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    Media release

    TAFE NSW Miller | 28 July 2025

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    Stonemasonry students carve out experience at Rookwood Cemetery

    “The students were fascinated and I could see them starting to understand that working outdoors in a peaceful environment like this was pretty appealing.”

    Michael Landers, TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Stonemasonry

    TAFE NSW Miller stonemasonry apprentices have been given a priceless glimpse into the intricacies of the ancient trade during a visit to the largest cemetery in the Southern Hemisphere last month.

    Nearly 30 third-year apprentice stonemasons were part of the annual visit to Rookwood Cemetery and were given a hands-on clinic covering one of the lesser-known parts of the trade – monumental masonry.

    Monumental masonry is a specialised branch of stonemasonry focused on creating and restoring gravestones, tombs, memorials, cenotaphs, plaques, and statues.

    For many of the apprentices, who work on stone kitchen benches or historic building restoration, seeing firsthand how monumental masons work in a cemetery setting was an eye-opener.

    Seven TAFE NSW stonemasonry apprentices at Rookwood Cemetery pictured next to an old headstone surrounded by tall grass.

    TAFE NSW Miller student and third-year apprentice heritage stonemason Haley Sharp said the visit gave her a deeper understanding of the different facets of the trade.

    “To see some of the stone work up close was fascinating, and it was particularly interesting to see the different types of stone and lettering used in different sections of the cemetery,” Ms Sharp said.

    “It’s such a different side of the trade to what I do and it was a great opportunity.”

    Students toured various sections of the cemetery during the visit, witnessing the varying style of monuments created, including the ornate Italian mausoleums and the growing modern Chinese section.

    They also helped restore the gravesite of prominent 19th century NSW educator Williams Wilkins, whose grave was rebuilt with the help of TAFE NSW stonemasonry students and staff in 2001, at the request of his surviving descendants.

    An ageing workforce and intense competition for skilled labour in the construction industry has contributed to a growing shortage of stonemasons nationally. TAFE NSW Miller, the only training organisation in NSW to teach the trade, is addressing the shortage by training the next generation of stonemasons.

    TAFE NSW Miller Head Teacher of Stonemasonry Michael Landers said the visit to Rookwood exposed apprentices to a side of the industry many had never experienced.

    “Monumental masonry was a bit of a mystery to many of these students and is a real niche in the industry,” Mr Landers said.

    “It was a great opportunity for students to tour a number of active sites, watch the masons work and ask any questions of them in real-time.

    “The students were fascinated and I could see them starting to understand that working outdoors in a peaceful environment like this was pretty appealing.

    “These sorts of practical, hands-on experiences really are valuable and it couldn’t have happened without our ongoing relationship with the Rookwood Trust.”

    Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 02 7920 5000.

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