Chimneys & Fireplaces

Chimney Stacks Built to Stand for Generations.

From landmark commercial stacks to heritage fireplace restoration and handcrafted pizza ovens: specialist chimney and fireplace masonry throughout Melbourne.

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The Detail Work Others Turn Down.

Chimney work at the level David operates is a specialist discipline. It is structural, exposed to the elements, and when it is on a heritage building or a landmark site, there is no room for error.

David has completed chimney projects that have stopped traffic: a 40-metre stack in Collingwood, the chimney at the Highett Gasworks in Melbourne, and the crown of the heritage-listed Old Licorice Factory chimney in Brunswick, a project that sums up exactly why clients choose Goodwin.

The restored 27-metre Highett Gasworks heritage chimney standing against a blue sky, by Goodwin Bricklaying

Services

What We Do

Restored crown with new brickwork on the heritage Highett Gasworks chimney by Goodwin Bricklaying

Chimney Stack Construction and Restoration

New chimney stack construction and full heritage restoration, from domestic residential stacks to large-scale commercial and industrial chimneys. Structural, exposed, and often worked at height on live sites.

Heritage Fireplace Restoration

Repair, repointing, and restoration of heritage fireplaces, retaining original character while ensuring structural soundness and safety.

Fireplace Installation and Modification

New fireplace construction and modification work for residential and architectural builds.

Pizza Ovens

Handcrafted brick pizza oven construction, built to function beautifully and become the centrepiece of any outdoor entertaining space.

Landmark Project

The Old Licorice Factory Chimney, Brunswick

The Australian Licorice Company built its Brunswick factory on Victoria Street in 1922, and for the next six decades the octagonal brick stack above it drew for the boilers of one of the country's great confectionery works. The factory closed in 1985. The chimney stayed.

It is now on the Victorian Heritage Register (H1289), listed together with the remains of the fire tunnel that served it as the only known surviving chimney from the steam-driven years of Melbourne's confectionery industry. The register's own words on why it matters are worth repeating: the elaborate, octagonal stack is significant as a fine example of the fully refined skills of the bricklayer.

A century of Melbourne weather had taken the crown at the top of it. The capping was broken through, courses were cracked and shedding brick, and the whole head of the stack needed rebuilding above a live site. Goodwin Bricklaying took it down and built it back: corbelled courses stepped out by hand to carry a new octagonal capping, matched course for course to the 1922 brickwork, worked from a scaffold deck several storeys up.

The stack now stands at the centre of the redevelopment rising around it, kept, as the register intended, for the skill it was built with.

The restored octagonal brick chimney of the Old Licorice Factory standing over the Brunswick rooftops, rebuilt by Goodwin Bricklaying — The stack over the Brunswick rooftops, with its crown rebuilt.

Before

A crown at the end of its life

Aerial view down the flue of the Old Licorice Factory chimney in Brunswick, with the capping broken away before rebuild — Looking down the flue from above, with the capping broken away around it.

At Height

Rebuilding a crown from a scaffold deck

The octagonal chimney crown of the Old Licorice Factory under rebuild on a timber scaffold deck in Brunswick — The crown under rebuild, worked from a timber deck at the top of the stack.

David Goodwin standing on the scaffold deck beside the Old Licorice Factory chimney crown in Brunswick — David on the deck, alongside the crown he rebuilt.

The rebuilt chimney crown of the Old Licorice Factory seen through the scaffolding, Brunswick — Framed by the scaffold that carried every brick up to it.

The rebuilt Old Licorice Factory chimney crown framed by scaffolding above the Brunswick development — The rebuilt crown clear of the deck, ready for its capping.

The new octagonal concrete capping slab set over the rebuilt Old Licorice Factory chimney crown, Brunswick — The new octagonal capping, set true over the corbelled courses beneath.

The Detail

Corbelled brick, course by course

Corbelled brickwork stepping out beneath the capping of the restored Old Licorice Factory chimney, Brunswick — Each course steps out a little further than the one below to carry the capping.

The central brick pier and corbelled courses of the rebuilt Old Licorice Factory chimney crown, Brunswick — The central pier, plumbed and tied back into the stack.

Close detail of the corbelled brick edge and mortar joints on the restored Old Licorice Factory chimney, Brunswick — The cut edge of a corbel, where the work either holds a line or does not.

