NAMED after Sir Philip Fysh, a Tasmanian politician who helped bring about Australia’s Federation, Fyshwick has been a suburb in Canberra since the 1920s.
The suffix “wick”, from Old English, means “dwelling place” – and, by extension, “village” or “district”. Its streets are named after Australia’s industrial towns and regions.
These days it’s a busy commercial hub well known for the enormous range of different businesses that call Fyshwick home. Here are some of the leading ones…

Damian’s got any car problem covered

WHEN it comes to auto repair and maintenance services, no one does it better than Latin Motors, says its owner Damian Jones.
Established in 1979, the family-owned, long-established workshop specialises in European makes and models.
But, Damian says the repair centre is equipped with professional-grade auto-repair tools and equipment, which enables Latin Motors to service all vehicle makes and models.
“No matter how minor or major your car repair needs are, I have you covered,” he says.
“We always put our customers first, making sure they are notified and assured if there is any extra work found on their car.”
Damian, who did an apprenticeship in European cars, says he appreciates their fine engineering.
“I am factory-trained in Audi and SAAB and have more than 13 years of experience in all European vehicles,” he says.
“I pride myself on providing and delivering reliable, honest and efficient customer service and information to my customers, notifying of any additional work required prior to it being carried out.”
And, Damian says, when it comes to Latin Motors, customers can feel comfortable knowing they’ll be liaising directly with the mechanic who is working on their vehicle.

Latin Motors, 56 Townsville Street, Fyshwick, call 6280 5586 or visit latinmotors.com.au

Now’s a great time to double glaze

NOW is a great time to insulate the home by double glazing the windows, says the sales manager of TwinGlaze, Melanie Hugg.
“Thirty per cent of your home’s wall space is windows and doors. By double glazing you will make your home much warmer in winter, cooler in summer and reduce noise,” she says.
TwinGlaze is a recently launched Canberra-based business and provides an affordable double-glazing option that fits into existing window frames, says Melanie.
“There’s no construction and no mess. We work with your windows, by removing the glass and leaving the frames in place, so the installation of new TwinGlaze windows is quick and easy.
“Our clients say they have had a reduction in their energy bills of up to 40 per cent! They say their home feels more quiet and comfortable,” says Melanie.

Call TwinGlaze on 6190 1011 or email canberra@twinglaze.com.au

Chris has shed loads of building materials

CHRIS Perkins never knows what building materials will be coming through the front door at Handyman’s Trading Post.
“We’ve got two sheds packed to the brim with new and used building materials,” says Chris, who took over the store in 2015 but has been working there for nearly 25 years.
The store itself has been around for 36 years, and Chris believes it’s the only one of its kind in the area.
“We have a variety of products but we do get a lot of doors in such as sliding doors, french doors, hinge doors, and front and back doors,” he says.
“We also have doors with brass handles that you can’t source anywhere else.”
At most furniture stores, Chris says it usually takes about six to eight weeks for customers to get their order but at the Handyman’s Trading Post they don’t have to wait.
“The beauty of our shop is you can see what you’re buying and take it home right away,” he says.
And Chris says if they don’t take it home that day, it might not be there the next day.
“We get things in daily so you’ve got to get it while you can,” he says.
As for the service Chris and his team deliver, Chris says they haven’t had a complaint in 36 years.
“Just have a look at our Google reviews,” he says.
“We treat everyone the same and we tell it how it is so they know exactly what they’re getting before they leave with it.”

Handyman’s Trading Post, 34 Geelong Street. Call 6280 4036 and email build@htp.net.au

Caravan care starts here

LLOYDS Caravan Repairs and Servicing owner, Kerry Lloyd, and his three sons, love to hear about where their clients take their caravans.
But, Kerry says before heading out on the next adventure, come and see Lloyd’s for a service and safety check or other requirements such as accessories, air conditioning, heating or insurance repairs.
Lloyds Caravans has been in Canberra since the ‘60s and Kerry says he’s glad to be carrying on his father’s legacy as well as working with his three sons – Mitchell who’s an auto electrician, Matthew, a panel beater and Kyle, a carpenter.
Lloyds Caravans provides services such as caravan insurance repairs, modifications and servicing as well as services for trailers, camper vans, horse floats and motor homes.
“We’re all trained in the caravan industry trade and we are the preferred repairers for all major insurance companies,” Kerry says.
“Caravans and motorhomes are evolving all the time and we’re evolving with them.”
Lloyds Caravan Repairs and Servicing, 57 Tennant Street, Fyshwick. Call 0438 800652, email caravanscanberra@gmail.com or visit caravanscanberra.com.au

Storage solutions with top security

ACT Self Storage, previously known as Yallourn Street Storage, provides tailored storage solutions for all commercial and residential needs, says owner Andreas Markou.
He says ACT Self Storage will help with all storage needs and offers a safe environment for furniture and other household goods or commercial goods.
“We will take care of everything you need from storage to packaging solutions,” he says.
“It is a first-class storage facility with a large range of secure storage services, units and sheds in a variety of sizes at the best rates and being owner managed, you know that your confidentiality will remain with us.”
Specialising in commercial storage, Andreas says they can store items such as document and record storage, sensitive material storage and business inventory storage for warehousing needs.
“We offer double-layered security and can receipt and dispatch parcels to pallets,” he says.
“The storage facility also provides easy truck access to maintain all your needs.”

ACT Self Storage, 17 Yallourn Street, Fyshwick. Call 6239 2126, email info@actselfstorage.com.au or visit actselfstorage.com.au

Customers are crazy about Tasmanian oak

TIMBERLAND Furniture’s feature-grade, Tasmanian oak furniture is the perfect feature for a home, and owner Tony Purdy says it’s quite visually striking.
“The Tasmanian oak furniture is really popular at the moment,” he says.
“You can see the sap lines on the timber, which gives it character.”
Best of all, there’s a fair bit on the floor at the moment, including dining suites, TV units, buffets and coffee tables.
Tony says Timberland Furniture also specialises in customising furniture for specific requirements such as changing the colour, size or adding or taking out a drawer.
It can be hard to find a piece of furniture that fits, which is why Tony says Timberland Furniture customises any of its furniture, so it can slot straight in to the ideal spot.
“We will customise it for you to make it fit the space and with lounges we can make them to size, or you can choose your own material,” he says.
“We try to find things a little bit quirky and different because there’s no point having the same products as everyone else.”
And Tony says all products sourced by Timberland Furniture are good quality and affordable.

Timberland Furniture, 7/17 Iron Knob Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 7411, email timberlandfyshwick@gmail.com or visit canberracustomfurniture.com

Safety gear from the boots up

FOR high-vis workwear, safety equipment and boots, Seears Workwear has the lot, says a Seears spokesman.
Seears Workwear is family owned and operated, run by Pat Seears and his son Shane.
The 1400 square-metre store sells clothing and safety gear for pretty much every kind of industry and worker, he says – from building labourers, chefs, blue and white-collar workers to hospitals, major companies, and government departments such as Defence.
“We also have a corporate section, where we provide a free measure-and-quote and free delivery service,” he says.
“We are a very competitively priced business and are always negotiable on large bulk orders.
“We offer a full embroidery and screen-printing service, too.”
Seears keeps a huge range of stock on the premises and sells online at seearsworkwear.com.au

Seears Workwear, 60 Barrier Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 4111 or visit seearsworkwear.com.au