Mark Thomson - Sheds

This story takes us from the city to the suburbs, where we look at that great Australian tradition, the back shed. Best selling author of "Blokes and Sheds" and shed devotee, Mark Thomson, shows us his shed and talks about why these structures have always been so important in Australian life.

Blokes, Sheds and Rare Trades

Blokes, Sheds and Rare Trades, the books and the Exhibition: In the Adelaide City region of South Australia

The shed looms large in our heritage. The giant sheep station shearing sheds, for instance, are the shelf of poems and paintings, telling their stories of backbreaking labour and pastoral fortunes. The buildings in this yarn are far more modest, because of their very nature - they are backyard sheds. One South Australian observer, however, has opened a nation’s eyes to their meanings, rules, secrets and ties that bind blokes and sheds. In the Adelaide Hills, on a shed amongst the backyard gums, we found the title “The Australasian Institute of Backyard Studies.”

the... "blokes" booklet

Blokes, men, fellas, boys, local lads, call them what you will, rural men are faced with many challenges living on the mid north coast of NSW

Key to mens' health could be found in the shed

Tracy Bowden's report:

KERRY O'BRIEN: And now an important story about men and their sheds.It's
well-documented that in general men are less healthy than women.We're more
likely to become seriously sick and to suffer higher rates of mental illness and
suicide.And, mugs that we are, we're apparently far less likely to seek
help

Nambucca Mens Shed

The early stages of retirement come with a period of adjustment for most people. When leaving the work place is coupled with moving to a new town - or city - the loneliness can be compounded. Link to ABC story