THE Karuah Op Shop is just one activity presently conducted inside the St Columba’s Anglican Church hall which was built by the Karuah community and Anglican Church members in the early 1960s. 

The hall was built by volunteers using purchased and donated materials in a style to match the church and the buildings then within the township.

Cliff Johnson, a congregation leader in the church, said, “The time has come to repair and renovate the hall, modernising it, removing any damaged older or potentially dangerous construction materials and updating electrical and catering utilities.”

The Karuah Op Shop has been offering Karuah locals and visitors a great range of donated second hand and new clothes, shoes, toys and books for many years.

The Op Shop allows the redistribution of goods, while providing a valuable service and shopping opportunity to the town.

Christine Mason, an Op Shop volunteer, said, “The Op Shop provides a service to the town and is a fun and social place to visit, our prices are so reasonable that anyone can find some little, or not so little, thing that they may need or just want.”

“Many of course just drop by for a browse and a chat, it’s a great place for locals and visitors to find out what’s happening in town,” she said.

The refurbishment of the shop and hall is planned to start in April this year, with a completion and grand re-opening planned for mid year.

It’s planned by the church to keep the Op Shop open during the refurbishment and trading from the “old antiques Shop” at 412 Tarean Road while construction of the new hall is in progress.

Cliff has promised to keep Karuah and District residents informed on the progress of the refurbishment.

He has invited them to visit the Op Shop on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings at its old location before the re-construction starts or at the temporary location during construction, or even the church on Sunday mornings, to observe and be reassured on the progress of the refurbishment and the project as a whole.