The last chimney stack at the former Shell oil refinery in Clyde has finally fallen - five explosions and more than 30 hours later than expected.

The remaining tower - which came to be personified as the "stubborn stack" - submitted to its fate about 6.30pm on Monday.

After nearly five decades of towering over the Parramatta skyline, the defunct stack was due to fall with four others in half a minute on Sunday morning.

But when the explosives were detonated and the four other stacks crashed down in a cloud of dust, the fifth stack remained intact and upright.