Activities
Mapleton Men’s Shed is an established community hub for socialising through a range of activities which also includes simply dropping in for a chat. For more information on any of the activities, please click the relevant green button, below, or scroll down to read about some of our community projects which involve utilising Shed manpower and resources to help others.
THE SHED
Mapleton Men's Shed is comprised of three buildings – the Barracks Building, the Main Shed which includes the workshop and a smaller storage shed – along with an outdoor meeting area and landscaped garden areas with a pond.
The whole facility, therefore, provides an excellent environment for people to socialise and be involved in meaningful activities.
DROP-IN CHATS
The underpinning ethos of the Men's Shed movement is that of men connecting with each other and developing ongoing relationships which, ultimately, serve to enhance physical and mental well-being.
For those of us who, at times might feel isolated or simply a loss, the Drop-in Chat provides opportunities to reach out to others in the community. This activity is essential in continuing the Men’s Shed ethos.
MEMBERS' LUNCHEON
On the last Thursday of each month, our in-house chef prepares both traditional and contemporary cuisine for a lunch which is available to both members and their guests.
Refreshments are available and lucky door prizes provide opportunities for participants to win big.
Each month a different guest speaker also presents information relevant to issues which members may be encountering in their daily lives.
VOLUNTEERING
Being a Mapleton Men's Shed member means that you have the opportunity to be involved in a range of projects.
Not only are there working bees around the shed addressing ongoing structural maintenance and Sausage Sizzles to secure income but one can also help out in the local community or further afield as the group of Shedders, above, have done in helping re-fence bushfire ravaged areas around Dunedoo and Tenterfield, NSW.
WORKING BEES
Men working together with camaraderie on projects where results materialise before the eyes can be one of the most rewarding aspects of being a Men's Shed member. It becomes less about the results and more about the process imbued with an esprit de corps. With the majority of Men's Shedders being retirees, there is a wealth of knowledge, expertise and insight which can be used to overcome any problems.
MUSEUM
A wonderful aspect of the Mapleton Men's Shed is the explicit historical connection the Shed has with the local Mapleton area. Observant of the significance of this link with past, a small group from within the Shed have begun developing an historical Museum dubbed "The Interpretive Display". As can be seen in the above image, it can sometimes be difficult to identify the purposes for which some artefacts were used.
Dear Community Members,
As a community organisation, Mapleton Men’s Shed members are always ready to contribute to worthwhile projects that might enhance the lives of others.It is in this spirit that we, at the Shed, have been able to utilise the Shed's manpower and resources to lend a hand to those in need.
We have done this through our involvement with the BlazeAid
initiative and by contacting entities directly.
BlazeAid is a volunteer-based organisation with Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) status that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. For projects not associated with BlazeAid, Shed members have been alerted to the needs of some communities where there has been a lack of manpower due to depopulation or geographical isolation.
Current President, Rob Evans and past Presidents, Gavin Bennink and John Brady provide synopses, below, about some of these projects.
Proston - November 2024:
Mapleton Men's Shed members visited Proston for the third time from Sunday, 27 October to Saturday, 2 November 2024.
Mapleton Men's Shed members visited Proston for the third time from Sunday, 27 October to Saturday, 2 November 2024.
For this visit, the four areas we worked on were:
1. Golf Club smoker’s retreat
2. Pony Club Clubhouse
3. Golf Course disabled toilet
4. Outdoor Bar Area at the Showgrounds.
1. Golf Club smoker’s retreat
2. Pony Club Clubhouse
3. Golf Course disabled toilet
4. Outdoor Bar Area at the Showgrounds.
Early starts and long days saw us finish our tasks late on Thursday night. We were fully catered for by Karl Penna who, assisted by Terry Strisland, kept us well fed by providing smoko, lunch and dinner each day.
Firstly, the smokers retreat which was designed and built by Peter Gamgee, John Muller and Gary Hansen has not only been completed but, also, erected in a style that will outlast the other buildings on the site.
Secondly, the Pony Club Clubhouse was cleaned and painted inside and out by John Brady, Col Young, Jerry Greentree, Sandra Jordan and Pam Strisland. As a result, the building is now well up to scratch and fit for future use. Various outbuildings were also repaired and the grounds tidied up.
Thirdly, Tom Laux and Laurie Fisher gutted, lined and sealed the disabled toilet area making it ready for waterproofing and completion when the club budget allows while Tom took care of plumbing modifications with a shaped bit of wood and a hammer – all fitted with no leaks – finished to lock-up stage.
Finally, the Outdoor Bar Area at the Showgrounds needed security screens manufactured and hung and, except for the locks (obtained via a trip to Murgon), the materials were all sourced locally. Innovative ideas and labour from Russ Mckenzie and Jeff Jordan assisted by Rob Evans had this job finished on time.
