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Wednesday 10am - 2pm Saturday 10am - 2pm

Defence Shed Port Adelaide

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Port Adelaide, SA
Defence Shed Port Adelaide

Providing peer support to current and ex-Serving Defence and Emergency Services personnel and their families through community based projects and activity.

18/02/2026

A BRIEF ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS/MONTHS:
Kayaking: Super active & pleased to report that the paddlers did not miss a single Wednesday throughout winter & are still paddling strong during the HOT summer months. Looking fit & healthy as a result. Congratulations to Ted, Wayne, Bruce, Ian & a TOP welcome to our newest paddler, Jacek (Jack), an Army veteran. Our latest paddle on 18/2/2026 at Garden Island to find & explore an old estuary hidden by thick mangrove growth was discovered. Wayne & Bruce tackled the fast, outward-flowing tidal waters at the entrance & enjoyed the pristine waterways. On return, the fast-flowing water required two sharp turns to exit the estuary. Kayaks turning side-on to the current flow found both Wayne & Bruce performing two rolls at each turn. Ian also experienced a roll at the entry point. Result: Mangrove cuts to legs, arms & upper body parts - blood evident. HHMMMMM! Our retired Nursing Sister (Isabella) put her nursing experience to good use. On completion, the paddlers were in tip-top condition.
OUTDOOR SETTING: Dean, a woodbutcher and Army veteran, is hard at work building an Outdoor Setting for a fellow veteran. Results are looking good with many profanities heard during the build. A great job utilising the Shed's facilities for a good cause.
LUNCHES: The ladies, along with help from their darling Wayne, have prepared many delicious meals for us weary & ageing veterans, much appreciated!
Many more activities & photos will be covered in a later post.
P.S. Highly experienced Captain Ted foresaw the potential hazard & decided not to tackle fast-flowing estuary waters - well done Ted!

20/12/2025

HO, HO, HO - CHRISTMAS LUNCH - THE BRITISH PUB:
The Shed provided a subsidised lunch & it was very well attended.
The food was of high quality & lots of banter, plus jovial laughter regarding many of the yearly good, bad & ugly behaviours.
The Chairman, "Big" Bad Bob, stood up & said a few complimentary words regarding the successful year experienced at the Shed, plus wished all members a Happy Christmas & a Prosperous New Year.
Then we all staggered back to the Shed & the Christmas Raffle was drawn. Wayne was lucky to win the major prize, a leg of pork, followed by Big, Bad BOB winning the majority of minor prizes. A good spread of prizes was won by the remainder & a Big Thank You goes to Ian, Jo & Izzy for their contribution in making the Raffle a huge success.
In closing, the Shed wishes all Members & their Families a Happy Christmas & a prosperous New Year. HO, HO, HO.
Looking forward to seeing you all in 2026, looking fit & healthy.

12/12/2025

A BIG THANK YOU & A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO WOOLWORTHS PORT ADELAIDE:
The Port Adelaide Defence Shed cordially thanks Woolworth Port Adelaide for their unexpected & wonderful Christmas Hamper.
Many thanks to Emma (Store Manager) & PANHA (Produce Manager) for organising the hamper, which will be raffled to fund the Shed's activities, providing assistance to improve the quality of life for veterans. The Port Adelaide Defence Shed is run by volunteers & donations, such as the subject gift by Woollies, are gladly welcome. Many thanks, WOOLWORTHS.
Shed Closure: Sat 20 December 05 - 4 January 2026
During closure, anyone wishing to participate in Cycling, Kayaking or Workshop activities, don't hesitate to get in touch with TED on 0457814440

24/09/2025

BIKE DONATION TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:
The Port Adelaide Defence Shed has received a heartfelt 'Thank You' from an Adelaide Charity providing assistance to the impoverished people of the Republic of Congo (mainly women). The Shed donated 18 bicycles in various states of repair, along with spare parts. Ten of the bikes were overhauled & in good working order & a credit to Wayne, Bruce, Ian & Ted for their dedicated efforts. BICYCLES collected and repaired are assisting hundreds of workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Uvira territory. Dr Mulimbalimba’s organisation, Mission in Health Care and Development (MHCD), said the bicycles have reduced travel times for community health workers, who previously walked more than 20km to deliver services. Community health workers and traditional midwives now use these bicycles to raise awareness about primary healthcare, immunisation, family planning, and the distribution of bathing kits and Days for Girls kits. These bicycles also assist mothers in fetching water from the river (where previously, they had to carry water on their heads or backs, but now they can use bicycles. Many women used to carry heavy loads to sell food at markets, walking more than 30km while enduring significant pain.
This burden often led to chronic low back pain, headaches, migraines, gynaecological issues and dizziness. Tragically, some pregnant women experience miscarriages due to the strain of carrying heavy loads.
The Shed & its Members stand proud in providing a better quality of life for these dedicated, hard-working women.

11/09/2025

ROUTINE KYAK SPRINGTIME 10-9-2025 8.6Klm @ 4.8 Hrs:
We continue our kayaking adventures in an effort to maintain our bodies in trim & taught condition. Conditions were a bit cool with a light breeze & a fast receding tide. So, we mounted our kayaks & headed toward the heavily listing sailing boat. I'm just checking to see why it had drifted from the original mooring point. We found that the anchor chain was dangling freely & not attached to its anchor. The vessel was drifting to the whims of nature, tides & current. Disturbing scenario! Then off to the weir, where the flow of water was fast, requiring good kayak control. Returning to the launch site, we paddled against a fast-dropping tide & wind increasing to approximately15-25 knots, requiring muscle power to complete the journey. Great paddle with jovial veterans who never complain & keep paddling on. A great team of veterans who enjoy camaraderie & good cheer. Quality day spent with quality mates. Back at the Shed, the lovely Izabella & Wayne prepared delicious toasted sandwiches - thanks, Chefs!

