“We constructed our own composting dunny, come check it out,” announces John Davidson, as he proudly throws open the door to the official throne of the Robe Men’s Shed. 

Boldly forging their own path through the national Men’s Shed movement, this crew of happy-go-lucky Robe locals are happy to smash any misconceptions out there about what goes on when the roller door rises.  

“We’re not very corporate,” Geoff said, with a grin. “There’s no strategic plans.” 

“They’re all different – Men’s Sheds,” John adds, “and there’s a preconceived idea that we fix things that are broken. 

“Well, occasionally we rattle the tools, but we don’t make wooden toys, we’re not a resource for folks in the community who want things fixed and none of us are particularly skilled.  

“We have a focus on mental health and community.”  

On a Tuesday morning, like so many other mornings before them, John and Geoff Wells are shooting the breeze, fuelled by numerous brews of strong John-made coffee. 

Fast friends and now President and Secretary, the pair were instrumental in the original shed concept back in 2014. 

Continually coming across each other at council meetings, it was an idea planted by Robe’s then-Mayor, who kept on mentioning how good it would be to have a localised version of the fast-growing Men’s Shed concept. 

With solid professional backgrounds between the pair, the two men put their skills to work, writing a constitution, organising insurance and arranging a peppercorn lease with council on a vacant block of land on Evans Cave Rd. 

Applying for two grants, the pair’s hard work was rewarded with $10k from the Stand Like Stone “OneFortyOne Community Capacity Building” grants, and an additional $10k from local organisation Barefoot Benefit. 

“That gave us the $20k to get started. So, we built a shed,” John said. 

“Without OneFortyOne and Stand Like Stone Foundation, there wouldn’t be a Robe Men’s Shed. it’s as simple as that.” 

Local contractors and organisations gave their time and energy to help the level the block, get the shed up and add in a water tank and pump, while member Gary Thomas built the composting toilet they’re so proud of.  

In 2017, the newly christened Robe Men’s Shed opened its roller doors for the first time.  

“As you can see, we haven’t done any major improvements,” Geoff tips a wink, while surveying the bare interior. “It just works for us.” 

 Whatever your background or demographic, when you walk in the door, you’re equally welcome and ‘floating’ is how Geoff describes their membership.  

A more solid indicator of numbers is the 22 coffee cups on the wall.  

From early in the morning, the group of regulars start to wander in, make a coffee and sit down for a banter.  

Members might choose to pick up a ‘work-tray’ and get stuck into wood carving to ceramics, or head out the back to sort through the huge amounts of bottles and cans recycled from the town’s pubs and hotels, which have helped make the organisation financially self-sufficient. 

But many come for the banter alone. 

“Talking is one of the lost arts,” John said. “It’s a talk fest for people who don’t have a voice.” 

Nothing is off topic and downloading is welcomed, but there’s a strict five-minute limit imposed on so-called ‘medical nonsense’.  

“The shed is a place where you can come, be yourself and not be required to do anything,” John said.  

“You can sit on the couch, you can sit by the fire, read a book, you don’t have to justify anything, apart from respect and decency.” 

Today, the conversation rambles from council matters to the day’s surf forecast, ageing bodies and local indigenous recognition, but Geoff recalls many times over the shed’s history when members have brought in far more than small talk. 

“You have to have that small talk to create an environment of trust so then people will share,” said Geoff.  

 Geoff remembers one night a regular came in, in dire need of some help. 

 ‘He wasn’t looking well, and I asked him ‘how you doing mate?’ and then he got talking.  

“It turned out he was a Vietnam vet, returned, and part of a little group who’d stay in touch and one of them went out and shot himself. That’s what he was dealing with. 

“And he was able to talk about it enough. I guess that’s part of what this is about.” 

To John, the shed serves as a place where people who haven’t felt particularly ‘heard’ in their lives can feel safe to speak out. 

“Let’s face it, we’re all in some level of mental health and wellbeing at various times of our lives or the year, or week, or month,” he said. 

“At our age, things turn up, let’s be honest and you just have to deal with them,” Geoff adds.  

Eight years on, there’s a few plans on the horizon for Evans Cave Road but nothing too stressful. 

The freshly planted vines will be coaxed over the back of the shed as a shade house so the members can enjoy the famous Robe summer. Perhaps some shed fortification, maybe some solar panels. 

“We want to keep it simple. We’ve resisted getting ahead of ourselves.” John said.  

As Geoff quips, they could spend time lobbying and seeking extra funding but “I’ve spent forty years doing that’. 

“The more that the community is aware that the Men’s Shed is a no-pressure environment, that you don’t have to be a man to roll up here, it’s a community space. If you can’t find anywhere else to go, come to the Men’s Shed.” 

“It’s comforting, I find it a great comfortable place. The security of this place is something I value a lot and it’s a home away from home,” John said.  

“It’s a sacred place,” Geoff adds. “There are no expectations. You can be who you are.” 

This story is part of Stand Like Stone Foundation’s 20 Years of Giving Back storytelling series.