Stop before you throw that broken item in the bin!

WynnumCentral reported on the opening of the Repair Café Brisbane Bayside in Wynnum in February last year, and we are delighted to report that it continues to go from strength to strength, saving all sorts of things that would otherwise be thrown in the bin and making them work again. Their motto is – perhaps unsurprisingly – ‘Toss it? No way!’

Thanks to its focus on saving things from going to landfill, it was recently a WasteSMART Brisbane Awards finalist, a scheme that recognises groups that go above and beyond to make Brisbane a clean, green, sustainable city.

The Repair Café is able to fix all sorts of things, from bikes to radios, clocks, cooking equipment, household appliances, clothes, furniture, toys, lamps, leatherwork, garden tools, and more.

Repairs are performed free of charge but visitors to the Repair Café pay for any parts or materials used. Donations help maintain a stock of consumables and cover other costs. Visitors watch the repair process and are encouraged to get involved with the repair -creating an opportunity to learn how things work and how they can be fixed.

The ‘fixers’ (for want of a better name) enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of returning an item to working order, fixing a broken toy, or repairing a piece of clothing and they can also provide advice on repair and maintenance of household items generally.

The stats are impressive – fixers and volunteers have so far dedicated over 300 hours preventing 160 repairable items with a total weight of 450 kgs going to landfill!

If you have a few items hanging around the house that need fixing, these are the dates to put in your diary…

Saturday 11th February 2pm-4pm (bookings closed)
Saturday 11th March 2pm-4pm
Saturday 15th April 2pm-4pm

The Repair Café Brisbane Bayside is based at the Waterloo Bay Leisure Centre at 241 Tingal Road, Wynnum.

Check their Facebook page for updates and to book in – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075836752038