Author: Ian Maxwell

The Wanaka Community Workshop hosts MINT each month. MINT supports those in Upper Clutha Area with intellectual disabilities. This month the MINT team started on their largest project at the Workshop – two Corn Hole Game Boards and eight cloth bags with which to play. The Boards are being built with the support of the…

The Wanaka Community Workshop welcomes donations of wood and construction materials. The MenShed Team use the material to create products which support the local community. Some of this material is large. Some is small – just off-cuts. This week the team have been focusing re-using the off-cuts. We have been building a range of wooden…

MINT is an organisation which works with members of our community who have intellectual difficulties. Every month the MenShed team operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop hosts a visit from MINT. The visit is part of a comprehensive program developed by MINT. For each visit the MenShed team fabricate a project for our visitors to…

This week the Wanaka Community Workshop hosted the Wanaka Repair Event. The Repair Event was organised and delivered by Wanaka Wastebusters. The Wanaka Repair Event was one of four similar events that Wanaka Wastebusters have organised across the district. The Event bought together volunteers who repaired clothing, electrical and electronic goods, bicycles and furniture. Local…

This week the MenShed team hosted a film crew. The crew were at the Wanaka Community Workshop preparing a video for BREEN Construction. With their head office in Alexandra BREEN Construction has been a leader of the construction industry across the Upper Clutha since 1939. Part of that leadership focuses upon minimising construction waste. The…

This week Gerald and Jim Bob completed one of the largest projects undertaken by the MenShed team. Six Dog Boxes. The Dog Box’s will house dogs that are deployed to manage a range of animal pests across our region. Each has been built from materials that would have otherwise gone to waste. Great stuff Gerald…

This week Wanaka has hosted the WAO Summit as part of the 2022 Festival for Sustaintability. The Wanaka Community Workshop was an active participant in the Festival. The Workshop hosted a cycle maintenance event early in October. During the Summit the Workshop hosted a session focussed upon reducing waste resulting from construction. Members of the…

Every so often folk drop into the Wanaka Community Workshop seeking that something be repaired. Recently the team from the MenShed completed a stand for a peice of garden art. It was an important peice, designed and built by their late Dad. It’s great having the opportunity to make a difference.

A three month trial of a community bus service linking Wanaka, Albert Town Hawea Flat and Lake Hawea is underway. The trial has been developed by Community Networks / LINK. This week the Team at the MenShed operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop received a call for help. Could we construct a light but strong…

During this month the Wanaka Community Workshop hosted a couple of training sessions. Each session attracted people in search of advice on how best to maintain their bikes. The sessions were part of a much larger Biketober program of events which run right through the month of October. Biketober is managed and deployed by WAO…

Pact is a Otago based agency supporting people to lead fulfilling lives in the community. In our district Pact supports over 300 adults and youth with intellectual disabilities, mental health issues and young people referred from Oranga Tamariki. Recently the MenShed team hosted our first visit from Pact that included support people along with those…

fabricate is up and running at the Wanaka Community Workshop. fabricate is all about textiles and sewing. Program’s to teach sewing and pattern making skills has commenced. More are planned. Members of our community are are dropping in to undertake their own work and repairs. Its great to see people learning new skills – taking…

The Wanaka Community Workshop provides a range of opportunities for our local community. This includes travelers who pass through our town and region. Recent projects undertaken by the MenShed team have benefited from the time and skills of visitors from France. As members of the Workshop during their period in Wanaka our visitors took the…

Over the last month the MenShed completed a few projects for the Montessori Childrens House in Wanaka. The projects included a table for kids to practice their wood working skills, a cupboard in which to store their wood working tools and finally, a table upon which they can grow plants and seedlings. This week Montessori…

Recently the team at the MenShed completed a work table for the kids at Montessori Childrens House – a pre school in Wanaka. This week a small cupboard was delivered by the team. Mounted on wheels for easy moving about, the cupboard will store the tools the kids can use on the work table. Its…

Grow Wanaka has created vibrant educational hub at their community garden where folk can learn, connect and grow The community garden is located on Outlet Road, Wanaka – just above the Clutha River. Community Networks food security project operating from the Wanaka Community Hub have led the development of food banks and food exchanges across…

Over recent weeks the team at the MenShed has designed and built two tables for the MINT Trust. The tables can be adjusted – the tops can be raised or lowered. The tops can also be set at an angle making them suitable for drawing or painting. Construction of the tables has involved fine wood…

Skinks and geckos are lizards – the only two native families of lizard found in New Zealand. Our skink and gecko species have been around a long time – at least 20 million years. They occur only in New Zealand. Some species are restricted to habitats found only in Otago. As these habitats change, our skinks and gecko’s…

Wanaka is a great community. This week members of our community invested their support for the Wanaka Community Workshop by donating machinery. In turn the machinery will be used by the Workshop to support the Wanaka community Our scroll saw has seen great service with its previous owner. Over the last decade over 4000 wooden…

The MenShed team operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop love making things. That said the team also enjoy each other company. Mostly this takes place over a cup of tea of coffee at the Workshop. From time to time we also get out. This month we had a picnic with the Friends of Bullock Creek.…

The Upper Clutha is home to an amazing array of insects. Many are unique reflecting our dry and alpine environments. Iconic among New Zealand insects is the Weta. Species of Weta are found among our highest alpine peaks down to forests along the shores of our lakes. Recently the team at the MenShed have been…

This month Di dropped in to give the team at the MenShed a hand. She joined JimBob in creating a small table – a table for kids to try out their woodworking skills. A table upon which a hammer may be used, a saw or a screwdriver. Thanks to JimBob, the design of the table…

