events that were held during 2011 throughout the US & Canada.  Together with just one other non US bricklayer, a Pom, each competitor has to lay as many bricks as he can in one hour, with deductions for inferior work.  Ron says "I'm not going there to muck around. I'm taking it very seriously," he said. "It's too far to fly not to win."

The event is the Spec Mix 500 World's Best Bricklayer competition, part of the World of Concrete Trade Show which takes place in Las Vegas on, of all days, Australia Day!  Ron’s workmate Mark Roese, 38, will compete in the best labourer section at the same Trade Show.

If you’d like to take in the action –coverage of the competitions is being streamed live from 5:00 AM Aussie time, January 26, 2012.  Full details are at the Spec Mix website.

Ron, who is site manager for The Country Group, has been a bricklayer for 27 years and believes he’s well prepared.  "I've been doing about two hours training every day for the last couple of months; building walls and corners and trying to get my speed up and make sure the walls are close to perfect," he said.

Ron’s boss, Brian Freeman has been attending the World of Concrete Trade Show for years and decided it was time!  "If it's going to be the world's best bricklayer surely an Australian can be in it" Mr Freeman said. "I think we've got a very good chance of winning. I'm very confident we can come back with a first place."

Mark Roese, Project Manager and Estimator, also with The Country Group, is equally confident.  He will have 20 minutes to set up his work area.  "I can't wait to go and show the Americans that we're good tradesmen," he said.

Good luck to the guys, we’ll be watching and waving our Aussie flags!

Tony Bishop, NSW Manager

It’s often said that excellence in hand-eye co-ordination makes a good bricklayer and a good sportsman and there’s no better example of this than Ben Hifenhaus!

Contributing in no small part to the Indian 3rd test loss in Perth last week, was the tenacious performance of in-form bowler Ben Hilfenhaus (Hilfy or Gentle Ben to his mates).

With shoulders the size of a small family car and accuracy of a scud missile, his form as a right hand fast-medium bowler has proved devastating this summer.

From all reports Ben is a non egotistical and uncomplicated sportsman, something of a rarity these days in sport at this level. Ben epitomises the type of bowler any cricket captain would yearn for with his head down arse up attitude!

What few people know however is that prior to entering the cricketing world stage he was a humble bricklayer, honing his trade in Ulverstone Tasmania.

These days instead of building walls he is smashing through the “Indian Wall”, taking 4 for 43 in 18 overs in the 1st innings and 4 for 54 in 18 overs in the second in the Perth test.

Bouncing back from an injury that almost finished his career last year, this gutsy Aussie bowler should be around long enough to help win back the ashes next year.

I cannot help thinking that his time as a bricklayer not only helped to condition Ben physically but also helped him to push through the pain barrier working in the hot Australian sun.  Apparently he is a tidy golfer as well boasting an eight handicap!

Ben has a real ‘can-do’ attitude that we see in bricklayers all over the country.  It’s great to see another past bricklayer do so well in Aussie sport!

Dean Pearson
WA State Manager, ABBTF

 Australia Day marks the first European settlement in Australia with the arrival of The First Fleet  on 26 January 1788.  Aboard the flotilla was just one bricklayer amongst 700 convicts: James Bloodsworth.  The ships also carried provisions of just 5,000 bricks and 12 wooden moulds for making bricks in the new Colony.

“Picture sourced from the State Library of New South Wales.”

James Bloodsworth started brick making for the Colony in March 1788 at Cockle Bay, near Darling Harbour, where he located good quantities of clay.  Finding a good source of limestone for the making of mortar proved more difficult and for the first Government House the lime was made from oyster shells.  Some of these bricks still exist (at Sydney’s Mitchell Library) from that first building demolished 57 years later.  He was outstanding in his training of teams of convicts in the art of brick making, bricklaying and building and was responsible for building all of the early buildings of importance in Sydney. 

The oldest existing building in Australia is Elizabeth Farm at Parramatta, home of John and Elizabeth Macarthur.  Completed in 1794, this long, low brick building with a steeply pitched shingled roof is the archetypal Australian farmhouse.

James was a London bricklayer with knowledge of brickmaking.  He is reported to have been convicted of forgery.  He had completed three years of a seven year sentence before his journey on The First Fleet.

In recognition of his efforts and contribution towards establishing a settlement in Sydney, James was pardoned and given 50 acres of land.  Previously he was variously offered a return passage to England and offered senior roles in Port Phillip and Derwent but he loved Sydney and remained there til his death in 1804 from pneumonia. When he died at 45 years, he was given the equivalent of a State funeral with military honours and records show he was a highly respected person of the Colony, despite his status on arrival and his relatively short life in the Colonies - 16 years.  Interestingly, the Sydney Gazette, reporting his death at the time chose only to state of his English background that he ‘came to the Colony among its first inhabitants in 1788’.  Quite a success story!  Check out some more recent successes HERE. 

Geoff Noble

General Manager, ABBTF

Looking back on last year, 2011 has been a very successful year in terms of the number of Apprenticeships currently in place in bricklaying and blocklaying.   ABBTF continued its strong support for apprentice training and employment with more than 2,000 apprentices across the country attracting subsidies for their employers and gaining training and skills for their future freedom.

ABBTF is committed to continue the program to ensure the brick and block laying workforce has the skills to install clay bricks and concrete masonry to the highest standard.

From industry feedback, we know the support makes a difference and is often one of the reasons why apprentices are signed on and retained until the completion of their training.

The downturn in building and construction has made it tough for many contractors to secure future work and maintain their apprentices.  However, bricklayers who have fared better are those who have put the training into their apprentice to make them a productive member of their gang.

It’s not hard to see evidence of great examples of young apprentices gaining skills, growing in their role and showing the maturity and initiative to be fine examples of confident bricklayers for the industry.  Just look at examples in the State ‘Aussie Bricklaying Newsletter’ and other success stories at this website.  I’d love to hear your industry success story, or any feedback in comments to my blog.

We look forward to many more young people making their way in the building and construction industry through a Bricklaying Apprenticeship - with the support of their employers and ABBTF.

Geoff Noble

Head Office, ABBTF