Repair Café
Repair Café is a free, Council-organised meet-up on various dates throughout the year where locals can bring broken items for volunteers to fix. It helps to keep items in use longer and out of landfill, while strengthening community connections.
Repairs are offered for the following items:
- Clothing/textiles – mending and sewing
- Small electrical appliances
- Bicycles
- Furniture/wooden objects (basic carpentry)
- Knives (sharpening)
- Books (binding)
- Costume jewellery and watches
- Toys
- Electrical appliances (free Tag and Test service provided by a qualified Tag and Tester)
Repair Café events are staffed by volunteer repairers, and therefore we cannot guarantee that we will be able to repair all items. Please bring your item in for an assessment to find out if it can be repaired.
Upcoming dates
Join us at the next Repair Café on 30 March 2025.
Location: The Boot Factory, 33 Spring Street, Bondi Junction
Time: 10am to 12:30pm
30 March 2025 is also Neighbour Day. To celebrate, there will music, entertainment, kids’ activities and a pop-up Neighbour Café where you can play board games and chat with old and new friends.
Repair Café will take also take place in May, July, September and November. To stay in the loop about upcoming dates, subscribe to the Second Nature newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
- The Repair Café operates on a first come, first served basis. Bookings cannot be made prior to events.
- On arrival, you’ll be greeted by a volunteer who will ask you to complete a form to explain what is wrong with your item.
- A volunteer will then provide you with a time slot to visit the appropriate repair station. If your allocated time slot is later in the day, you might choose to wait or come back at your allocated time. If you can be seen sooner, someone will contact you.
- At your allocated time, the repairer will examine your item and start working on the repair.
- If your item can’t be repaired, volunteers will do their best to give you advice on alternative options.
Volunteers are needed to help keep the Repair Café operating. Volunteers are needed that:
- Have repair skills for shoes/boot, bags, umbrellas, woodwork, gadgets, bikes and more;
- Have a desire to learn how to repair all kinds of items; and
- Wish to help run the events as a support person.
To register your interest, complete the online form.
Items will only be accepted for assessment if they can be carried to the Repair Café by one person. White goods and other large bulky items are not accepted.
Whilst our volunteer repairers will do their best to repair everything that is brought to them, they may not have the skills, experience or materials available to complete all repairs, therefore we cannot guarantee that all items will be able to be repaired.
If we can’t fix your item, you’ll need to take it away with you. You can't donate or leave items at the Repair Café, even if they are in working condition.
If an item can be opened up (for example if it has screws or other fasteners visible on the outside), there's a good chance the repairers will be able to determine what is wrong with it and assess if it can be repaired.
Some electrical items are manufactured in a way that prohibits them being opened, which means that our volunteers may not be able to open them for assessment.
We do not encourage the opening of electrical items yourself, unless you are qualified to do so. If you are not sure if your item can be repaired, bring it in for assessment.
To learn more about Waverley's Repair Café, email connected@waverley.nsw.gov.au or call 9083 8916.
Discover how this service can help a community by watching the below video.