Its great to experience what the Friends of Bullock Creek have established over the years. The restoration of the natural environment and the development of of walkways and informative signage is a joy. The Friends are more than this however. The Friends act as guardians to ensure the natural waters of Bullock Creek and our…

Wanaka Backyard Trapping is a community organisation all about giving the local native wildlife a hand. They do this by enabling residents across the Upper Clutha to trap predators in their backyards. Wanaka Backyard Trapping manages a trap library. People can borrow for free traps from the library to target rats, stoats and other predators…

The Winter snows abound on the hills and mountains above Wanaka. Its great to see large numbers of visitors back in town. It’s not only visitors who ski but locals as well. This includes supporters of the Wanaka Community Workshop. While we are known for working with wood and soon textiles, we do have other…

fabricate is located within the Wanaka Community Workshop. Fabricate is providing opportunities for members of the community to learn skills associated with textiles and clothing. Its early days for fabricate and final fitting out of the workspace is underway. The team from the MenShed right next door is helping out. This month desks have been…

The team at the MenShed gathers each Tuesday and Thursday mornings. During this time we make stuff – often from recycled materials and always for the community. However during this time there is always time for a brew. Its a great opportunity to catch up and solve the worlds problems. This week we also welcomed…

WAI Wānaka is an organisation. An organisation made up of passionate people working toward empowering communities to understand natural waters such as lakes and streams, their environment, and their impact. The team from the MenShed regularly work with WAI Wānaka. This week the team delivered a interactive display board that will be used to help…

This week the MenShed team from the Wanaka Community Workshop prepared a small seedling tray The tray is the first of a dozen or more that will be distributed to pre schools across the Upper Clutha. The idea is the brain child of Jo from the Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust. Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust is…

Last week the Wanaka Community Workshop welcomed back MINT. MINT is our local community trust which supports those in Upper Clutha Area with intellectual disabilities. As part of their comprehensive program MINT visits the Wanaka Community Workshop each month. Our team at the Wanaka Community Workshop really appreciates the opportunity to work with MINT. This…

A few weeks back the team at the MenShed completed new nesting platforms for the Wanaka population of the rare and endangered Crested Grebes. The platforms were of an enhanced design that reflected experience with the birds over recent years. The platforms were recently placed into Roys Bay near the marina and just offshore from…

After weeks of planning and effort Fabricate is now operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop. Fabricate brings to the Wanaka an opportunity for the community to create with textiles. The first sewing machines are in place with more to follow. Fabricate is calling for donations to help with their set up. Members of our great…

Changes are nearing completion at the Wanaka Community Workshop. A new space has been created. The space is known as Fabricate and will focus upon working with textiles – sewing, stitching, upholstery etc. It’s going to be great – a whole new opportunity for our community. Fabricate is the brain child of Sue and Claire…

For members of the MenShed its great to see projects they have worked on serving their intended purpose. Over recent weeks three food banks have been delivered – to the Wanaka Community Hub, the Wanaka Recreation Centre and at Lugate. Each provides an opportunity to share local produce and to reduce the cost of feeding…

At times one just needs a break. While its sunny, its also cool – the first snows have fallen in Wanaka. Time for mid year Christmas! This week the team at the Menshed had an extended tea break – complete with cake and a rather dubious Christmas tree. Its great to get stuff done but…

The Friends of Bullock Creek recently completed an extension to their walkway. The walkway enables easy access to this wonderful ecological gem located within the urban area of Wanaka. The Friends have over the years been the catalyst behind the restoration and protection of Bullock Creek and the fresh wayer springs which are its source.…

A few weeks back the Wanaka Community Workshop hosted Wanaka Backyard Trapping – an agency promoting the trapping of pests by local land owners. Wanaka Backyard Trapping introduced the concept of a trap library – traps that people may borrow, much like people borrow books from the library. The traps have been a roaring success.…

The Wanaka Community Workshop has been operating for about a year. Starting off small, one of our initial projects was the fabrication of gnome houses. Each was then painted by kids from Duke of Edinburgh and William Pike then erected adjacent to the children’s pump cycle track in Bremner Bay. It was a great project…

All stormwater that falls upon land across the Upper Clutha eventually drains into our Lakes and Rivers. Stormwater is not pure. It picks up and takes with it materials and chemicals that our natural waters can do without. Furthermore many of us directly pour liquids we no longer want for ourselves down the stormwater drain…

The newest member of the New Zealand’s network of lilliput libraries stands just outside the main public entrance to the Wanaka Recreation Centre. Lilliput number 305 is managed by staff at Wanaka Library. Since established Lilliput 305 has been busy – on average 23 books every day are being withdrawn. A few weeks back, the…

Recently the team from the Men’s Shed have been working with the Department of Conservation piloting a new design for traps. The traps are intended for Norwegian Rats which reside on islands within Lake Wanaka. The islands are also home to rare Weka – curious birds with long beaks. The new traps are longer. They…

This week the team at the Mens Shed were preparing for the next visit by the MINT Charitable Trust to the Wanaka Community Workshop. The MINT Trust support those in Upper Clutha Area with intellectual disabilities. Each visit to the Wanaka Community Workshop involves practicable work assembling an item that can be taken home. The…

This week members of the Mens Shed working from the Wanaka Community Workshop completed a job for the Friends of Bullock Creek. Bullock Creek emerges from ground water springs and runs through Wanaka entering the Lake adjacent to Dinosaur Park. The stream is a treasured natural icon of our town. Over many years the Friends…

It makes a difference to grow your own vegetables – a taste difference for us and its easier on the planet. This week the team from the Mensshed operating from the Wanaka Community Workshop built a structure to house a raised garden. The new garden will serve a number of our elder residents of Wanaka.…