Kandos Concrete Factory

Located in the NSW Central Tablelands, the town of Kandos sits beneath the Cumber Melon Mountain. Once home to a thriving concrete industry, the area was alternately known as “the place that made the cement that made your town”.

Used in bridges, roads, reservoirs, pipes, pathways, fences and buildings, Kandos cement was also poured into the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city’s underground railway. Most famously, its concrete was a significant contribution to the development of the Opera House.

Migrants added much needed skills and growth to the township. Housing a number of refugees in the 1950s and 1960s from both European and Middle Eastern backgrounds, immigration plays an important role in the towns ongoing cultural story.

Inefficient technology, exorbitant running costs and a shortage of skills resulted in the permanent closure of the factory in 2011. But what remains is a dilapidated, industrial palace-like structure tucked away in a valley. With ample spaces to explore, this dust-filled relic is a reminder of more thriving and industrious economic times.