Activities

Social, cultural, artisan, making & repair, gardening — and the FACT special interest group.

Monday	Shed open 9:00am–2:00pm · Pool tournament (late morning)
Tuesday	Shed open 9:00am–2:00pm · Music group (ukuleles, guitars, percussion, singing) · Karaoke with Eric (around midday)
Wednesday	Shed open 9:00am–1:00pm · Woodwork (Shed 2) · Leathercraft (Shed 2)
Thursday	Shed open (morning) · Golf at Corinda · Performance band practice (“No Strings Attached”) · Pool practice
Friday	Shed open 9:00am–12:30pm · Woodwork (Shed 2)
Saturday	Shed open 11:00am–4:00pm · Pool practice · History discussions (afternoon)

Hours and groups come from the Shed’s live Events calendar (November 2026 sample). The Shed is usually closed on public holidays and Melbourne Cup day — check the Events calendar or email before you visit.

Music groups

Music mainly happens on Tuesdays:

9:00am — Ukulele, guitars and singing (all members welcome)
~12:00pm — Karaoke
Thursday — performance group No Strings Attached rehearses (members from the Tuesday session)

Ukulele: led by John MacMillan (many years’ music teaching experience). The group learns a variety of repertoire; loan ukes are available during lesson time. Recent news also notes Tuesday sessions led by Merv Harcourt.

Singing: led by John MacMillan, with extensive experience as director of barbershop choruses. Groups may be invited to perform at events representing the Shed.

Open Mic: blackboard-style sharing — music, song, poetry, story or mime in a supportive environment. Family-friendly material; slots usually about 10 minutes; respect performers (no interrupting; don’t join unless invited).

Woodwork group

Members make, rejuvenate and repair objects — especially furniture — often for local community requests (individuals, associations, hospitals and small businesses). Regular Woodwork (Shed 2) sessions appear on the Events calendar (typically Wednesday and Friday mornings).

Leather group

Leathercraft (Shed 2) runs in the weekly calendar (typically Wednesday mornings). Members work with leather tools and a sewing machine on projects such as shoes and other craft pieces.

Pool group

Pool tournaments and practice sessions are a regular part of Shed life — great for a yarn between shots.

Gardening group

Garden maintenance and improvements around the Shed — including new plantings and use of the Shed’s green bin.

Walking group — Dutton Park Pacers

Regular walks from the Shed and back again — open to SBMS members and local residents. One Spring walk was recorded on Monday 26 September (Dutton Park Pacers).

Smithy group

Blacksmithing / smithy activity has been part of the Shed’s artisan program. The Smithy Shed has been under restoration (photo from April 2018).

Three-string guitar making workshops

Occasional small workshops where attendees can “have a go” and learn a new skill. Previous workshops include May 2018 and July 2019. Each participant made a simple guitar from materials such as an empty biscuit tin, a length of wood for the fretboard, hardware and acoustic guitar strings.

e-Bike group

eBike riding events are listed among Shed activities. [PLACEHOLDER: group write-up and photos not published on the current activity page]

More from the program

From the About page, activities also include shed talks, community events (school fetes, Open Day, Neighbour Day, BBQ&A, Melbourne Cup and Christmas parties, Bunnings customer events), darts, card and board games, library, computers, golf for members, painting and drawing, metalworking, furniture and toy repairs, and Bunnings sausage sizzles (an important fundraiser — about one third of annual income).

Read about the FACT special interest group →