One of our best inventions

Is the silage maker. Don't let your grass clipping simply rot away. Sequester them. Use them to feed the animals around your home in the lean times. Delicious and nutritious. Click here . If you want to know more about why sequestering is better than rotting the materials OR if you want detailed specifications on how to make your very own high quality silage ---contact the Centre.

Toys and toy repairs are OUR speciality

 We recently completed  this dolls house for grandchildren of a mother who died unexpectedly before being able to finish it herself . 







Tractor bucket needed new bearing lift mechanism

 New toys being built recently

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Before and After

 Participants and members of the CLC have used our extensive design software resources to plan buildings and playground improvements - plans being  needed for approval .


Here the great artwork by an early workskills artist is being preserved by the pergola .

 Sandpit for the playgroup  was proposed to include 2 wood cypress tree stumps carved into poop deck and front boom with plastic masts and rope sail line

Fertilizer boxes, Herb gardens and brilliant floor planning and execution

Kevin and  Graeme  have recently helped set up new fertilizer boxes for the garden and herb garden boxes for the disabled . Months earlier they carried out excellent planning and execution of floor changes . Others who would rather their names were not mentioned , repainted and decorated the hall - now popular for community singing .

Thanks fellas

Garden plots and great herbs are available from Colac's first community garden

Dave does a great job keeping things going in the garden.
Like participants before him , mulch is a speciality

During the year we lost Dave who participated in the Pathways program and contributed significantly over many years , always making himself available for maintenance jobs.


Hope you got to see his paintings which were on display in the hall
This character of Colac and our congregation will be missed .

What's not happening

Well  quite a bit is still happening.. You will be lucky to find a clamp for your work
but ....due to family and writing commitments I am doing less
- not updating this site as much as I should
-The blokes group has gone weekly and to a new venue with lots  more funding - though we still have plans for more shed visits.
-Pathways has stopped providing the  service for woodwork and craftwork on Mondays due to funding / personel issues ,( recently lost Dave who contributed significantly around the property ) .

-Woodwork program under WFD  is still  operating Tuesdays and Thursdays ( noticed the amount of sawdust?)
- Dave is still busy in the garden and on grounds
- A few other people who help lots like Kevin and Graeme are not presently working on site . Haven't they done a great job on the floors for example.
- Walking  craft  and counselling still use the house . See the calendar
- We have done a review of the activities on site ( now out on DVD )
-COMING UP  Preparations  are  being made to launch the reading room in April .

If you live in the area please drop in, pick some herbs for tea , or give a us a ring and join in 

Community projects completed

Back seats for the Guidehall

Reusing and Recycling the Red Bins

thanksfor the fun for kids

good silage mate

Boys loved basketball

Potmovers were the most popular

ladder makes compaction possible

Garden cart becomes billycart only when needed


Also we produced a basketball hoop and kids slide for the show .Thanks to all those who offered us bins .
Those of you who want to recycle those red bins might like to consider some options listed HERE. We are hoping , in conjunction with the Shire, to reuse many of those not wanted,( rather than completely recycle the materials), for a wide variety of local projects, including some really fun things for the big and little boys amongst us HERE (only a few listed on the website at present).

What's new in Winter ?

Well if you need to keep warm and keep fit- there are some great energetic exercise classes in the hall run by Nat .( In the lounge while the election is on )
Pat has espaliered the apples and pears ( on the workshop wall) in the backyard so if want to do same with yours, take note .
Is it time to prune? Yes for most things except peaches apricots and nectarines- summer or autumn or better.

In the garden there is a space for you

Well just for the moment- if you are quick!. Dave has been doing a great job pulling weeds and setting up the beds for planting. See Judy if you would like a spot - for a small contribution --we water you weed ---(your plot).
Phil and the boys have set up an excellent trellis wall to add to the growing enthusiasm for berries, building on the good work of Paul in adding many more horticultural elements to the garden last year .These herbs in boxes are another of Paul's initiatives.
Grab some while you are here next time .

What's happening ?

Try clicking on " what's on " in the sidebar.
Well , it is a little quiet; After all, the days are short and home is more comfortable ( except when we are roasting potatoes for lunch as we will be on saturday .
What are we doing on Saturday morning - making presents - keyboards for keys (under the bails!)

Ready for your artwork?

The hall now has a rail to hang craft and other artwork. Maybe its time to exhibit some of our collection?

The Garden going great

Thanks to Paul's great interest and care , we have beautiful brocholli and a great variety of interesting things coming on. Notice the strawberries.

Learning to laminate

Amongst the many new skills aquired by the blokes this spring was the business of getting the laminate edged and looking good; especially on the draws below. Here the unique design of steel hardwood and laminate combine to good effect.

Boys days

During the school holidays we have a few mornings to make/fix things together . Always good fun ---ask about the next one. Last month we even had time to play air hockey after repairing some old chairs.

Notice the 3 row elevated platform below the feet, we made to make it easy for kids to swing a hammer near a vice. The blokes in the workshop, who made them, find its also great for planing tall objects like doors.

Using cypress wood

One of the best resources we have at our doorstep in the ageing cypress trees all around the district ( "Western district cypress") Here we have made some new seats for the playgroup mothers with loacl tea tree as the border . This month too we made gumboot throw trophies to celebrate the great contribution our gumboot runners( like Cliff Young) have made to the district . Its so much fun to work with !.

CD + DVD storage systems

Following on from Darren's interesting black( jarrah stain ) and white use of chip board offcuts , Daniel has cut the top out of a old TV stand to make a easy access CD storage system for someone with limited reaching movement in hospital in Colac . Looks great , is strong and like many projects use srecycled materials .

Playgroup entertainment

I don't mind doing the work, but i don't really like all the publicity. When are they leaving ?

Pergola art

Rob and the guys have done great work that enhances the earlier art