Secondly, the Pony Club Clubhouse was cleaned and painted inside and out by John Brady, Col Young, Jerry Greentree, Sandra Jordan and Pam Strisland. As a result, the building is now well up to scratch and fit for future use. Various outbuildings were also repaired and the grounds tidied up.
Thirdly, Tom Laux and Laurie Fisher gutted, lined and sealed the disabled toilet area making it ready for waterproofing and completion when the club budget allows while Tom took care of plumbing modifications with a shaped bit of wood and a hammer – all fitted with no leaks – finished to lock-up stage.
Finally, the Outdoor Bar Area at the Showgrounds needed security screens manufactured and hung and, except for the locks (obtained via a trip to Murgon), the materials were all sourced locally. Innovative ideas and labour from Russ Mckenzie and Jeff Jordan assisted by Rob Evans had this job finished on time.
This allowed for us all to visit a huge feedlot with an excess of 15,000 cattle being fed for the market. The cattle are on-site for 100 days plus to put on weight with a diet of grain silage, corn and molasses which is computer-controlled to maximise returns.
The Golf Club, Pony Club and Show Society shouted us food and drinks on Friday night before we left. Though speeches were limited as the kids had to go to bed, Club and Society members thanked Mapleton Men’s Shed members profusely. Accordingly, a letter is to be sent to the local member recommending our club is mentioned in the Australia’s day honours next year as community service champions for Proston.
The Golf Club, Pony Club and Show Society shouted us food and drinks on Friday night before we left. Though speeches were limited as the kids had to go to bed, Club and Society members thanked Mapleton Men’s Shed members profusely. Accordingly, a letter is to be sent to the local member recommending our club is mentioned in the Australia’s day honours next year as community service champions for Proston.
Please check out the photos, below and click on any image for the slide show :-)
Bowra:
April 16, 2021 saw the departure of twenty-one Shed members and seven partners to Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary just outside Cunnamulla, in south-west Queensland. The goal of our group was to lend a hand at the property and carry out some much-needed repairs to existing structures.
Bowra was a working sheep station and cattle property of some 14,000 hectares until 2011 when it was acquired by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and established as a native animal sanctuary. The property has a large and varied bird population; hence the partnership with Birds Queensland. Much of the infrastructure that we saw on the property was tired and quite dilapidated.
The Men's Shed was alerted to the state of the property by one of our members, David McCauley who is a member of Birds Queensland and a frequent visitor to Bowra. It was decided that the provision of some repair and maintenance to the property was a project that a group of Mapleton Men’s Shed members could undertake.
Our group of volunteers was divided into a number of teams: two building teams; two fencing teams; a welding team, a sign building team; and our plumber. During our eight-day stay, Shed members installed four sets of stairs with landings; built and installed a set of front gates along with a mailbox with property sign and various handrails; renovated a shower block; stabilised and readied the floor of the shearing shed for a loading dock; repaired and improved various plumbing fixtures; removed and disposed of more than 3.5 km of fencing; and removed a number of sheep yards and races. We also routed, painted and installed 41 signs along with about a dozen trips to the Cunnamulla Transfer Station.
However, it wasn't all work. There was time for us all to sit and tell stories about the day's activities and share a cold drink in the afternoon. There was great camaraderie amongst our members and a feeling of accomplishment with what we had achieved during our short stay at Bowra.
Bowra was a working sheep station and cattle property of some 14,000 hectares until 2011 when it was acquired by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and established as a native animal sanctuary. The property has a large and varied bird population; hence the partnership with Birds Queensland. Much of the infrastructure that we saw on the property was tired and quite dilapidated.
The Men's Shed was alerted to the state of the property by one of our members, David McCauley who is a member of Birds Queensland and a frequent visitor to Bowra. It was decided that the provision of some repair and maintenance to the property was a project that a group of Mapleton Men’s Shed members could undertake.
Our group of volunteers was divided into a number of teams: two building teams; two fencing teams; a welding team, a sign building team; and our plumber. During our eight-day stay, Shed members installed four sets of stairs with landings; built and installed a set of front gates along with a mailbox with property sign and various handrails; renovated a shower block; stabilised and readied the floor of the shearing shed for a loading dock; repaired and improved various plumbing fixtures; removed and disposed of more than 3.5 km of fencing; and removed a number of sheep yards and races. We also routed, painted and installed 41 signs along with about a dozen trips to the Cunnamulla Transfer Station.
However, it wasn't all work. There was time for us all to sit and tell stories about the day's activities and share a cold drink in the afternoon. There was great camaraderie amongst our members and a feeling of accomplishment with what we had achieved during our short stay at Bowra.
