Make a Serving Platter — Hands-On Slab Ceramics Workshop in Shellharbour

On the South Coast of New South Wales, a short drive from Shellharbour’s main street, a low-key studio at 80b Towradgi Rd Towradgi invites hands-on creativity: Make a Serving Platter is a two-hour clay workshop focused on a flowing slab-platter design that channels domestic ritual into object-form. The session is practical and calming, aimed at makers aged 12 and up who want a piece they can use and admire.

Inside the studio, you’ll work with smooth stoneware clay and simple tools to press, carve and curve a single slab into ledges, dips and shallow wells for dips and nibbles. The instructor guides you through slab rolling, trimming and texturing, offering tips to control thickness and cure stresses that cause warping. Finished pieces are glazed and fired later; you’ll be notified when your platter is ready for pickup or postage. The workshop emphasizes slow making: deliberate hand movements, attention to edge profiles and small decisions that give each platter personality.

Why book this in Shellharbour? Beyond learning a functional ceramic technique, the class plugs you into a local maker scene on the New South Wales South Coast where craft practice intersects with coastal life — think practical objects designed for gatherings after a beach walk. The studio’s slab approach suits beginners while allowing more adventurous shaping for experienced hands; that flexibility makes it a standout small-group creative offering in the region.

Practical details are straightforward: meet at 80b Towradgi Rd Towradgi, allow roughly two hours for the session, and note a 12-ticket minimum is required for the event to proceed; organizers will contact attendees with options if the minimum isn’t met. Bring a willing attitude, close-toed shoes, and an apron or shirt you don’t mind getting clay on. The workshop makes an excellent half-day pairing with shoreline walks, café brunches in Shellharbour, or other South Coast studio visits.

This is not a competitive pottery class; it’s a mindful craft experience designed to return you home with a usable piece that recalls the making process. Whether you’re buying a creative souvenir, expanding a practical skill set, or searching for a meaningful gift, Make a Serving Platter offers a concise, focused introduction to slab ceramics with hands-on instruction and a tangible, usable result—a simple way to bring a tactile, hand-made pause to your travels on the New South Wales coast.

Expect the studio to smell faintly of damp clay and the tannin of wooden tools; the instructor will demo scoring and slipping and offer glazing palettes so you can choose colors that suit your table. Finished platters often make memorable gifts or centerpieces at supper, and the simple slab technique taught here translates easily into bowls, trays and coasters you can make next.