Stonemason

A stonemason shapes, dresses, and lays natural stone such as granite, limestone, and sandstone in construction projects including buildings, walls, and decorative features. They work on both new builds and restoration projects, using hand tools and power equipment to cut, finish, and install stone components according to architectural specifications and relevant Australian building codes.

Read and interpret architectural drawings and stone specifications to determine cutting, dressing, and laying requirements. Select and inspect stone materials for quality, colour matching, and structural suitability. Dress and shape stone using hand tools including chisels, points, and mallets, and power tools such as angle grinders and stone saws. Cut stone to precise dimensions using measurements and templates, ensuring tolerances meet design specifications. Lay stone in mortar beds, maintaining consistent joints and alignment using levels and plumb lines. Point and rake mortar joints to match existing work and architectural requirements, including lime mortar for heritage restoration. Install stone features such as copings, cills, quoins, and ashlar facing on building exteriors and interiors. Apply sealants and protective coatings to finished stonework to comply with durability and weathering standards.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Your body takes a real beating. Stone is heavy, cutting and dressing demands repetitive hammer and chisel work, and you're often bent over or reaching overhead. Dust from grinding and cutting stone causes silicosis if you're not careful with masks and ventilation. The work is weather-dependent, so winter and wet seasons mean less hours. Pay tops out lower than other skilled trades, and there's real risk that prefab stone components and new building methods will shrink the available work.

Concentrated in major cities and regional centres where construction is active. Most work is site-based, not remote. Heritage stonework is scattered across older suburbs and country towns. Domestic work is rare: most jobs come through building contractors, heritage organisations, and specialist stone companies.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3311, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Adjust cut sizescore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Clean engraved areascore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Managementcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Advise on construction materials
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Customer Needs Assessment
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Incident Reporting
• Process Improvement Identification
• Supplier Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Stonemason workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026