Tenterfield:
On our latest BlazeAid expedition beginning on the 5th May, ten members, accompanied by three wives, journeyed to Tenterfield in NSW to participate in relief work for farmers whose properties were devastated by the February 2019 bushfires. By the next day most of us were out in the field clearing away old burnt-timber fence lines and replacing them, mostly, with steel picket and barb wire fences. The following Saturday, the whole camp travelled to the Tabulam Racecourse an hour east of Tenterfield where we assisted in fencing and restoring services to the course. The second week saw more of the same hard work particularly when working in burnt-out forest country and by the end of the week we were wending our way homewards feeling pretty exhausted but also satisfied that in a short time we had, again, been able to make a real contribution to helping people get back on their feet. The contribution made by our ladies (Sue, Ann and Pam) in the paddock and back at base was magnificent.
This marks the third year in a row that we have travelled to other areas such as Duneedoo, Proston and Tenterfield to help other communities in need.
On a final note, lots of clothing was thrown straight in the rubbish bin rather than trying to wash it clean.
Proston:
On Sunday 23rd September 2018, as a small Shed crew, we journeyed to Proston ninety minutes west of Gympie. We set up camp at the local Golf Club ready to spend the week lending a helping hand to this little town which is struggling with drought and a falling population. Power, water and an amenities block were provided by the club and we were warmly welcomed with a barbecue that evening. The stage was now set for an energetic and enjoyable week ahead.
On the Monday, Tim McCauley and Peter Gamgee set to work at the golf club, building an absolutely stunning new bar and servery.
Our in-house plumber, Gary Hansen, then attacked the roof which was falling into disrepair, re-screwing the sheeting and repairing guttering as well as checking and, where necessary, repairing pumps and other plumbing.
The rest of us: Jeff Jordan, Glen Rogers, Jim Watters, Graham Syphers, Col Young, Brian Harris, Laurie Gardener, Laurie Fisher and John Brady took on the exterior painting of the fairly large clubhouse. Like the roof, it was in a fairly sad state of repair and we must admit to patting ourselves on the back for doing what we believe was a beautifully finished job. Similarly, we also painted the amenities block and a timber storage shed. Following on, we then cleaned out the workshop resulting in three trailers of rubbish being sent to the dump. Finally, we also formed a 200-metre path at the Reinke Scrub Conservation Park, suitable for disabled access.
Fortunately, the weather was kind to us and we worked from 7.30 am to 4.00 pm every day. Not bad considering our average age was around the mid-seventies! Obviously, it wasn’t all work and no play as we did have some respite on Wednesday afternoon when we were taken fishing on Boondooma Dam with, sadly, some very mixed results. On Thursday night, we had a great camp fire gathering followed by free drinks at the Hivesville pub on Friday night. This was followed on Saturday morning by smoko with the members of the Proston Men’s Shed.
The locals were amazed at how well we functioned as a tight and effective, yet good-humoured working crew. They looked after us wonderfully. Apart from Wednesday evening when we patronised the local pub, beautiful meals were served up to us by the Golf Club Ladies and, on the Saturday evening, we were thanked with a farewell barbecue and speeches.
By 8.30 am Sunday, we had all broken camp and were on our way home after a very productive, most satisfying, friendly and fun-filled week representing our Shed in a little town that is doing it tough.
The rest of us: Jeff Jordan, Glen Rogers, Jim Watters, Graham Syphers, Col Young, Brian Harris, Laurie Gardener, Laurie Fisher and John Brady took on the exterior painting of the fairly large clubhouse. Like the roof, it was in a fairly sad state of repair and we must admit to patting ourselves on the back for doing what we believe was a beautifully finished job. Similarly, we also painted the amenities block and a timber storage shed. Following on, we then cleaned out the workshop resulting in three trailers of rubbish being sent to the dump. Finally, we also formed a 200-metre path at the Reinke Scrub Conservation Park, suitable for disabled access.
Fortunately, the weather was kind to us and we worked from 7.30 am to 4.00 pm every day. Not bad considering our average age was around the mid-seventies! Obviously, it wasn’t all work and no play as we did have some respite on Wednesday afternoon when we were taken fishing on Boondooma Dam with, sadly, some very mixed results. On Thursday night, we had a great camp fire gathering followed by free drinks at the Hivesville pub on Friday night. This was followed on Saturday morning by smoko with the members of the Proston Men’s Shed.
The locals were amazed at how well we functioned as a tight and effective, yet good-humoured working crew. They looked after us wonderfully. Apart from Wednesday evening when we patronised the local pub, beautiful meals were served up to us by the Golf Club Ladies and, on the Saturday evening, we were thanked with a farewell barbecue and speeches.
By 8.30 am Sunday, we had all broken camp and were on our way home after a very productive, most satisfying, friendly and fun-filled week representing our Shed in a little town that is doing it tough.
Some photos from Proston. Hover for info and click for
the slideshow :-)
The Mapleton Men's Shed workshops.