Belinda Fraser had been everywhere, looking for someone to fix a sleek, black, glass-fronted, one-year old bar fridge that stopped working – you guessed it – the day after the warranty expired. She’d been told it was too difficult or expensive to fix. “They say, ‘You can get a new one’,” Fraser said. “I’m the one who has still got my Kenwood food processor that I got as a wedding present because it still works, and my mother-in-law’s Sunbeam Mixmaster.”

She was typical of customers visiting the Bower who were frustrated with the effort required to repair rather than replace an appliance. Another customer, Kristina Jaworski, said she had grown up in the era when everything from watches to saucepans was expected to last with some repairs. She brought along a 50- to 60-year-old electric frying pan that belonged to her mother. It was working again in minutes thanks to “miracle worker” Willis.

As the Bower’s lead electrical repair technician, Willis admitted defeat on a few things. Theore had wanted to get Big Bird repaired so it could move more freely to entertain a grandchild. But the toy was too precious to tinker with. Theore said: “Repair is a dying sort of thing, and people are happy to pay good money to get things [fixed] that are of a more sentimental value than dollars and cents. You don’t let memories go by getting rid of items.”

Willis has tried to fix most things. “Bread makers. Microwaves. Just everything you can imagine … A lot of coffee machines, they’re really hard … Lots of speakers. I don’t profess to know about everything. You just pull it apart and slowly, carefully understand it, rather than being, like, an expert of everything.”

In response to demand, the Bower has added weekly workshops, including furniture and bike repair sessions. It is among the oldest of 120 Australian repair cafes that have sprung up to fix rather than toss.

Read the full story here or download a pdf copy.

Frayed cables and yellow pillows: how to fix, reuse or ditch 12 confusing kinds of household clutter
By Lucianne Tonti 13 September, 2025
This story on how to fix common household items includes advice from The Bower on how to fix an old couch and electrical items like cables, computer equipment and small to medium appliances. If you live in Sydney you can bring book to bring your furniture or electrical items in for repair at Bower Repair Shop (square.site) or check out our workshops to learn how to do your own repairs from home DIY to furniture repair and upholstery.

With our Bike, Furniture and Electrical Repair Shops open in Summer Hill, our range of repair and DIY workshops running every weekend and our Festival of Repair returning from 14-18 August, The Bower is proud of our role in driving a ‘culture of repair’ that contributes to the growth of Sydney’s circular economy.  Read on to find out about all our repair opportunities in the coming month.

In a world where people are more interested in disposable goods, Bower is aiming to educate people how to repair their old clothes, furniture, electrical goods and much more.

Nathan Smith, the general manager at Bower joins John to talk about the workshops they run to teach people to be more sustainable, and some of the unique items he’s repaired over the years.

BOOK HERE https://events.humanitix.com/introduction-to-watercolour-painting-ubbmwcmf

In this two-hour intro watercolour class, you will learn about the pros and cons of watercolours. Rachel will explain, what brushes to use, what papers to buy and what paint to start with ..plus how to use the paint. This course comes with a step-by-step intro demonstration that shows you a variety of techniques that can be applied to most watercolour subjects. This is a great course for beginners who have not tried watercolour before or a great place for someone who wants to get back into their practise.

Everyone leaves with a finished artwork; everyone chooses their own subject from the selection that Rachel brings on the day. There are a variety of options including bird’s, flowers and landscapes. Rachel will help you complete your artwork on the day.

No prior experience necessary. All materials included, plus a morning tea.

Your teacher Rachel Carroll is a member of the Australian Watercolour Institute and a member of the Royal Art Society.

Rachel is an artist who has taught art for more than 20 years. She is a member of the Royal Art Society and the Australian Watercolour Institute. Rachel has a Master of Fine Arts from The College of Fine Art at the University of NSW.

A teacher of Art at John Colet Primary School in Belrose, Rachel also runs art classes through various Councils and through her Beacon Hill Studio.

Rachel teaches adults and children aged 5-13 (teen classes are available by request).

See her website for details www.rachelcarroll.com.au

BOOK HERE https://events.humanitix.com/build-a-tiny-house-course-june-2024?hxchl=hex-pfl

Participants say this 6-day hands-on course gives them confidence to handle building and power tools. Women especially find it empowering and participate in high numbers.

The course is unique in that the Tiny House is made using reclaimed building materials and focuses on learning through doing.

DATES: Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 and from Monday 24 to Wednesday 26 June, allowing a break over the weekend.

What will I learn from this course?

You will work with three professional carpenters and your fellow course participants to build a tiny home. You will gain first-hand experience of the following:

• Considerations when choosing a trailer
• Building a frame and getting it right
• Insulation and cladding
• Roofing and flooring
• Sourcing and working with reclaimed materials
• Using a variety of power and hand tools
• The what, where, why and how of tiny house living

No prior experience is necessary. We welcome beginners, experts, the curious and the adventurous. During the course you will work as part of a team to construct a tiny home to lock up stage. Along the way you will acquire knowledge and skills that will last you a life time.

Watch a video of our trainers and course participants sharing what happens in the course and what they have learned

Further information about course structure is on our website. https://bower.org.au/learn/tiny-house-program

50% deposit is required to secure your place – $1,499.50, with the balance of $1,499.50 due by Monday 20 May, 2024.  

For any queries please contact our Workshop Manager at wm@bower.org.au.

Sustainable Markets – 1^st Saturday of the month

Our Bike, Electronic and Furniture Repairs Shops are open for bookings on market days (as well as Wednesdays 2-4 pm Electronic Repair Shop, Fridays 1-4pm Furniture Repair Shop, Fridays 9am-4pm Bike Repair Shop) 

Book your session here:
https://events.humanitix.com/tours/bower-repair-shops

Australia’s first-ever Festival of Repair was a great success

We had about 1500 visitors over the eleven days and two weekends. To quote City of Sydney Councillor Adam Worling –

“This inspiring festival is beyond needed. It will help to replace our throw-away culture with a hands-on culture of repair.“

It was heartening to see hundreds of eager people participate in the massive Clothes Swap on 12 August, and again attending our Re-used and Recycled Market Day on 19 August – with dozens bringing precious items to be valued at our popular ‘Antique Roadshow’.

Our Repair Demonstrations and Cafes were also well attended – ranging from bicycle to furniture, electronic to glassware and even how to make a native bee hotel.

The quality of the Sustainable Art Exhibition was much appreciated, with several artworks purchased.

“We were so pleased with the response to all the various elements of this pioneering Bower event, we’ve already applied to City of Sydney for a grant to hold the Festival of Repair again next year and we hope it will be even better.”

Bower General Manager Michelle Sheather.

Our new Furniture and Bike Repair Shops are now open in Summer Hill. Get in quick to book for our amazing Build A Tiny House Course – see our new timelapse video of our last Tiny House being built over just six days! The first of our Cubby House builds was completed earlier this month with Youth Off The Streets. Get the latest on what else is happening at our Summer Hill site, at our Addison Rd shop and upcoming hands-on workshops.

At The Bower we are always working on new ways to inspire people tp make repair options part of daily life and we have two exciting announcements to make – we are creating a Community Repair Shop in Summer Hill and we announce the dates of our 2024 Festival of Repair in Redfern.