It feels like Christmas in April in the little brick house belonging to the Arid Lands Centre in Alice Springs, as hundreds of people from all over Central Australia line up to get household items repaired.

Little stalls have been set up in the living room, a man sits cross-legged on the floor tinkering with an old clock radio, and a makeshift bike repair shop has been hastily put together in the backyard.

As event organiser Rachel O'Leary put it, the room had a festive vibe.

"We've asked people to bring in all their broken things so we can repair them," she said, looking up from a mound of fabric in the sewing room.

"The idea is to keep waste out of landfill and to reduce greenhouse emissions from buying new things constantly."

Sara Maiorino, Jules North and Rachel O'Leary, who is the organiser of Recycle Cafe. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Now in its second year, the Repair Cafe attracts hundreds of people who work to repair an impressive list of household items that might otherwise have gone to the Alice Springs Tip.

"It's free to get things repaired by these local experts, but people are encouraged to donate a small fee into a tip jar," Ms O'Leary said.

"What many people don't realise is you can get everything you need repaired right here in Alice Springs, there are people with those skills right here."

Bethany Wilson had her bike repaired. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Cultivating community

One of those people is newly arrived Alice Springs resident Nicholas Smith.

"I'm new to town and this is the best way to meet people and create community," Mr Smith said, as he inspected a punctured bike tube.

Mr Smith has set to work on Bethany Wilson's bike, who described repair work as a "dying art".

Local librarian Kate Burbeck volunteered her weekend to help repair old books.

Librarian Kate Burbeck repairs damaged books ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

As she spoke to the ABC she worked on Rosalie Breen's ancient books, that had once belonged to her father.

"I like working with my hands and I like the satisfaction of problem-solving simple tasks," Ms Burbeck said.

"It's definitely a challenge, but most things aren't beyond repair."

Not only could people get their broken items repaired, but they could also learn how to fix things themselves.

"The art of repair is a bit of a lost skill," Ms O'Leary said,

"But that's not entirely our fault, more and more products are made to be thrown away.

"The most special part of this is connecting hobbyists, bringing them together so they can share skills, and teach others, you do see a lot of comradery."

Kate Burbeck restores Rosalie Breen's book. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Kerbside recycling to commence in Alice Springs, despite China ban

On January 1, China stopped accepting 24 categories of solid waste, disrupting the export of more than 600,000 tonnes of material out of Australia each year.

This has led to disruption for many council's nationwide, with fears many will follow suit after Queensland local government area Ipswich scrapped its recycling programs to save money.

Yet kerbside recycling is set to go ahead for the first time in Alice Springs on July 1, 2018.

Alice Springs Town Councillor and CEO of ARID Lands Environment Centre, Jimmy Cocking, with his son Louka. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Alice Springs Town Councillor and CEO of the Arid Lands Centre, Jimmy Cocking, believes it won't affect a planned kerbside recycling service in the outback town.

"I think it is a courageous thing to be done by council, albeit 20 years late, but at least we are doing it," Mr Cocking said.

"There's unanimous support for recycling in council, I think it will be proceeding, it will be a matter of taking the global markets into consideration as we move forward."

Lisa Menzel repairs a wooden dragon. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Book repairer Kate Burbeck and Rosalie Breen examine a book gifted to Ms Breen by her father, which although 50 years old, was not beyond repair. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

Alex Read with his repaired shorts. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

A book belonging to long-time Alice Springs resident Rosalie Breen that once belonged to her father. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )