Resource Recovery Australia’s Shellharbour projects – the Reviva Reuse Shop and The Tinkerage – are part of a nationwide movement to change how people treat their waste.
Working in conjunction with Shellharbour City Council, Resource Recovery Australia, a not-for-profit social enterprise and registered charity, runs Reviva Reuse Shop, an Aladdin’s cave of quality second-hand goods and The Tinkerage, a space where anyone can learn a new skill, work on a home project, or just sit and tinker. Both locations are near the Dunmore Recycling & Waste Disposal Depot on Buckleys Road.
Through their network of Reviva stores across NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory, Resource Recovery Australia focuses on two things: helping people and helping the planet.
An initiative called #WASTE2WAGES enables Reviva to employ people facing barriers to work, divert tons of waste from landfill, repurpose materials and build strong communities.
“Everyone passes the Reviva Shop and The Tinkerage on their way to the tip, but not everyone realises what we do here and how much we can salvage for resale,” Resource Recovery Australia’s NSW state manager, Jarrod Roskell, says.
The team encourages everyone on their way to the tip to stop and see what can be salvaged from their load and have a look around at the store.
The items on offer are vast and varied – you’ll find everything from lawn mowers and bikes to water skis, kayaks, all types of furniture along with soft furnishings and knick-knacks to go with it. There’s also kitchenware, from pots and pans to toasters and dinner sets. All of the electrical items in store are tested and tagged onsite.
“There is a much-loved Facebook page (@revivadunmore) where the community can see a snapshot of some of the treasures that come in, each and every week,” Jarrod says. “We also play a popular game on Facebook on Tuesday at 7.30pm called the Reviva Reuse Shop Mystery Item where our community help us guess what the item is.”
The Tinkerage is a space where all are welcome to come along and tinker, repair or reuse stuff.
Samantha Nixon, the Reviva site manager, encourages people to bring in any projects they are working on and use the space and the tools available. Samantha says there is a range of tools that can be used onsite and a fully trained team member, Anita, can show you how to use them.
Regular workshops at The Tinkerage are free for Shellharbour City Council residents and $40 for others. Bookings via Humanitix.
Upcoming workshops
- March 22 10am-3pm: Repair and Make Jewellery from Broken Things
- April 5 10am-3pm: Textile Printing – Revamping Textiles
- May 17 10am-3pm: Clothing Alterations
- June 14 10am-3pm: Spoon Jewellery
- July 26 10am-3pm: Mosaics
Find Reviva Dunmore and The Tinkerage at 44 Buckleys Rd, Dunmore. Open seven days from 7.30am to 4pm. Phone (02) 42 375193 visit or follow @the_tinkerage on Instagram
