Men's Hemp Shed

Greater Shepparton has a sound agricultural economy but is less strong in manufacturing and trade sectors.

Men's Sheds provide support to not-in-work men through coaching in new skills and by providing a place for meaningful activities and social inclusion for males within their communities.

This education, training and skills development project will enable community members (including members of the Australian Men’s Shed Association) to learn the complete process of eco-sustainable (non-THC) hemp farming – from seeding, planting, cultivating and harvesting through to the development and quality control testing of hemp-based building material products (e.g., hempcrete wall and ceiling panels).

Community members will undertake end-to-end training on how to plant, cultivate and harvest hemp (stems/branches), make these into carbon-absorbing, healthy building materials (hempcrete wall and ceiling panels - as alternatives to plasterboard), do quality control testing and get these products to the construction market.
With sustainability and environmental and community inclusion benefits, this project will introduce a ‘livelihood and job creation’ stimulus towards a new industry for the region – participants moving on to establish or work within businesses/farms in the hemp building material industry and thus contributing to a more prosperous economy for Greater Shepparton.