Corner corbel detail beneath the capping of the rebuilt Old Licorice Factory chimney crown, Brunswick — A corner corbel turning the octagon beneath the capping.

The rebuilt corbelled crown of the Old Licorice Factory chimney seen from below, with steel banding around the stack, Brunswick — Seen from below, with the steel banding that restrains the stack.

Corbelled brick courses of the restored Old Licorice Factory chimney crown against the sky, Brunswick — The finished profile, read against the sky.

Back on the Skyline

A landmark returned to Brunswick

The full height of the restored octagonal brick chimney at the Old Licorice Factory, Brunswick, by Goodwin Bricklaying — The full height of the stack, standing clear of the scaffold that surrounded it.

The restored Old Licorice Factory chimney lit by afternoon sun above the surrounding Brunswick development — Afternoon sun on the brickwork, with the new development around it.

The rebuilt crown of the Old Licorice Factory chimney against the neighbouring apartment building, Brunswick — The rebuilt crown, sitting against its new neighbours.

David Goodwin standing beside the base of the heritage brick chimney at the Old Licorice Factory, Brunswick — David at the base of the stack, at the end of the work.

Selected Work

Landmark Stacks & Heritage Chimneys

27-metre 1938 Highett Gasworks heritage chimney landmark restored by Goodwin Bricklaying

Completed red-brick restoration of the Highett Gasworks chimney by Goodwin Bricklaying

Aerial drone view of the restored 40-metre Collingwood chimney crown

New corbelled brickwork on the Old Licorice Factory chimney restoration in Brunswick

Rebuilt chimney crown capping detail on the Old Licorice Factory, Brunswick

Heritage chimney stacks viewed at street level in Collingwood, Melbourne

Highett Gasworks chimney under full scaffolding during restoration by Goodwin Bricklaying

Goodwin Bricklaying craftsman rebuilding the Old Licorice Factory chimney crown at height in Brunswick

Restored crown with new brickwork on the Highett Gasworks chimney by Goodwin Bricklaying

The restored Old Licorice Factory chimney stack lit by afternoon sun in Brunswick, by Goodwin Bricklaying

Close detail of corbelled brickwork on the rebuilt Old Licorice Factory chimney crown, Brunswick

Discuss your chimney or fireplace project

From heritage stacks to pizza ovens, get a detailed quote with full construction specifics.

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Landmark Projects

Stacks That Define a Skyline

Chimney Stack: Highett Gasworks, Melbourne.

Chimney Stack: Collingwood (40 metres).

Chimney Stack Restoration: Old Licorice Factory, Brunswick (Victorian Heritage Register H1289).

What Our Clients Say

Thanks David and team for restoring our 1915 heritage chimney. Looks great! Very pleased with the professionalism of the whole job. Removal of gas flue, repointing etc.

Linda T.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you restore a heritage chimney on an older Melbourne home?

Yes. Heritage chimney restoration is one of David's specialities. He has restored chimneys on period homes across Hawthorn, Camberwell, Canterbury, and surrounding suburbs, including a 1915 chimney that required full repointing, partial rebuilding, and gas flue removal. He works carefully to preserve the original character of the chimney while ensuring it is structurally sound.

Do you build new chimney stacks as well as restore existing ones?

Yes. Goodwin Bricklaying builds new chimney stacks for residential and commercial clients, as well as restoring and repairing existing stacks. David has completed chimney projects ranging from domestic residential work through to large-scale commercial stacks, including a 40-metre stack in Collingwood.

Can you build a custom pizza oven?

Yes. David builds handcrafted brick pizza ovens for residential clients. Each oven is constructed to function properly and to complement its surrounding space, whether that's a backyard entertaining area, a kitchen extension, or an architectural outdoor setting.

Do you handle fireplace repairs and modifications?

Yes. David carries out heritage fireplace restoration, repair, repointing, and modification work for residential and architectural clients. If you have a period fireplace that needs attention, or want to modify an existing fireplace as part of a renovation, get in touch and David will assess what's involved.

Where We Work

Chimney and fireplace work in Hawthorn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Toorak, Glen Iris, Surrey Hills, Hawksburn, Richmond, Fitzroy, Collingwood, and surrounding inner Melbourne suburbs.

Enquire About Your Chimney or Fireplace

Whether it's a heritage stack, a new fireplace, or a handcrafted pizza oven, David will assess what's involved and provide a detailed quote.

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