In Dubbo, the Community Men's Shed is wedged betweeen the local pool and skate park. Inside you will find locals playing cards and rebuilding old furniture, lawn mowers and bikes to sell cheaply to those in need.
Wiradjuri elder and Shed founder Riverbank Frank says he got the idea after attending an Aboriginal mens' shed conference in Adelaide.
"I felt that I have seen that Dubbo needed was another regional organisation. I put it to a few friends. They saw the dream, agreed with me," he says.
"A lot of people on both sides laughed at the idea and at me, said 'you're crazy'. I agreed and just said 'yeah, come along for the ride'."
Dubbo's history of race relations has been a troubled one. Riverbank Frank lived through the difficult times working on the notorious Gordon Estate, plagued by crime and violence. He says the Community was deeply divided.
"It was a bad situation for the city, whether it was black or white. It was a thing that Dubbo as a vibrant, regional Australian city didn't need," he says.
As an elder and community worker, Riverbank Frank says it's up to the leaders to demonstrate reconciliation to the next generation.
"I've lived through a lot of bad stuff myself. I can give the young people my racial hatred if I want to but I talk to them instead," he says.
Colin Bowen, Shed co-founder, says the centre is building strong links in the community.
"Just seeing the changes in peoples' lives as they build up relationships and be able to work through depression and be able to just do productive things in the community," he says.
The shed's logo features the hands of Colin Bowen and Riverbank Frank. It shows a black and white hand clasped in friendship.
