I used to live at Chimney Creek at Jaunter, about 25 kms south of Oberon, and I remember the then Mayor of Oberon, Kathy Sajowitz, telling me … “The village of Burraga is home to Australia’s tallest round brick chimney. Built in 1899 for the Burraga Copper Mine but never actually used, it consists of 500,000 bricks and stands at a height of 54 metres.” Still waiting for its fire to be lit, certainly this chimney stack is worth the trek to the south edge of The Plateau.
So, Humble went on the hunt. He found lots of small brick domestic chimneys in the Bathurst district, of course, all wonderfully part of our heritage streetscapes, but few of the tall industrial ones were there once.
Every mill in Milltown had its chimney, and there is still the rump of the chimney stack at Tremains Mill in Keppel St, hidden on the Vic Hotel side. Originally a round brick one built around 1860, it was replaced by a smart square brick one, demolished in the 1950’s.
And, at Blackdown on Eleven Mile Drive, the historic 1824 flour mill still stands with its round brick mill tower (see pic). Out at Heritage Rockley, the beautiful flour mill also still stands (now a “must-visit” museum), but alas, its handsome square brick stack has gone.
At Simplot in Durham Street, there is an excellent brick round one, recalling the shape of the Aussie Chiko Roll it is famous for – first sold in 1951 as the “Chicken Roll” despite not actually containing chicken.
At Portland, “The Town That Built Sydney”, there are two superb brick bottle kiln chimneys, and at the fantastic industrial site of the former cement works, rebadged as “The Foundations”, is an imposing, very tall, round brick stack. The village of Portland comes alive these days with events, monthly markets, and good coffee, and is very much a place to be.
Thought of the week …“stacks of heritage worth keeping”
by a humble heritage advocate – June 2026
column #344
