Broken chair? Blown amp? Busted washing machine? They don’t have to be thrown away! These Mid Mountains fixers and makers will revive them.
Key Points:
Waste is a huge global problem with 99 percent of new purchases getting thrown away within 6 months.
Repairing, mending, repurposing and regifting can reduce waste going into landfill.
Here in the Mid Mountains we have a plethora of repairers and makers, swappers and repurposers ready to help extend the life of our goods.
In the Japanese art of Kintsugi, or ‘golden joinery,’ a lacquer mixed with powered gold is used to visibly repair broken ceramics. The artwork honours the imperfection, highlighting the breakage as part of the object’s history, rather than using it as a reason to throw the thing away. While the practice can be viewed as both art and philosophy, it is also quite simply… waste-reducing.
This results in 2,120,000,000 tons of waste being dumped on the planet every year.
Whether for the sake of art, like Kintsugi, or for the environment, mending, fixing, repurposing, regifting and repairing things instead of throwing them away are simple ways we can reduce these numbers. Here in the Blue Mountains, the ease of disposability is being challenged and matched by fixers, menders and repairers of all sorts. Below is a guide to a few excellent options you will find in the Mid Mountains.
Not quite kintsugi, but philosophically aligned, this visibly mended garment by Mid Mountains’ Robyn Maloney embraces the ‘imperfection’ and extends its life.
Needle vs Thread
From the owner: “Needle vs Thread is a multidisciplinary design studio and upholstery workshop based in Hazelbrook.
For 16 years, Kirrily Walker has built a brand and reputation based around handmade vegan bags and accessories. In 2022, upholstery and furniture restoration joined the list of what we do.
Our upholstery services include:
Full reupholstery of dining chairs, armchairs, sofas, ottomans and outdoor furniture
New cushions including bench/window seat cushions and outdoor cushions
Replacement cushion covers or foam inserts
Zipper, webbing and frame repairs and timber restoration.”
This is a local, family-owned business, employing local artisans and makers.
From the owner: “The Australian Repair Shop has become the ‘go to’ workshop for just about every conceivable repair. From traditional woodwork and metalwork, ceramics, leatherwork, upholstery, jewellery, clockmaking, lead lights, picture framing, toys & collectables, electrical and all the modern technologies like laser engraving, CNC routing and 3D printing. Our range of services is exhaustive and there’s almost no trade we don’t offer, we are also continuing to expand our range of services to ensure we are a genuine ‘one-stop-shop’ for all repairs and personalised projects.
Our business is a combination of social enterprise with an ethos of upcycling and sustainability, backed by: Good ‘old fashioned’ trade services.”
Location: 481 Great Western Highway, Faulconbridge NSW 2776
Trading hours: Weekdays 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm
Mark from The Australian Repair Shop says they have a go at fixing anything that can fit through the door. Their full story can be read here.
Central Mountains Men’s Shed
The Men’s Shed is a great option for those wishing to repair or create their own things. Whether you are a beginner wanting to upskill, or an expert wanting the company of others and/or the shared use of space and tools, the Shed is welcoming to all (not just men!).
You can drop into the Men’s Shed Tuesday-Thursday at 5-17 Queens Road, Lawson
A handful of fixers at the Men’s Shed in Lawson. Read our full story on the Men’s Shed here.
Blue Mountains Women’s Shed
Similarly to the Men’s Shed, the Women’s Shed is a place to upskill or use your existing skills to mend, repair and create your own things in a shared space, using shared tools. The Women’s Shed is specifically for women.
From the owner: “I’m a qualified Engineer with over 30 years experience supporting individual musicians to achieve their best tonal quality possible through modifications, repairs or re-builds of their amplifiers or guitars. Also offering custom builds.
I am passionate about re-furbishing ‘Phoenixing’ old vacuum tube guitar amps and stereo amplifiers built in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. Bringing them back to useful life and out of the appalling ‘land fill’ generation that has been created by cheap overseas manufacturing processes!”
Guy Saltis will repair guitars of all varieties as well as violins, cellos, violas and double basses.
Location – Lawson
Contact: 0405 006 465
Photo supplied.
Boomerang Bags
Turn fabric waste into bags and other useful items with Boomerang Bags Blue Mountains. Sewing bees are open to all and held every first Saturday of the month. You can hone your sewing skills and help the planet at the same time.
For our earlier story on Boomerang Bags Blue Mountains click here.
Australian Parents 4 Climate Action Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains branch of Australian Parents 4 Climate Action offers an excellent regifting opportunity for parents – quarterly kids’ clothes and toy swaps held at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre in Lawson.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Join the Planetary Health Centre this Sat 6 Dec for the last Skill Share Saturday of the year: Qigong at 9am, Seed Saving & Gardening Group at 10am, and Bushcare at 1.30pm. One perfect day with great company, great coffee and food, and great steps for living a healthy balanced life, while also contributing to the health of our planet for present and future generations. All ages welcome!
Registration links in profile and below.
Register for Qigong here: https://bit.ly/48wlHjD Register for Seed Saving & Gardening here: https://bit.ly/4prcRe7 Register for Bushcare here: https://bit.ly/4oAFDrz
We have a rare opportunity to learn about the newest and best possible ways to support family and community members struggling with mental health issues, at a free talk and afternoon tea provided by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 Nov. Hear from Peter Joseph AM, Chair of the Black Dog Institute, and Professor Helen Christensen AO, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute. They`ll be in conversation with journalist Emma Rossi. Dr Christensen is a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
This Saturday Sherlie McMillan from Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be running a workshop on How to use a sewing machine from 9am at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Learn how to set up a machine, service it, troubleshoot when it`s not sewing correctly, and learn some basic sewing skills.
Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-use-your-sewing-machine
NB. This class is a prerequisite for our very popular Fashion Upcycling classes held once a month.
We`re thrilled to announce that Professor Helen Christensen, a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression, will be joining the conversation with Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute and journalist Emma Rossi at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 November. Helen was the Executive Director and Chief Scientist for the Black Dog Institute for 10 years and has now been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. This free event is being co-hosted by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Human composting is increasingly being legalised around the world. Read about it in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/legalising-human-composting/
If you’d like to see this option available in NSW you can now sign a live petition to the NSW Parliament here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/43QIHbz
Thanks to everyone who contributed to deliver a fantastic Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day yesterday. @mark_greenhill_mayor opened the event at which we celebrated the 13th birthday of Betty the Asbestos Education House; @firecoat_au demonstrated and launched its range of fire retardant products that can help protect homes, gardens and even electricity poles; the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit was launched; Santa arrived and delighted young and old; and @plantinspired99 and Action for Animals fed us all with a delicious plant-based sausage sizzle. The day was filled with talks, workshops, stalls and the sharing of a huge amount of expertise to keep us, and the other species we share our planet with, safe and healthy! @southkatoomba.rfb @nswses @fireandrescuensw @nswrfs @redcrossleura @redcrossau @shelter.building.design @firehalo.au @asbestosawareness @amelie_ecology @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @handsheartfeet
Our marquee is up and we`re excited about our Expo and Family Day tomorrow (Sat 22 Nov). There`s something for everyone from a free sausage sizzle, plants from Santa and drumming and pollinator workshops, to sessions on keeping you and our community safe from extreme weather events and hazardous substances like mould and asbestos. Learn how intumescent paints can slow the spread of fire and pick up a sample pot; check out all our emergency service organisations; learn how to dispose of hazardous materials; paint a native orchid, make some seed balls or sew a boomerang bag to give as plastic-free Christmas presents this year; enjoy coffee and locally made sweets; and get tips on how to retrofit your home safely and beautifully to be prepared for future extreme weather events. View the full program and register here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many new and innovative ways of doing things, like the new cooking techniques being explored by Michael from Good Fat Pastry, and the new fire protection methods being launched at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Check out Michael’s recent presentation at the Food Security Fair in our video here: https://bit.ly/4pnXbIg (link in profile) and come along to taste his delicious carrot cake and pastries at the Expo on Saturday. Check out the program and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
In 2006 Peter Joseph’s son Michael suicided after a 14-year episodic battle with mental illness. Peter is now the Chair of the Black Dog Institute which is working to achieve better outcomes for all those struggling with mental health issues. Journalist Emma Rossi will engage Peter in an intimate and moving conversation about a life of purpose and mental health advocacy. As a Rotary scholar Peter will also reflect on how Rotary helped shape his values and sense of purpose as a young man - and how those early lessons continue to guide his work today. This free event is being hosted by the Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary Club and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative on Saturday 29 November from 2-4pm at the Planetary Health Centre at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Learn about intumescent fire retardant paint and a range of other strategies to prepare for extreme weather events, and to manage hazardous materials, at the upcoming Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre on Sat 22 Nov. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J We checked out how intumescent paint works in this video.
When temperatures reach a certain point the intumescent paint begins to swell and expand, often up to 50 times its original thickness. It forms a thick, carbonaceous "char" that acts as an insulating barrier. This layer slows the rate at which heat reaches the structural elements and buys valuable time for people to safely exit a building during a fire. It makes the structure safer for firefighters and rescue teams. #intumescentpaint #fireretardant #bushfire @firecoat_au...
Mould, lead paint, asbestos, silica dust from engineered stone bench tops and a wide range of chemicals, are amongst some of the many hazardous substances entering our environment and negatively impacting our health. Asbestos is found in over 3000 products including textured paints, moulded garden pots, brake pads and clutch linings in older cars, floor and ceiling tiles, lino, fibro, roofing, pipes and gutters, hot water systems, backing for switchboards and insulation boards in air-conditioning ducts, insulation, sealants, fillers, caulking and adhesives, gaskets for industrial and lab equipment and more. We’ll have information to take away and Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos and Hazardous Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) will be running free workshops on how to identify and manage these hazardous substances at the Planetary Health Centre`s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. Find out more and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are you ready for the next bushfire, heatwave or flood? Why not take steps to prepare at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Award-winning Hempcrete designer Kirstie Wulf from @shelter.building.design will share 10 steps to build or renovate for sustainability and resilience; engineer Mark Liebman will share how you can build a green roof to reduce stormwater runoff and cool your building; Dr Agnieszka Wujeska-Klause will share research results on the most appropriate actions to lower heat in summer and help you use a thermal imaging camera to identify which surfaces retain the most heat; Frank Inzitari will introduce you to the @firehalo.au which can help reduce ember attack; and a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will work with you to use the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit to design your own personal bushfire plan. We`ll also be launching Firecoat`s new Bushfire Home Protection Kit. Learn more and register to attend here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Belle Butler is a writer, musician and occasional photographer. She likes mix-and-matching these artforms and often explores the same themes through each of them. Her short fiction has been published in numerous Australian literary journals and she recently received a WestWords Fellowship and Mentorship with Delia Falconer for her novel manuscript, ‘River.’ Hopefully it will be published one day.
The Homes for Older Women (HOW) program is a successful community-based solution to the national housing crisis. Since launching in May last year, the Blue Mountains not-for-profit has secured accommodation for 47 older women facing housing insecurity and homelessness.
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