General News
19 June, 2026
The torn teddy, old lamp and power of repair
WHEN people hear ‘repair café’ they often picture volunteers fixing electrical appliances, sharpening knives or mending clothing.
And while all of those things do happen, that’s only part of the story.
What arrives at the repair café isn’t just broken stuff.
It’s a teddy bear that’s been loved for 20 years, a lamp that once belonged to a grandmother long gone or a radio that sat on a kitchen bench through decades of family breakfasts.
It’s a favourite necklace, a treasured toy, a much-loved tool or a household item that has quietly become part of someone’s life.
In a world that often encourages us to replace rather than repair because it’s cheaper, quicker or easier, there is something quietly powerful about giving things another chance.
The repair café isn’t really about fixing objects.
It’s about preserving stories, sharing skills and reminding ourselves that not everything valuable is brand new.
And for the volunteer fixers it’s about seeing the smile on someone’s face when a broken teddy, a family lamp or a treasured keepsake works once again. And that smile is priceless.
“We started the Port Fairy Repair Café in 2020, so this is our seventh year,” coordinator Natasha Mills said.
“During that time we have seen over 1000 items come through the door, and we have fixed over 800 of them.
“Some repairs take only minutes. Other items are too far gone, but even when an item can’t be fixed, there is often a meaningful conversation, a shared laugh and a chance to learn something new.”
The Port Fairy Repair Café will be open tomorrow, Saturday, June 20, from 10am-12pm at the Port Fairy Community House.
