Wandering through the Basin Café, I am trying to look relaxed, searching in vain for the event director of the 2018 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

The café is far from unfamiliar, although dramatically renovated since the days we used to pause for a lemonade icy pole after a session of swimming and half-taped tennis ball cricket.

Rick Marton is usually a well-dressed and enthusiastically spoken Launcestonian. Sitting down in pursuit of my friend, I send a text message to alert him of arrival. A man, camouflaged in a bright yellow fluoro vest more often the clobber of tradies, lifts his eyes from a nest of communication devices and turns to me with a broad smile.“This will be an extraordinary event on a budget designed for a conference venue. The excitement is that we have built this, literally, from the ground-up. All of us, together,” Rick states emphatically.

Enter City of Launceston community and economic development manager Tracey Mallett.

“The conundrum of eating canapés, balancing a drink, holding a clutch/handbag/mobile phone, whilst shaking someone’s hand, all while outside on the lawns of First Basin was predicted to be a real problem for our guests,” she says.

“The idea for canapé boards came up, but we didn't have the budget to buy commercial ones.

“I then thought of the two local men’s sheds, which my team had worked with over recent years during the community building projects we had initiated with the Rocherlea community in 2017 and the Ravenswood community in 2018.”

With images conjuring sentimental feelings of Santa’s Workshop, the men got to work. There they are, beavering away, trying to meet the deadline. Unique and innovative canapé boards to shape, seal and fashion with care and consideration.

The Shed, based at Rocherlea, and the Men and Community Shed, at Ravenswood, house the unseen faces of the Tourism Awards held at the treasured Launceston Cataract Gorge and First Basin on Friday evening.

The canapé boards are rectangular, crafted from Tasmanian Oak and meticulously stained with a high-grade sealer, which of course was donated once a local company became aware of the project.

Trevor Hughes from The Shed at Rocherlea is the designer who worked closely with Tracey to refine the MDF prototype; carefully making small refinements until they both considered the board perfect for the job. A wine glass used at the event was sourced weeks earlier to make sure the cut-out holder was just right.

And now to make 400!

“We are new on the ground as a Men’s Shed, having secured the premises late last year. So, we are always on the lookout for new members of any age. A small group of us were able to finish a good project,” a considered Trevor offers.

David Jones from the Men and Community Shed based at Ravenswood, without hesitation said his team could also produce 200. 

But before they began, Tracey threw them another curly task: could they also handcraft 80 table numbers?  Of course, they could.

“It was a logistical challenge, bringing together a team of five or six, but a very worthwhile project,” reflects David in an honest and upfront manner.

Mateship, camaraderie, teamwork, purpose, and collective responsibility shone through with the canapé boards and table numbers, representing far more than the ubiquitous gum tree off-cuts synonymous with the hard-working blue-collar timber industry.

Tasmanian Oak, purchased on a budget by Launceston City Council, was chosen because it can be thinly machined, while remaining light and strong, an objective required to shape 400 individual products, one for each couple.

The craftsmen who enhanced our evening were sadly not in attendance, however, they were every bit part of the culminating performance – a magnificent and unheralded event showcasing what a unique and truly beautiful regional city can offer.

Not everyone was happy about the impost on the public space, however.

Rick shares with me a screenshot of a vulgar message he received on social media criticising the closure of First Basin pool for 10 days. 

I acknowledged the appalling comment by a keyboard warrior with a shocked expression, and swiftly reminded him of the canapé boards and all they represent. 

The canapé boards were gifted to guests with the remainder available for purchase, with all proceeds donated to our local and much-loved men’s sheds.  

“The collaborative nature of the two sheds was lovely. The Rocherlea Shed struggled with enough manpower over the summer period, so Ravenswood stepped in to help.

“Then a vital piece of Rocherlea’s equipment failed so again Ravenswood stepped up to the task.

“There have been significant man-hours go into this, with both sheds looking like production lines,” reflected Tracey.

Rick, Tracey, Trevor and David, along with a cast of incredible locals, were also victorious on Friday night, delivering a truly magnificent Launceston showcase that will drive tourism and economic growth for a generation. 

“I wanted our region to be known as clever and creative and set a new benchmark, but I also wanted the awards to show everyone who lives here, we can deliver extraordinary when we work together,” concludes a deservedly proud Rick.

I couldn’t agree more.