Scott Cam's favourite Aussie shed has a mezzanine level, dance floor and bar
Sage Swinton
When you first walk into Richard ‘Yok’ Snedden’s shed, you get the idea that a lot of work has gone into it.
The Aberdare man who works at Maitland jail has spent more than two decades tinkering and toying with what is simply known as ‘The Shed’.
His work has paid off – The Shed clinched the number one spot in Gold Logie winner Scott Cam’s Top Aussie Sheds book, which comes out on Wednesday.
Proclaiming himself the book’s ‘Mr January’ with a big laugh, Mr Snedden said it was a huge honour to win the title over the many awesome sheds that were out there.
“The Shed had always been a dream of mine,” he said.
“It means everything to me, it’s my whole life.
“It will be nice to be able to leave it to my kids.”
Mr Snedden talks about The Shed like it is one of his children, and his kids were actually one of the driving forces behind the project.
He wanted a space to restore furniture, but also somewhere for his kids to have their birthday parties.
“We’ve done all that tenfold,” he said.
And you can understand why it’s a party haven when you see it.
The two story building is strewn with memorabilia – antique Coca Cola signs, cardboard cut outs and funny personal trophies including ‘stickybeak of the year’.
The Shed has a mezzanine level, bar, work space, dance floor and tons of collectables. Picture: Sage Swinton
There is a designated dance floor, a swing, a work space, a bar, a pool table, a great sound system and enough collectables to keep anyone entertained for hours.
But despite the obvious value in many of the items, Mr Snedden has collected most of The Shed’s contents from garage sales, auctions or people throwing stuff out.
“I’ve done it with not a lot of money,” he said.
“There were things people were throwing away as rubbish, and I saw something in them.
“There are a few valuable things, but I’ve just been lucky to pick them up at the right price.”
Every item has a story. He points out an ATM sign he picked up from an auction and said someone saw it and asked if he actually had a working ATM.
“I told her they’re just stocking it up,” he said.
It’s these sorts of memories that make The Shed special.
“It’s the people I’ve met through The Shed – and I mean that.
“If the walls could talk about those people, boy would they have some funny stories to tell.
“I’ve had some really, really good times here. Some great parties.
“We’ve had fundraisers for people doing it tough. We’ve had taco eating competitions, pie eating competitions, hand shaking competitions.
“We had a wheelbarrow show with 50 barrows all done up.”
A swing is right in the middle of The Shed, with a piano, pool table and much more in the background. Picture: Maya Vidulich
But despite all those shindigs – some with about 150 attendees – there has been little drama.
“I’ve never had any trouble,” he said.
“Everybody that comes here enjoys the place, loves the place and I appreciate that very much.”
Mr Snedden is quoted in Scott Cam’s book as saying, ‘I don’t have to invite anyone. People just turn up.’
“Ain’t that the truth!” he said, while flicking through the pages.
The great neighbours over the years have helped with that too. When he first built The Shed, the couple next door were in their 80s.
Picture: Sage Swinton
He told them he might host a party or two.
“She said to me ‘you do whatever you like Rich. You were sent down from heaven to build that shed’.
“I’ve been pretty lucky to be able to do it.”
The Shed project all started after Mr Snedden bought his house 21 years ago.
With help from his brother Robert and friend Paul ‘Ollie’ Oliver, he converted what was an old bus shed that had little else but a roof and a wall, into a masterpiece.
The Shed before Yok converted it into a masterpiece.
Most of the materials came from an old house ‘Yok’ and ‘Ollie’ were pulling down at Lovedale. The house was set to be bulldozed, so he took the materials… and the rest is history.
The place has turned out exactly the way Mr Snedden imagined it, and for that reason he said it was amazing for it to be appreciated by someone like Scott Cam.
“It feels really nice,” he said.
“To think you’ve been acknowledged by someone like that, it’s pretty good to me.”
Scotty’s Top Aussie Sheds by Scott Cam (Murdoch Books RRP $35).
This story originally appeared in the Maitland Mercury.
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