Our Story

History of the Shed

The Carina Men’s Shed was started in 2009 in a garage under the house of our late founder Georgie Hickey, in Norcombe St, Carina. It was the fourth Men’s Shed to open in Queensland. Membership grew quickly and, within two years, with support from the Camp-Hill Carina Welfare Association and the State Government,  the Shed relocated to a new, purpose-built structure on the Clem Jones Centre campus in Carina. Since then, the building  has been extended and membership has grown to almost 100.

Facilities

The building occupied in 2011 was a 150m2 workshop equipped for craft work in wood, metal and then glass.  In 2013, with the availability of further funding, a large recreation room and office were added to the complex, allowing the variety of activities on offer to expand considerably.

How the Shed operates

The Carina Men’s Shed is a member of the Queensland Men’s Shed Association, and the Australian Men’s Shed Association which now represents more than 1000 Sheds throughout Australia.

Ours is a big Shed – with more than three times the membership level of the average Shed in Australia, so we need to have a significant level of organisation for the Shed to operate effectively. Under the Shed Constitution, the Shed has an Executive Committee, six management committees (Workshop Activities, Recreation Room Activities, Funding and Grants, Membership and Welfare, Marketing and Training) on which more than a dozen different Common Interest Groups and other activities are represented so both representation and responsibility are shared throughout the organisation.

How the Shed is funded

Since its inception, the Carina Men’s Shed has received significant financial grants from government and other sources, and we continue to seek grants. However, while we appreciate the backing of our supporters, we aim to be as financially independent as possible, particularly in covering operating costs. To do this, funds are raised through annual membership fees and levies, selling our craftwork at fetes and other public events, and donations.