Castlemaine Repair Cafe

The Castlemaine (and surrounds) Repair Café is a regular event where people from the community volunteer to repair items. Information is collected on each item repaired, including its weight, so a record is kept detailing how much material is kept out of landfill for longer. Repairs could be electrical, picture frames, sometimes small pieces of furniture, machine sewing repairs and hand sewing, darning and bicycle maintenance.

The cafe started in April 2017 and happens on the last Sunday of every month at Castlemaine Community House. A gold coin donation is requested to cover costs, but otherwise payment is not mandatory.

ZNET: emission avoidance and drawdown

  • Enabling re-use through repair, reducing emissions through rejecting consumerism and keeping items/materials circulating and out of landfill for longer

ADAPT: people, places and sectors are climate ready

  • Enables our local community to be more interdependent and community-reliant, working in solidarity.
  • Supports sharing knowledge and skills about how to repair, mend and make items last longer

REGENERATIVE CULTURE: embrace caring for Country and Community, working creatively and a just society

  • Changes mindsets from shopping and consuming to making things last longer.
  • Supports altruistic attitudes that value community mindedness