Stonemasonry is a dying trade, making it a high-demand occupation. In Australia, employers are on the lookout for stonemasons.
Stonemasons work with stone and masonry materials such as hard or soft stone, marble and concrete blocks or slabs. With these materials, they help build or repair stone structures and walls, and even headstones and other memorials.
Stonemasons can also build the following:
- Retaining walls
- Fireplaces
- Water features
- Stairways
- Feature walls
- Barbecues
- Chimneys
Saul Cafarella, a stonemason from Queensland, builds fire pits, stone pathways and herb spirals in gardens – and each project comes with its own challenges. When he paved a stepping stone pathway, getting the stones to the right size was the biggest challenge he had to face. For the herb spiral he created, it was important that the shape and curve had a nice flow to it.
According to Cafarella, learning the trade may only take a few days, but it takes a lifetime to really master it. However, like Cafarella, stonemasons are committed to and passionate about their work, and this is clearly shown in the work that they do.
Source: https://www.lifestyle.com.au/gardening/meet-stonemason-saul-cafarella.aspx