Our monthly weekend opening is coming up on Sat 14 November 2026, from 10am-1pm. You can pop in for info about local biodiversity, home waste and energy management, local volunteering opportunities, upcoming workshops, and to have a look at our bushfood, native grass, and weaving gardens.
Weekly opening hours: Tue-Thu 9.30am-4pm
Date: Sunday 28 September 2025
This special community event was a guided walk to the confluence of the North and South Para Rivers, where they merge to become Kadlitpari/Gawler River. Along the way participants viewed artworks created by students from Gawler and Hewett Primary Schools, and the local community, under the creative guidance of Adelaide based visual artist Laura Wills and indigenous interpreter and artist Violet Buckskin. They also heard stories of the river from environmental educators, historians, musicians and artists, and met a mobile sculpture of a local ancient megafauna creature, a Diprotodon, created by Gawler Youth.
RIVERS MEETING was a collaboration between Tarntanya/Adelaide based visual artist Laura Wills, Gawler Environment Centre and the Food Forest and is presented as part of Nature Festival 2025.
Laura Wills’s Tarntanya Adelaide based visual arts practice is centred around collaboration, participation and local ecologies. Her expanded approach is site responsive, often connecting people together and to nature. Themes Laura explores in her work include investigations of mapping, botanical relationships and food security issues. Laura currently works from @Centralstudiosinc and is half of @Wills.Projects @laurafranceswills
RIVERS MEETING was funded by Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, Nature Festival, Carclew and Gawler Environment and Heritage Association.
In-kind support was provided by the Town of Gawler.
Date: Sat 17 October 2026
Time: 9.30am-12.00pm
Location: Gawler Elderly Centre, 37 Fourteenth St, Gawler South
Bookings: No bookings required, just drop in
Repair Cafes provide a free meeting space where community members can work with skilled volunteers to repair items that would otherwise go to waste. Our volunteers can tackle mending (clothing, textiles, heavy duty materials such as canvas, denim and leather), small electrical items, general repairs (mechanical/woodwork), jewellery, dolls, and simple bike repairs like punctures. Services are provided free of charge but customers can choose to make a small donation to support the service if they wish.
Most attendees get to see a repairer straight away but coffee, tea and cake are provided to keep you occupied if you do need to wait.
How it all Works
– The repair café philosophy is to teach people how to undertake the repair themselves if possible. For that reason we ask that attendees sit with the repairer while the repair is taking place, so they can observe the process and have a go at it themselves.
– All repairs are conducted at the discretion of the repairer; if the repairer isn’t comfortable with conducting the repair, it won’t be undertaken. Items must be in a clean condition for repairers to examine them, textile items must be washed before you bring them in.
– There are some items it isn’t possible to repair at the café e.g. microwave ovens and TVs retain charge and it is dangerous to attempt to repair them. Anything containing dangerous substances such as asbestos and lead is also out. We are unable to do repairs that require larger “shed” type equipment e.g. welding. And some items are too tricky to take apart and put back together again, like toasters, sound systems, and of course computers.
– Repairers will fix one item per attendee. If there is time they may be able to look at a second item for you, but this will depend on whether others are waiting.
– For clothing and textiles we do mending/repairs not alterations. E.g. we can help you darn a hole in a jumper, or repair a rip in a pair of trousers. If you have items of clothing that need to be taken up or in, that is a job for a professional alterations service. We are also unable to make items of clothing.
– Our repairers are skilled volunteers. They will try their best to fix your item but there are no guarantees.
If you would like any further information, or if you are interested in becoming a Repair Café volunteer, please contact GEC Coordinator Kathy on 8524 6265 or coordinator@gawlerenvironmentcentre.org.au
Dates for the rest of 2026:
Sat 12 December
Repair Cafe List: Adelaide and Surrounds
Too far to travel to Gawler? There might be a repair cafe closer to you. Check out the list for Adelaide and surrounding areas on the Adelaide Sustainability Centre website: www.adelaidesustainabilitycentre.org.au/projects/repair-cafes
