Australian Slang: What "Brickies" Means

"Brickies" = Bricklayers. It's the universal Australian (and NZ/UK) trades slang for skilled workers who lay bricks, blocks, and pavers to build walls, facades, and structures.

Usage Examples

• "The brickies knocked off early 'cause of the heat."
• "We need two more brickies on site Monday."
• "Good brickies are gold—hard to find since the apprenticeship slump."

Related Terms

• Brickie's labourer / hod carrier – Mixes mortar, carries bricks, cuts.
• Blocklayer – Specializes in concrete blocks (besser blocks).
• Chippy – Carpenter (another trade nickname).
• Sparky – Electrician.
• Plumber – Often just "plumber" or "dunny diver" (joke).

The suffix -ie / -y is productive in Aussie trades slang: truckie, cabbie, postie, garbo, pollie, journo.