Men’s garage at Tailem Bend revs up mental health
The Tailem Car Garage is a place for men in the community to come together to get hands-on with cars and mental wellbeing.
The Tailem Car Garage is a community-driven initiative aimed at promoting men’s
health through camaraderie and hands-on car restoration.
Located behind the Revival City Church at 6 Jacob Street, Tailem Bend, the garage
runs independently from the church.
It provides a welcoming space for local men to gather, work on classic cars, and build friendships.
Member Michael Holliday explained that while the club only met formally once a month, both he and fellow member Kerry Haythorpe were at the garage every Friday from 10am to 3pm, ready for a chat or to tinker with the group’s ongoing projects.
“We have some great gear in our garage, a two-post car hoist, plenty of general
tools, and even a car rotisserie,” he said.
“One of our current projects, which is up on the car rotisserie at the moment getting its bodywork sorted out, is a 1966 Singer Chamois mark II.
“Once restored, the group will eventually put it up for sale, with all the proceeds going back into the club’s coffers, helping to purchase new specialised tools and resources – we often find ourselves short on some specific equipment.”
Michael Holliday gets the bodywork sorted on the group’s 1966 Singer Chamois, Phil Holliday gets the barbeque ready for a free monthly lunch, David Hyde operates the group's two-post car hoist and Elijah Low prepares a welder for the next project. Photos: Glenn Power.
The garage’s mission is simple: offer a fun, informal environment where men can
work on older cars, learn new skills, and talk about life.
Mr Holliday emphasised that the group focused on restoring classic cars, because they were less complicated to work on than modern vehicles.
“Currently we’re working on three Hillman models, which share interchangeable
parts, allowing members to learn by observing and participating in the rebuild
process.
“We have a great time together; when we’re not working on cars, we’re fixing things like lawn mowers for local residents, or having a chat over a meal together.
“The meals and refreshments are all free, funded from the group’s coffers.”
Self-funded and open to donations, the garage also receives help from a community veggie patch nearby, offering fresh produce to whoever is in need.
By combining car restoration with social connection, the Tailem Car Garage is not only helping preserve automotive history, but is also contributing to the wellbeing of the men within the community.
