Creating a sense of community

AUSTRALIAN Pottery Supplies, based in Torquay, grew very organically from Prue Morrison’s passion for working with clay.

It was born from its humble roots of Prue making pieces and posting on Instagram, to friends and family wanting to buy her work, to then using her business background to start selling equipment and supplies and developing Australian Pottery Supplies.

Back in early 2019 when COVID hit, Prue, as a single mum of two children, had to find a business that would support the changing circumstances and still the ability to support her family. Already running pottery courses for beginners from her home studio before COVID, the demand for pottery equipment grew as the epidemic did, as people wanted activities they could do at home.

Very quickly, the business expanded from supplying home potters, to setting up commercial studios, to fitting out schools, TAFEs and universities, and now even retirement villages. Only stocking high quality equipment, Australian Pottery Supplies also boasts a 4.9 Google business review, due to their supportive nature offering advice, and quality customer service.

Australian Pottery Supplies is now one of the biggest suppliers of local and international pottery equipment, shipping Australia and worldwide. It was apparent that as the business expanded to importing kilns from the UK, her home-based business needed a new premises.

This was when Prue took over the new studio/shop/warehouse in the industrial estate in Torquay in late 2024 to be able to hold more stock of kilns and equipment, as well as branch out to selling clay, glazes and consumables for those in the creative industry or those who were having fun at home.

Australian Pottery Supplies now offers a wide range of wheel and hand building classes for beginners through to advanced master classes (soon to come). They also run kids’ classes, hen’s nights, corporate functions, Christmas parties, and private tuition where depending on the course chosen customers can make and glaze their own work. The classes range from three-hour introduction to four-week or weekend intensives.

Prue really wanted to create a sense of community in the creative industry and specifically the ceramic arena, where people can come and try the equipment, learn the basics through to the advanced aspects of pottery, as well as a place to come and share knowledge.

The studio will soon host a drop-in studio, and weekly sessions for those who want to develop their ceramic journey, but don’t yet have either the space, the money or the skills to set themselves up, or just would rather come together with like-minded individuals and hang out with clay. In addition the light filled space is available for hire.

Prue has been lucky enough to be able to be a sponsor local and international clay festivals, such as Caly Gulgong NSW (which boasts the best of the best in the pottery world, both nationally and internationally). One of the pottery gods, Keith Brymer- Jones (who is to pottery as Gordon Ramsey is to cooking) who is the head judge of “The Great Pottery Throw Down” from the UK, was one of such potters Prue had the opportunity to meet a the event. Keith highly endorses the Kilns Prue is importing from the UK.

Australian Pottery Supplies is at 5 Boneyards Avenue, Torquay.

For more information, head to australianpotterysupplies.com.au or phone Prue on 0429633298.

Prue Morrison