TORRENTIAL floods in October 2022 affected most of Darraweit Guim including the school and multiple houses in the small community.
The Hidden Valley and Wallan District Men’s Shed has restored a washed away community board in the heart of Darraweit Guim that was damaged and swept away during the floods.
Christine Craig, a member of the Darraweit Guim community, found the sign and gave it to the men’s shed to try and fix.
With a little bit of help from MarkDesign, they not only fixed it, but fully restored the bent sign, flattening it out and giving it a new base.
The group gets together every Tuesday morning for three hours and does multiple little projects for people within the community.
It has been a six-month process of rebuilding the sign to be able to get it placed where it once was.
The men’s shed President, Philip Fabel, and four of his men dug the holes, levelled the Darraweit Guim sign and filled the holes with concrete so it can’t be washed away again.
But it’s not all shining bright for the men’s shed, who is in desperate need for a new shed.
Mr Fabel and his team are currently working out of a small shed attached to Wallan Gateway Church.
“We thank and highly appreciate the church for the room they’ve provided us with, but it’s probably nearly time to get our own space and I think the feeling is mutual in a way,” he said.
Mr Fabel is keen to get some funding for shed upgrade.
The Romsey Men’s Shed was given $48,589 to upgrade its shed and the Whittlesea group was given $30,000 for their upgrade.
Both funds were given in a Labor Government funding blitz to 31 men’s sheds across Victoria in November.
The Hidden Valley and Wallan District Men’s Shed is only a small group of 15 men which is reasonably low for a quickly developing town.
They’re calling out to anyone who loves to build to pop in on a Tuesday morning at the back of the Gateway Church in Wallan.
Members of the Darraweit Guim community can use magnetic letters to organise events and small gatherings within the town, whether it be a barbecue and a few drinks or a school announcement.
The sign is located at 9 Darraweit Valley Rd in front of the old milk bar/ takeaway shop.
By Cooper O’Brien
