Petition grows for Men’s Shed site

KINGSCLIFF Men’s Shed members are pushing for a permanent home at Elrond Drive, with a petition for the proposed site now attracting 2,200 signatures.

Tweed Shire Council last year voted 4-3 to begin preparing a site-specific plan of management for the Elrond Drive parkland, which would allow the proposal to go to public consultation as a permitted use.

The group is required to undertake community consultation, prompting the launch of the petition.

Federal MP Justine Elliot recently added her name after visiting the proposed site alongside Tweed Shire deputy mayor Reece Byrnes and Men’s Shed members.

“Tweed Shire Deputy Mayor Reece Byrnes and I 100 percent back our local shedders on their proposed site for the new Men’s Shed at Elrond Drive in Kingscliff,” Elliot said.

The group has operated without a permanent facility since forming in 2024, using the Kingscliff Bowling Club for meetings, social gatherings and health seminars.

Without a dedicated space, activities have been spread across informal locations.

A small music group meets at a member’s home, while a cycling group gathers in the bowling club car park before weekly rides.

President Norm Waters said the lack of a permanent base had limited the group’s ability to run workshop programs and social activities.

“It certainly is a problem in that we haven’t been able to have access to a workshop at all,” he said.

Waters said the absence of a workspace had also forced the group to turn down community projects, including a request from a local primary school.

“We’ve been asked by a local primary school to build a couple of cubby houses for them, and we had to decline, because we don’t have a shed,” he said.

He said the proposed facility would include both a workshop and space for social connection.

“We hope to have a workshop as such, and that could be for some woodwork or leatherwork,” he said.

“The other main area is going to be what we call a soft activities area where people can meet and make friendships, play some cards, play board games, and swap books.”

Waters said these spaces were important in addressing isolation among older men.

“Men’s sheds are open to all members, and they are more than just a workshop now,” he said.

“We realise that as men get older, they can’t always go out and use the tools, but they still want to get out and connect, so that’s why these soft areas are important.”

Waters said the group had explored multiple options but the Elrond Drive site remained the only viable location.

“We have looked at 18 different sites, and there just is no other suitable land sites in Kingscliff,” he said.