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BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
Construction materials from rocks are essential in building
and for maintaining our modern way of life, whether for city buildings,
runways and motorways or the family home.
Every year NSW uses about 50 million tonnes of rock.
SANDSTONE FOR BUILDING
Many cities are characterised by the kind of rock
used for building during the early days of construction.
Sydney is sometimes called a Sandstone City.
There are seven quarries in the Somersby/Kariong area,
producing "dimension" stone. This Hawkesbury Sandstone
is a fine white to cream colour, often with beautiful markings.
The area is the most important source of building stone in Australia.
'Yellow Block' is another name for Hawkesbury Sandstone.
From 1850 to 1930 it was quarried from Sydney's inner suburbs,
eg Pyrmont and The Rocks, and used for buildings such as
Sydney Town Hall, Sydney University, Central Railway Station,
many churches - and for the foundations of many homes.
At present St Marys Cathedral in Sydney is having twin spires
added using this sandstone from a West Gosford quarry.
(click on the image to see more examples of construction)
Hunter Baillie Church (built 1886-1889) at Annandale in Sydney
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Millions of tonnes of crushed rock are needed annually for road base,
paving, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt. There is a large quarry for
these materials at Kincumber, using sandstone of the Terrigal Formation.
Crushed rock may consist of coarse or fine aggregate and sand.
(click on the image below for more pictures)
Pictures of sandstone quarry at Kincumber
BLUE METAL - Basalt
At Kulnura, north-west of Gosford there is an extensive extrusion
of basalt - a black volcanic rock.
(click on the image below for more pictures)
It is quarried and crushed as "Blue Metal" which is used
as a road-base, and in reinforced concrete.
ROCKS FOR LANDSCAPING
Sandstone which is not so hard-wearing or beautifully patterned
is used for garden walls and paths in landscaping.
This type of rock is also supplied from Kincumber.
SCULPTURE
Sandstone is a popular stone with sculptors.
There are many sandstone sculptures in the
Gosford area: eg at Kibble Park, Wondabyne and Mt Penang.
(click on the image below for more pictures)
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