Growth, Recognition and HMS Pinafore (2012-2017)

A Shed on the Rise

Through the mid-2010s the Shed grew fast. Membership was around 140 financial members at the end of the 2013–14 year, climbed to roughly 175 by the end of 2014–15, and had reached about 210 registered members by the 2016 AGM. The pressure that growth put on the original building — not enough workspace, not enough benches — was exactly what would drive the push for the Block B extension a few years later.

Built for the Stage: HMS Pinafore

Alongside the practical community projects — possum boxes, Boccia slides, display boards — members took on a very different kind of commission in 2014: a full ship’s-deck stage set for Shore School’s Gilbert & Sullivan production of HMS Pinafore, built under the guidance of Chris Drake. It was the first of what became a recurring partnership with local G&S productions — sets for Pirates of Penzance and Patience followed in the years after — and stands as one of the most visually striking things the Shed has ever built.

A Kitchen Upgrade and a Change of Leadership

A substantial Bendigo Bank grant funded a kitchen upgrade in 2015, supporting the Cooking Group that had become one of the Shed’s most popular activities. That same year, founding President Kevin Callinan stood down after leading the Shed from its earliest days through the move to St Ives Showground and years of steady growth. Paul Schiebaan took over as President in 2016.

Recognising the Founders

2016 was a big year for recognition. Life Membership certificates were presented to founding members Barry Eastment and Kevin Callinan, acknowledging their role in the Shed’s earliest years. Later the same year, further Life Membership awards went to Kevin Jeffress (for his services to the Shed and his many community projects) and Peter Stehn (for years spent managing the Shed’s computer network, databases and financial systems) — and Geoff Greenwell received the first ever “Outstanding Services to the Shed & the Community” award for his quiet work keeping the Shed’s machinery running since joining in 2011.

Community Recognition: The Australia Day Award

The Shed’s community work was recognised beyond its own membership too: in 2016 it won the Ku-ring-gai Australia Day Award for Outstanding Service to the Community, and Mayoral Awards went to Kevin Jeffress and Mike Vernon — the latter also recognised for over 40 years of voluntary service with the Rural Fire Service.

The Real Men’s Cookbook

Around the same time, a Bendigo Bank grant supported an unlikely publishing project: “The Real Men’s Cookbook”, developed under Bruce Donnelley’s inspiration with expert guidance from Cooking Group instructor Ruth Fulton. It was finished and printed by 2017, sold for $10, and became a popular Christmas present among members and their families — a small but telling sign of how far the Shed’s community had grown beyond the workshop floor.