About

It all started when…

The Men's Shed opened in 2008 in a very old shed located within the Timbertown site on the Oxley Highway, Wauchope. The complex was under the control of Hastings Council.

As with most early Men's Sheds, it survived on a limited donation of goods, tools, situations and had no substantial financial support.

The Shed employed a paid shed coordinator and Mort Shearer became President.

ln 2010, Hastings Council sold “Timbertown” to a private concern and the Men's Shed agreement with Council was terminated and we were asked to vacate in May 2010.

After along search, replacement premises were agreed upon at Central Road, Port Macquarie. Members were then required to move all material from our

old shed to the new site. This meant that all gear and material was lumped into the new site in a haphazard arrangement which took a long time to sort out.

All members who had attended Wauchope now travelled into Port Macquarie. The site soon outgrew demand and a new site was sought at Wauchope.

President Mort Shearer, made bids for funding to build a new shed.

Committeeman Greg Cavanagh negotiated with Wauchope Showground Trust to allow erection of a shed on land designated by them with a long term lease.

The new shed was finished in November 2010 and some of the equipment and tools

previously taken to Port Macquarie were moved back to Wauchope. The shed and cement slab were supplied and erected by local businesses. Separate power and water were connected

to the shed. At this stage both the Wauchope and Port Macquarie sheds came under Hastings Men's shed management. The committee met at Port Macquarie.

At this time a new President Mal Merrick took the chair.

Membership grew at a steady rate and more finance became available and the Shed was able to purchase more substantial operating gear.

At a later date the Wauchope Shed created its own management team and ran separately from Port Macquarie.

Also, the Wauchope group was successful in obtaining a grant to extend the existing shed to allow for a separate dust free dining area.”

Grey Cavanagh, November 2023