BRICKWORKS & POTTERIES
OF THE IPSWICH (Qld) REGION

  Alister J Cameron       

Claypave Brickworks

A special thanks to Con Bassili and the people of Queensland Property Group for generously allowing me extensive access to the site and the opportunity to collect a number of artefacts for future posterity.

How Claypave Described Themselves in Happier Times

Claypave is an Australian company privately owned and operated by a small group of “hands on” people.

We specialise in the manufacture of clay pavers, and are the market leaders in paver quality, service and innovation. Our extensive product range includes Domestic and Commercial Pavers, Large Format Pavers, Refractory Bricks and Accessories.

The original company, Rylance Collieries and Brickworks began operation in the 1880’s with our current refractories plant being built at Dinmore near Ipswich in the 1930’s. The current owners took over manufacturing operations in 1985.

The new company made a strategic decision to focus primarily on the manufacturing of quality pavers. This proved so successful and demand grew so dramatically that we were able to build the first dedicated, state of the art paving factory in Australia in 1988. Demand continued to grow so dramatically that it was decided to again increase our production capacity. The opening of our second tunnel kiln and dryer in 1994 effectively doubled our production capacity enabling us to cope with the increased demands for our products.

Changes in consumer trends to larger format pavers has meant that Claypave further expanded its production capabillites to enable the production of 300 x 300mm pavers. To get into this market Claypave’s shuttle kiln and dryer system was completed February 2001. The kiln was able to burn between 500m2 and 600m2 of Megapave at a time and able to cycle 3 burns per week.

Source:  https://www.datanyze.com/

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Website:  http://www.claypave.com.au

Industry:  Wholesale Building Materials

Company size:  51-200 employees

Headquarters:  New Chum, Queensland

Source:  Linkedin.

Maps & Aerial Photos

AERIAL PHOTO OF RYLANCE BRICKWORKS (1974); ELEVEN YEARS BEFORE BEING TAKEN OVER BY CLAYPAVE Source: QImagery
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF THE RYLANCE BRICKWORKS AREA 1979 Cunningham Hwy is under construction. New Chum Villiage is still there: but not for long. Source: Qld State Archives: Item Id 811716
AERIAL PHOTO OF THE CLAYPAVE COMPLEX IN 1994 The biggest changes are the Cunningham Hwy on the east and the new gas brick kilns at the top. New Chum Villiage is also gone. Source: QImagery
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF BRICKWORKS AREA 1999, What is most notable is the huge grey area. At the top this is disused clay pits. But mostly it represents a hugh amount of opencut activity. Source: gisservices.information.qld.gov.au

The Site

THE BRICKWORKS COMPLEX VIEWED FROM THE EAST 2011 A number of the older buildings can be seen. This includes a large kiln in the middle distance, marked by a large chimney. Photo: Alister J Cameron
LOOKING NORTH-EAST ACROSS THE SITE 2011 Photo: Alister J Cameron
SOUTHERN END OF CLAYPAVE SITE 2021 The yard is looking very empty indeed. Photo: Alister J Cameron
CENTRAL AREA OF BRICKWORKS 2021 The newer buildings are out of sight on the right. Photo: Alister J Cameron
EASTERN SIDE OF OLD BUILDING COMPLEX 2021 Photo: Alister J Cameron
EASTERN SIDE FROM ANOTHER ANGLE 2024. The "Claypave" sign is still there but is rather faded. Photo: Alister J Cameron.
CLOSEUP IN 2021 SHOWING HOPPERS ON RIGHT-HAND SIDE Photo: Alister J Cameron
IN THIS AREA A NUMBER OF KILN BRICKS ARE STACKED NEATLY; POSSIBLY STILL ON THEIR KILN CARS 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
A STACKED PILE OF MOSTLY PGH KILN BRICKS 2024 Presumably also used to maintain the kilns. Photo: Alister J Cameron
NOT FAR AWAY A PILE OF CLAY HAS THE TITLE OF "HA CLAY". This is clay with a high alumina content. Photo: Alister J Cameron
COMPLEX VIEWED FROM THE SOUTH-WEST 2021 Photo: Alister J Cameron
VIEWED FROM THE SOUTH-WEST FURTHER BACK 2023 In the foreground the former mine site is being landscaped. Photo: Alister J Cameron
PANORAMA OF THE BRICKWORKS FROM THE SOUTH-EAST 2024 In the foreground is the dump for rubbish taken elsewhere from the site. Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP OF ONE OF THE RUBBISH PILES 2024 Made up of used kiln bricks in addition to a number of other items. Photo: Alister J Cameron
A HUGE PILE OF DISCARDED PAVERS 2024 Most are of a particular type: ie. pool edging. Photo: Alister J Cameron
THE RUBBISH ALSO INCLUDED RUSTED RAILS AND EVEN THE BROKEN WHEEL SET FROM A RAILWAY WAGON. Guage of the rails suggests underground coal mining. Photo: Alister J Cameron.
LARGE PILES OF CLAY MIXED WITH COAL 2024 Further evidence of prior coal mining. Rylance, after all, was a coal mining company that branched into brick making: having mines within the immediate vicinity. Photo: Alister J Cameron
TO THE EAST OF THE RUBBISH PILE A DRAINAGE GULLY HAS BEEN RECENTLY DUG 2024 It has been a goldmine for old bricks from a variety of manufacturers; some of which may date to the early days of the brickworks. Photo: Alister J Cameron
ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BRICKWORKS SITE IN THE NORTH-WEST IS A BANK OF EXPOSED BRICKS 2024 These include a number of old Rylance bricks. Photo: Alister J Cameron.

