April at the Woolloongabba Repair Café
Every year the average Australian household throws over 800kg of stuff into their council bins. But that’s only a fraction of the story. The production of our goods results in more than 5000kg of additional waste per household per year. Our country is one of the highest per-capita waste producers in the world. But tucked away in the heart of Woolloongabba, something different is happening.
The Repair Café isn’t just a place to fix broken toasters or patch worn jackets. It’s an active choice against throwaway culture. It’s a community built on skills, stories, and second chances.
We spent a day volunteering at our local café and took the time to capture some of the action. In this short video, you’ll meet the people who give their time and talents to help others fix what’s broken. You’ll also hear from those who walked in with damaged goods and left not just with repairs, but with renewed hope that things—objects, communities, even our systems—can be mended.
Why Repair Matters
According to Planet Ark, about 90% of the materials we consume are wasted after a single use. The average Australian uses over 20 kilograms of new clothing each year—and discards 85% of it to landfill. The same story plays out in electronics, furniture, appliances. We buy. We break. We bin.
This cycle of consumption and waste is exactly what The Story of Stuff—a landmark short film and movement—has been warning us about for years. It’s a system that prioritises profit over people, convenience over care, and endless growth over a healthy planet. But repair disrupts that cycle. It says:
“What we have is enough. What’s broken can be made whole. And doing it together makes us stronger.”
Beyond the Fix
One of the most beautiful things about the Repair Café isn’t the fixes—it’s the conversations. The shared skills. The look of joy when something you thought was gone forever comes back to life.
It’s also deeply aligned with the ethos behind Living More with Less:
- Choosing connection over consumption
- Learning to live with less—and love it
- Sharing knowledge and resources to build stronger communities
And let’s be honest: fixing something feels good. Not just because it saves money or waste, but because it’s a deeply human act. It’s care. It’s creativity.
What You Can Do
- Visit a Repair Café near you – or help start one!
- Learn basic repair skills – sewing, gluing, wiring, oiling. You don’t have to be an expert. You can find guidance online for just about any type of repair.
- Rethink what’s “broken” – sometimes all it needs is a little time and attention.
- Support the circular economy by buying secondhand and celebrate the preloved style. Encourage it in others and seek to repair before replacing.
- Share your skills – someone else might need exactly what you know.
Together, we can rewrite the story of stuff—and it starts with something as simple as a stitch, a screw, or a soldering iron.
Resources & References
- Repair Cafe Global Site
- Repair Cafe Woolloongabba on Facebook
- Where to Repair your Stuff in Brisbane
- Planet Ark – Australian Waste Stats
- The Story of Stuff – A must-watch collection of short films on the lifecycle of consumer goods