03/09/2025

SPRINGTIME KAYAKING 3-9-2025:
Arriving at the launch site, the weather looked threatening with low dark clouds, drizzling rain & a cold breeze. The four brave kayakers, Wayne, Ian, Bruce & Ted, decided to meet the challenge head-on. Firstly, we checked out the yacht that appeared to have broken away from its original mooring & now bottomed on a sand bar. A sad & sorry sight for a yacht that was a sailor's pride & joy. Then the sun broke through & conditions improved to a comfortable level. We paddled through an estuary, encountering low-level mangrove branches which had to be carefully manoeuvred to allow further passage. Challenging paddle & thoroughly enjoyed the experience as all paddlers returned to the main river without incident. Paddled around the sunken cabin cruiser & decided to return to base. Izzy & Wayne cooked up a tasty vegetable soup, which was thoroughly enjoyed & all enjoyed a second helping.
Many thanks to Izzy & Wayne for a job Well Done!
Kayaking is a 'low-impact' activity ideal for keeping the heart strong & healthy, so we will continue into our ageing years. Happy Paddling!

27/08/2025

WINTER KAYAK - CANCELLED 27-8-2025:
Due to severe adverse weather conditions -strong winds, waves & blinding rain, it was a unanimous decision to stay back at the Shed & perform Housekeeping duties. A big thank you to Wayne, Ian, Old Man Russell & Ted, who worked tirelessly in cleaning the container, the outside working area & placing the recently donated workbench in a strategic location. A huge Thank You to a retired Polish Cabinet Maker who was ecstatic about donating his prized tools & support equipment to a veterans' shed, due to his father being a Polish Army war veteran and his son an Australian Afghanistan War Veteran. We enjoyed many words in Polish, enjoying talking about culture & traditions.
A big thank you goes to Izabella (Kitchen Chef), who prepared a copious quantity of tasty Sausage Rolls made with 7 herbs & spices & a delight to eat. Every Member took home a 'doggy bag' as we could not eat the number made for lunch.
A great day was enjoyed in hard work & a scrumptious lunch.
If conditions are favourable, we will be paddling on Saturday.
So, if you are feeling a bit flat - Join Us!
Note: Pleasing to see Old Man Russell eat his quota of rolls plus take home a 'doggy bag'. Well Done!

14/08/2025

WINTER KAYAKING GARDEN ISLAND 13-8-25 - 6 deg F:
A perfect kayaking day was completed with 10 Australian Army personnel in tow. The weather was cool but improved with a clear sunny day & little to no wind. After a paddle briefing, it was mount your kayak & start paddling. The highlight of the day was when Dad brought along his 3-year-old daughter & I assigned them a stable kayak platform. She enjoyed every second on the water - a big smile & laughter were evident. Paddling in an estuary heard a distress call as one of the Army dudes decided to roll his kayak & go for an unwanted swim when trying to evade a mangrove branch.
Bruce & I assisted in performing a successful 'recovery' manoeuvre. The group thought the kayaking failure to be 'funny' & let the embarrassed soldier know. Five minutes more & another yelp for assistance was heard from the same culprit, requiring another recovery manoeuvre. Back at the Shed, he was assigned CHEF duties as chief cook - great banter & camaraderie enjoyed by all.
Kayaking a further 2 estuaries within a pristine environment, it was time to head back after 3.5 hours of paddling. Back at the Shed the CHEF cooked up a feast along with a fellow lady soldier, which was devoured with gusto. A BIG thank you to Jo & Izabella for the hard yards in preparing the salads to complement the Chef's efforts.
An outstanding day was enjoyed by all participants & as a Shed, we welcomed back our Army friends as their mateship was thoroughly enjoyed. Great mark of respect: I bent over to pick up a kayak when two lovely ladies told me to 'move' & they completed the manual task themselves - I'm still in shock as it was a beautiful moment. In closing, it was a beautiful day with wonderful fellow veterans.

06/08/2025

WINTER KAYAKING 6-8-2025 GARDEN ISLAND + KAYAK MAINTENANCE:
A huge 'pat on the back' to the hard-working foursome of Wayne, Bruce, Ian & Ted, who in the past three weeks worked tirelessly cleaning & polishing the entire fleet of kayaks, as well as cleaning the kayak rack in preparation for a kayak run accommodating visiting veterans on exercise in Australia.
The Shed was honoured & gladly agreed to host our visiting comrades, & looking forward to showing them the pristine waters, mangrove estuaries & hopefully our local dolphins will make an appearance.
On the subject day, it was a chilly 6 degrees with still waters & practically no wind to cause concern. We paddled 6.5 Klm in ideal weather conditions, improving our strength & fitness, which is a primary aim of the kayaking programme.
A great day spent with fellow veterans enjoying banter & camaraderie. Kayaking is our way of improving our 'Quality of Life'

Address

31 Nile Street
Port Adelaide, SA
5015

Opening Hours

Wednesday	10am - 2pm
Saturday	10am - 2pm

Telephone

+61427607933

Website

https://defenceshedportadelaide.teamapp.com/

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