
Mooloolah Community Men’s Shed Inc. History
Mooloolah Community Men’s Shed Committee:
- President: Daniel Johns
- Vice President: Ron Flanigan
- Treasurer: Paul Laurie
- Secretary: Chuck Clutterbuck
- Committee Members:
- Trevor Stewart
- Neil Sutton
- Lindsay Price
- Peter Mansfield
- Dean Hall
Men of the Mooloolah Valley and surrounding areas will soon have a new place to socialise, support each other and contribute to the community with the construction on the long-awaited Mooloolah Valley Men’s Shed.
The idea started in 2019, and then of course Covid happened, and everything got slowed down.
After years of discussions, numerous setbacks and bureaucratic delays, the long-held vision for a Mooloolah Men’s Shed is finally set to become a reality, with a project completion date scheduled for mid-2023.
The shed was officially opened in April by Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace, however final certification is pending some final minor issues. We are expecting the doors will be open in the coming weeks.
The shed is located directly behind the Mooloolah Community Centre. The shed is approximately 400m2 consisting of a woodworking space, a metal workspace, general meeting area, kitchen and office space.
The shed was paid for by a Federal Government grant of $250,000. It is built on land behind the existing Mooloolah Valley Community Centre.
Like many during the COVID crisis, older men in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland faced severe social isolation. However, for men in regional communities the opportunities to find a place where they belong, can contribute to their community, and talk to people like them in a familiar environment can be few and far between.
By opening the Men’s Shed we have taken a major step forward in changing that in Mooloolah Valley and helping to support the mental and physical health of local men. The positive results will be felt in families across our region.
The new building will include workstations for a variety of wood and metal working equipment as well as social spaces.
This project is set to deliver a fantastic community facility for Mooloolah, and a proactive way to support the mental health and wellbeing of our men. The nearest existing Men’s Sheds are in Glasshouse Mountains and Maleny.
We look forward to creating a welcoming and safe space for our local men to connect and socialise with others, learn new skills, and explore hobbies and interests.
The MCMS association has around 60 members, ranging in age, and new members welcome. We are looking forward to see many more getting involved.
It’s great that we can give men a place to share skills, explore interests and hobbies and build relationships. A lot of men don’t naturally do that, so by offering a safe space for men to come together and connect we can also help support their mental health and wellbeing.
We would welcome the support of local businesses especially with the possibility of any businesses that may wish to become sponsors or assist in other ways.
Publicity Officer Daniel Johns said while he is relatively young in relation to some of the other members, he wanted to get involved with the Men’s Shed as he realised how important it was for local men to have a safe space to go to, a place where men could be comfortable to be able to talk freely, while encouraging a sense of belonging and value – especially in their community.
“I joined because I want to be part of the community and have the opportunity to give back.
“I love the idea of being able to connect with the older men of our community because they have so many skills and a great deal of knowledge to share,” said Daniel.
To find out more or to get involved, contact MCMS Secretary Chuck Clutterbuck 0408 887 626.