Makerspace

Lady and Man at work bench

What's a Makerspace?

There are many different ways to define a Makerspace but essentially it is a space designed and dedicated to hands-on creativity. Sometimes that means idea generation, sometimes it manifests as problem-solving and sometimes it's physical creation. Whatever form it takes, the idea is that in a Makerspace, you’re actively participating in creating something.

A Makerspace is a place where people can come together to use (and learn to use) different materials and machines to develop creative projects. Makerspaces foster play, exploration and participatory learning. They facilitate learning between home and school. They also foster collaborative learning where individuals share their skills and knowledge and they encourage a culture of creation.

Why a Makerspace in the library?

Makerspaces are now appearing in libraries across Australia and around the world, in keeping with the modern role of libraries as community hubs and centres of learning, knowledge creation and information sharing. Makerspaces provide access to advanced technologies that would be out of reach for the average individual, yet are becoming increasingly important to build skills and ensure job prospects in a wide range of existing and emerging industries.

The dedicated Makerspace room at the Mellor Street library provides the community with access to Virtual Reality hardware and software, 3D Printers, state of the art sewing machines and other technological developments which are driving employment opportunities and enhancing leisure time around the globe.

How did it happen?

The Makerspace in the Gympie Library was made possible thanks to a joint effort by the Friends of Gympie Regional Libraries, Gympie Regional Council and the Queensland Government.

The Friends of Gympie Regional Libraries secured a grant from Queensland's Gambling Community Benefit Fund to purchase the equipment.

The creation of the Makerspace itself was a joint initiative of Gympie Regional Council and the Queensland Government’s $600 Million Works 4 Qld program.

What's available in the Makerspace

Opening Hours

The Makerspace is open to all residents:

  • Tuesday 9am-5pm
  • Wednesday 12-5pm
  • Thursday 9am-12noon
  • Thursday 3.30-4.30pm Robotics

During school holidays and times other than those above, sessions can be booked through our website.

Other sessions

Other sessions include how to use the equipment, tours of the space and school holiday activities. Bookings are essential.
Use the link to discover all Makerspace sessions.

Makerspace Sessions