Not everything broken deserves to be thrown out. That’s the quiet argument behind the Repair Fair coming to Castle Hill Showground on Saturday, 20 June 2026 — the first of its kind that The Hills Shire Council has run in the area.
The idea is simple enough. Residents bring in items that have stopped working or just need some attention — clothes, jewellery, small appliances, a chair with a wobbly leg — and skilled repairers take a look. There’s no charge. Sessions are capped, so it won’t suit everyone on the day, but for the people who get a spot, it’s the kind of thing that can shift how you think about the objects you own.
Repair culture carries a certain nostalgia, a memory of a time when things were built to last and people had the skills to maintain them. But it’s also genuinely practical. A well-made jacket, fixed, will last years longer. A lamp that gets rewired saves money and the low-grade guilt of adding to the landfill.
Beyond the repair tables, June 20 at Castle Hill Showground has a bit of a festival feel. The Norwest Sunrise Rotary Club is running a community BBQ, free coffee is on offer, and workshops in basketry and gardening give the day a texture that goes beyond the practical. Market stalls and demonstrations round it out. The council’s Bike Drop Off, Check and Tune service is also back, for anyone whose ride has been sidelined longer than intended.
None of this is going to solve Sydney’s waste problem on its own. But a Saturday morning spent getting something fixed, learning something new, and eating a snack with your neighbours isn’t a bad way to start thinking differently. More at thehills.nsw.gov.au.
