[13] Work in Adelaide, South Australia focused upon the gender biased and inappropriate care of older men living with dementia in care settings and work with Vietnam Veterans in South Australia also played its part.
It was located in Goolwa, South Australia as part of The Heritage Club, an activities/day centre for the older generations/elderly, where she was employed as the coordinator.
The shed was opened on 3 March 1993[16] by the Hon Dean Brown AO, Member for Alexandra, later to become Premier of South Australia.
She originally came up with the idea of a men's shed after her own father had become depressed and felt stuck at home after having a heart attack and not being able to work anymore.
Whilst acting as hubs for information exchange, the community educational aspects foundered, as men's sheds remained in people's homes typically at the bottom of the garden.
It involved documenting practical information and knowledge, tools, checklists, processes and training materials while utilising modern technology.
Much work was undertaken in establishing men's sheds in some of the remotest parts of Australia and in Indigenous communities.
[26] By 2015, men's sheds were also active in a number of other countries, mainly based throughout Europe and South Asia.
Clinical and communal have similar features, with the core of their aims focused on helping the local male community interact and discuss their health and wellbeing.
Recreational men's sheds are created to help promote more social activity in the local area.
The International Historians Association has created a community shed for veteran responders which include police officers, firefighters, paramedics, rescue workers and the military who have injuries, incapacities or disfigurements that make them immobile or unwilling to join local work sheds.
[citation needed] One of the main reasons for the creation of men's sheds was to improve the overall health of the older male population of Australia.
[32] Research acknowledges the positive role that sheds can have in "addressing the gendered health disparity that males face".
Sheds can also help counter negative cultural, social and ideological attitudes towards men.
Alzheimer's Australia NSW helped develop initiatives through their "Every Bloke Needs a Shed" pilot project.
[13] The Australian Government has acknowledged the social importance of men's sheds for a number of years.
[52] Men's sheds are funded through a number of specialist charities, private investment and government sources.