by Nicholas Duck
Close to 100 people attended the official opening of the Gerry Eversteyn Neerim District Men's Shed last Thursday.
The ceremony has been a long time coming for the shed's dedicated group of volunteers, who have worked tirelessly since the area's men's shed was first proposed in 2010.
Neerim District Community House and Men's Shed president Phil Treacey thanked the various groups who had made the opening possible.
Baw Baw Shire councillors, Lion's Club members, various donors and fellow local men's shed members were among the groups on hand to celebrate the shed's opening.
The shed has been named after former men's shed co-ordinator Gerry Eversteyn, who was one of its largest proponents before he died in 2022.
Gerry was the inaugural men's shed coordinator, holding the role from 2014 until his death.
Gerry's wife Julie attended, with members of the Eversteyn family, to cut the ribbon at the opening and declaring the shed officially open.
Mr Treacey said he was "rapt" with the turnout for the day.
"When you go to put in an effort like this, you never know who's going to come and we've tried to invite as many people as we could think of who had anything to do with the shed," he said.
Mr Treacey, who has been involved in the men's shed for only a few years, emphasised how much of a group effort the shed had been.
"I tell everybody I feel like the guy standing in the goal square when there's been a chain of 10 handballs and a kick and you get to swallow the goal in the goal square. It's a credit to everybody, not just me."
He said he hoped the community would now put the shed's various amenities to good use.
The first proposal for the men's shed came 15 years ago in the early days of the newly formed Neerim District Community House.
In 2013 the Neerim District Community House and Men's Shed was registered as an incorporated association, with the current governance structure adopted in a special general meeting the next year.
Despite not officially having a shed to call home, the group continued to hold regular meetings and undertook outings to places of interest such as the Walhalla gold mine, the Phillip Island National Vietnam Veterans Museum, the Trafalgar Holden Museum and the State Coal Mine in Wonthaggi.
They also made plenty of visits to the other men's sheds in the area, offering support and making plenty of friends.
Even without a home the group managed to complete many woodwork projects including jumps for the local pony club, storage cabinets for public defibrillators, possum and bird boxes for areas ravaged by bushfires and even an outdoor dunny for the Neerim Show.
During this time the committee remained committed to finding a location and funding for a proper shed.
Early fundraising was completed through barbeques at local shops until finally in early 2021 an agreement was reached with the Baw Baw Shire council for a long-term lease at the old tennis court in Neerim Junction.
After cleaning up the site and securing more funding through various groups like the Neerim District Community Bank, building began in early 2023.
The shed is now a hub for a variety of local community groups.
A weekly craft group, singing group and exercise group use the space, as well as a weekly art group, adventure walking group and a monthly movie group, in addition to activities out in the community.
The shed is currently open to everyone on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with plans for future programs including a 'Ladies' Day' and a cooking for one course.
Additionally, local Afghanistan veterans group The Fallen 41 use the shed for a variety of restoration projects.
The shed now has 90 members, with new members joining all the time.