Lake Monger Community Shed

General FAQ

Who can join the LMCS?

Any one 18 or over can join irrespective of gender or where you live. Currently we are not able to accept anyone under 18 due to supervision concerns.
When is the LMCS open?

The Shed is open for many sessions during the week, including all day Saturday, and some evenings. Please visit our Session Times page for details of when we are open. Please note that some sessions are for specific activities only such as art, pottery, hand tools or 3D maker activities. Times are often changing, but our Session Times page is usually up to date.
How much does it cost to be a member?

The annual membership fees are $150 a year, which covers pretty much everything except the raw materials you use for your projects and the biscuits, coffee, tea and sausages which are made available for a small contribution.
How do I join?

Please visit our Membership page and follow the instructions. We would love to have you onboard.
Do I need any previous experience in woodwork, pottery or metal work?

Not at all. Within our membership there is a lot of expertise so there will be people to help you and provide advice. We also run sessions where you can improve your skills and participate in group projects. All our members must undertake a general safety induction before they can attend the shed or use specialist machinery or area inductions. You also must be a financial member before you can attend the general safety induction. Whenever the Shed is open, there will always be a supervisor present who can either help you or find someone else who can.
If I want to undertake an activity that the LMCS currently does not provide, what should I do?

Come and talk to us! There may be other members who are also interested, in which case we will try to accommodate your activity. However, we are a volunteer organisation so any new initiative will be driven by the members (ie you!)
What does the membership include?

Free use of all equipment (once you have been safety trained and accredited), access to the Shed during any of the sessions, supply of minor consumables (glue, hardware etc). You will need to supply the raw materials for your project or some may be available for purchase from the shed. Some of our training (such as CNC, welding, hand tools and a few others) requires payment of a small fee to cover consumables. We also provide coffee, tea, and biscuits each session, and a sausage sizzle on Saturday, and a small contribution is required for these.
Do you run courses?

From time to time, we run specialist "how to" courses, however most of our training is safety focussed, ensuring you are competent to operate specific equipment in the shed and understand safety considerations with different materials. The Shed is completely volunteer run, so all training is dependent on the availability and skill of the membership. Most of the learning available in the shed is mentor based.