Inside The Old Building Complex

SHELVES CONTAINING TIMBER MOULDS BEING INSPECTED BY MY MATE DAVE HORRIGAN; LOCAL BRICK EXPERT 2024 There were literally hundreds of these designed for specific bricks. Photo: Alister J Cameron
NEARBY A DEVICE USED FOR HAND-MAKING BRICKS 2024. Haven't worked out yet how it operated; but may have been used to wire cut bricks.. This item can now be found at The Ipswich Historical Society. Photo: Alister J Cameron
A FAN USED TO SPEED UP THE DRYING OF BRICKS 2024. There were a number of these nearby. One of these is also at the Society. Photo: Alister J Cameron
ON THE FLOOR IN THIS SECTION OF THE BUILDING WERE COUNTLESS BAGS OF MATERIALS USED FOR BRICK-MAKING. Photo: Alister J Cameron
ONE VERY LARGE & DISLOCATION PIECE OF MACHINERY 2024 Possibly used for grinding or mixing large quantities of material. Photo: Alister J Cameron
SAME MACHINE FROM THE REAR 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
ROBOT ARMS "ROBOT GRIPPER" 2024 Probably used to lift sets of bricks and deliver them to another nearby location. Photo: Alister J Cameron
VARIOUS HOPPERS 2024 Photos Alister J Cameron
THIS COMPLEX STRUCTURE WAS POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRICK PRESS WHICH WAS SITUATED BEHIND IT 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
THE VERY LARGE ZEUS II BRICK PRESS 2024 It was able to process four bricks or pavers at a time with a large variety of settings. Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron

The Old Kiln

CLOSEUP OF OLD KILN 2011 Photo: Alister J Cameron
THE KILN SITE IN 2021 The yard is virtually empty and the kiln has gone. What remains is an ordinary shed. Photo: Alister J Cameron
DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE OFFICE IS THE SHED WHERE THE KILN WAS PREVIOUSLY HOUSED 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
FROM ANOTHER ANGLE 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron

The "New" Kilns

THEORETICAL DIAGRAMME OF HOW A TUNNEL KILN WORKS Source: Wikipedia
EXPLANATION OF THE TWO TYPES OF KILN USING EXAMPLES FROM OTHER PLACES. Source: https://www.ceceramicfiber.com/
NORTHERN SECTION OF BRICKWORKS 2021 On right-hand side is the gas kiln complex. At this point in time one of two main chimneys is still in place. On the left side is a large shed probably designed to cover clay stocks or other materials used for the kilns. Photo: Alister J Cameron
LARGE, OPEN SHED PROBABLY USED TO STORE UNDER COVER MATERIALS USED BY THE KILNS 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP OF THE AREA BETWEEN THE STORAGE SHED AND KILN BUILDING 2024 Of the two main chimneys: the shorter one at the rear is still intact. The taller one has been removed. Photo: Alister J Cameron
BASE OF REMOVED TALLER CHIMNEY 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
THE REMOVED CHIMNEY 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
REMAINING CHIMNEY LARGELY INTACT 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP 2025 The former connection with shed and kilns has been removed. Photo: Alister J Cameron
NORTHERN FACE OF NEW KILN BUILDING VIEWED FROM THE NORTH-WEST ACROSS NEW CHUM ROAD 2011 Note the railway sign that hasn't been removed even though the siding is long gone. Photo: Alister J Cameron
STILL IN 2011 THE RAILS OF THE FORMER BRICKWORKS SIDING ARE STILL IN THE BITUMIN. The building straddles the former alignment. Photo: Alister J Cameron
LOOKING AT THE KILN BUILDING FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE 2021 All signs of activity have now ceased. Photo: Alister J Cameron
PHOTO DEMONSTRATING HOW ITEMS ARE TO BE STACKED IN PREPARATION FOR KILN FIRING. Source: Green Make Register Hampton Register 1 One of items of paperwork found in the old buildings.
ANOTHER PHOTO OF HOW TO STACK PARTICULAR ITEMS. In this case they are on an actual kiln car on tracks; probably after having excited from a kiln. Green Make Register Hampton Register 1
ANOTHER STACKED KILN CAR Note the hollow bricks that form the base of the car. Green Make Register Hampton Register 1
INSIDE THE EASTERN HALF OF THE KILN BUILDING. 2024 All that is left are the tracks used to move the kiln cars through the kilns. On opposite sides are raised offices probably used to monitor the kiln processes. Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSUP OF ONE OF THE TRACKS SHOWING A MOVABLE CHAIN 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
ON ONE END THE WHEELS DRIVING THE CHAIN CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN 2014 Photo: Alister J Cameron
CLOSEUP OF ONE OF THE RAISED OFFICES 2024 Photo: Alister J Cameron
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS OF A LARGE ENGINE 2024 Possibly it was the driing motor for the kiln operations. Photo: Alister J Cameron
EASTERN HALF OF KILN BUILDING 2024
Already part of it is being utilized by a business.
Photo:  Alister J Cameron.
EASTERN HALF OF KILN BUILDING 2024 Already part of it is being utilized by a business. Photo: Alister J Cameron.

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