Akoonah Park Men's Shed

The Wanderers Lunch
The Wanderers Lunch group did something different this month. Instead of meeting on a Wednesday, we met on Saturday 23 May and it was a hit. We had 21 people attend the Naked Racer museum and cafe.
After checking out all the magnificent machines, we sat down for a most enjoyable breakfast/lunch with excellent company and plenty of good banter.
What started off as a small motorcycle shop back in 1988 known as Antique Motorcycles, it has since become the premier classic & vintage motorcycle dealership over the past 30 years.
With an impressive museum to boot, Naked Racer Moto Co. houses over 250 exotic machines in what is now one of Australia's largest antique motorcycle museum located in the heart of Cheltenham, Victoria.

Thank you to everyone who attended. Nick and I hope you all had a great day.

NICK,DAVID.

Soon to be re-named Transit (Pumpkin) Soup Kitchen! 🤣

Two ute loads of fresh market pumpkins rolled into Transit this week thanks to the legends at Akoonah Park Men's Shed.

The kitchen team got straight to work turning them into homemade pumpkin soup for our guests, with plenty also heading out to families through grocery support.

Thank you so much for such a delicious and healthy donation!

APMS members interact with Berwick College students; Bike repairs and maintenance. Community interaction at its best.

From the Committee:
To all our members—have a great Easter break.
As Good Friday approaches, take the time to relax, reflect, and enjoy good company.
Thanks for all the camaraderie that makes our Shed such a great place.
Wishing all our Shed members and Partners a happy Easter—may your tools stay sharp, your projects go smoothly, and there’s plenty of chocolate along the way!😊😊😊

WANDERERS' LUNCH - MARCH
CRUDEN FARM - LANGWARRIN
20+ shedders and partners wandered down to Cruden Farm in Langwarrin. This was owned by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. The farm is set on 20 acres with a stately home and stables which are surrounded by lovely gardens. We spent about 40 minutes there before heading to Beretta’s Hotel for Lunch. Must give it to the owners, Food was excellent, inexpensive, and very good service. We asked everyone how they enjoyed the food? Everyone said it was very very good. We will advise of our April Wanderers Lunch soon. Remember you are all welcome to come along with family and friends

Nick and David.

Garage Sale — A Great Success
Congratulations to all members who helped make the Garage Sale such a memorable and enjoyable day.
Special thanks go to Lins, Nick, and their dedicated team of supporters. From putting up signs and promoting the event to cooking breakfast and moving items out for display, the team arrived early and got to work with impressive efficiency. As the saying goes, many hands make light work — and the Shed was certainly buzzing from the start. 🔧
The weather was perfect, and the cheerful birdsong in the trees was matched only by the lively chatter among members and visitors. As people browsed the display tables, memories surfaced along with the tools and treasures: “I remember when I first used one of these,” and “Gee, look at this — didn’t think they still existed!”
The Committee sincerely thanks everyone who contributed, volunteered, donated items, or came along to support the day. Your efforts and enthusiasm made it a wonderful community event.

Bunnings Project.
Wooden toys for children to paint.

Thanks to Michael, Maurice and Phil

BLAZE AID VOLUNTEERING REPORT – PETER WILLIS

Good afternoon,

I have just returned from two weeks away volunteering with Blaze Aid at Bullioh, approximately 20km east of Tallangatta.

Earlier in January, I also volunteered with Blaze Aid at Goomalibee near Benalla, where I ran into fellow APMS member David Friday, who was volunteering at the same camp.

The Bullioh Blaze Aid camp covers the fire-affected areas from just east of Tallangatta through to Koetong.

We went for a drive east along the Murray Valley Highway and, unfortunately, all the trestle bridges on the bike trail except one were lost in the fires. I was unable to see what remained of the old Shelley Railway Station due to fallen trees and forestry workers blocking access to the roads.

Looking east from a high hill at Shelley toward Corryong, the valley was filled with smoke haze. It was black as far as the eye could see, with smouldering fires still burning and waiting for decent rain. From this point, we could not see Mt Kosciuszko as we normally would.

At higher altitudes, however, it was encouraging to see eucalyptus trees already sprouting only 4–5 weeks after the fires.

While volunteering with Blaze Aid, the work has been hot and dusty but extremely rewarding. The camaraderie within our teams was amazing, and it felt strange to be leaving this morning as I felt I should have stayed longer.

I would like to encourage our members to spread the word about Blaze Aid, which is helping farmers in their time of need. Blaze Aid operates entirely on donations.

Yesterday, a ute loaded with water, soft drink and fruit juice arrived, donated by the CFA at Tynong (Gippsland). If APMS is able to arrange any type of donation, it would be greatly appreciated.

We also hope that some APMS members may have the time to volunteer. The Blaze Aid website lists all camps currently operating across Victoria and other states affected by floods.

In addition to repairing fences, the work Blaze Aid does supports the mental health of farmers who may feel overwhelmed by the devastation of their stock and property. Every bit of assistance helps them know that someone cares.

Food is supplied; however, volunteers are required to bring their own accommodation (e.g. caravan, tent or swag). Portable prefabricated huts are available at each camp.

One of our fellow Blaze Aiders (Daniel) has created the attached video from drone footage captured during morning tea and lunch breaks while working at Bullioh.

Please take a moment to view the video below.

Regards,Peter Willis

https://youtu.be/Jz_QHpsUbWk?feature=shared