Community
30 January, 2026
Bruce Morton keeps toys in play
BRUCE Morton’s efforts to repair hundreds of toys for the Warrnambool Toy Library has seen him recognised with the 2026 Local Achiever Award.
Bruce’s wife Carol saw a post on Facebook from the toy library, asking for help to repair a shed full of toys.
She said ‘Bruce, you could fix those,’ and over the past two years, he’s worked to keep damaged toys out of landfill and into the hands of happy kids.
As an ex-farmer, he said that having a knack for fixing things goes with the territory, and he always enjoyed working with his hands.
“Doll houses, bikes, plastic, wood, anything that can be fixed, I look at it,” he said.
“It keeps the brain occupied. This really makes you think of how you can fix it.
“Just the look on their faces when you can bring something back that’s workable again that was going to go in the bin, I really enjoy it.
“I’m just glad I can help. That’s the main thing.”
He said his most difficult job was a castle with a broken hinge that connected to four separate parts.
“I filled it with silicone, then drilled the hole from both ends and put a bolt through. I tightened it up… and it’s still going,” he said.
He said that he’s always happy to spread the word about the Toy Library, especially when he’s purchasing parts that he doesn’t already have on hand.
“I reckon there’s a lot of people who don’t know about it,” he said.
“If I need nuts and bolts I go to the tool shop in Lava Street. And he looks at me and says ‘is that for the toy library?’ I say ‘yeah’ and he says ‘you’ll be right.’”
Warrnambool Mayor Ben Blain thanked Bruce for helping to bring smiles to some of the city’s youngest residents.
“The toy library does an absolutely phenomenal job. It’s such a great organisation that does so much good for the community,” he said.
“And now Bruce is a big part of that.
“From an environmental perspective, his ingenuity has kept things working that otherwise would have had to be thrown away.
“And financially, every toy that Bruce fixes is one more toy that doesn’t need to be replaced.
“As someone who has retired, it’s so great to see Bruce continuing to use the valuable skills he’s gained over his lifetime for the betterment of the community.
“His work also puts odd screws and pieces of timber he’s accumulated over the years to good use, reinforcing the belief held by many that these things should never be thrown away. You never know when you might need them.”
