Hi everyone, we need some advice on building an in ground fire pit for visitors to sit around in the evening.  We tried local big rocks in a circle but after a few fires they split and  looked unattractive and dangerous.  Anyone seen a good set up or has one?  cheers gecko

geko,
a mate of mine has been building a fire pit next door to my place and what we have done is got a sewer shaft  that is 1050mm diam x 300mm deep with a concrete base , put in in a prepared hole and paved around it.
we used it on australia day for the first time , had a good fire going for best part of the day and when there were good amount of coals and ash i cooked up a good camp oven feed , leg lamb , chook , and vegies.
food turned out very nice (no complaints from anyone).
but what i did notice was the actual pit began to show signs of cracking in 6 or 7 places. i am not sure if it will crack anymore. the base seemed to hold up good and while the cracks may not look real good it still worked well.
i will take some pictures and post soon.

rossco

Mate down the road has built one out of old red bricks about 1.5 to 2m round with a smaller oval shape at the top much like a key hole.You can have the fire in the main pit and coals and camp ovens in the smaller area. You can make the smaller area as big as you like. The bricks are 3 courses high and he has spaced old 300ml conc pavers around the pit to sit camp ovens on when you pull them out.

Unfortunately a fire pit can be a disaster area if toddlers are about.
Those little buggers can be attracted to a fire like moths to a candle.
We were witness to a bad enough incident out at Narromine some years ago. The fire pit was about 5' x 2'6", at ground level with a concrete surround and the hotplate (big enough to cook a sheep) on 4 steel wheels which allowed it to be rolled over the fire.
The cooking action was over, and luckily someone rolled the plate back over the pit only some seconds before one of the little toddlers, a 2yr. old, tumbled over on to it.
Very, very fortunate that that only superficial burns were the result.
It was my BIL's 60th., his grand daughter. Put a bit of a damper on the afternoon, but no more firepit there now.
Hope I dont sound like the harbinger of doom, only my experience.
mikel

Gecko
Attached pic of mates pit although it is above ground. Used 2nd's garden blocks & built an area 2m dia  & 2 bricks high the size allowed for a rubbish fire without a permit. Plenty of room for a fire for coals & 6 camp ovens. Must remind him it's time for another cookup.
LogFire