Journeys Aug/Sept 2021 by ract-journeys

Journeys YOUR RACT MEMBER MAGAZINE // AUG / SEPT 2021

This issue

MAKE IT OUT WEST All that lights the nights in Tasmania The 2021 Škoda Kamiq Our call for new road safety technology

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1300 138 044 | tptwealth.com.au Please note this information does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, or seek independent professional advice before making any decision or acquiring any product. TPT Wealth, MyState Limited and MyState Bank don’t guarantee repayment of capital, performance of the Fund or rates of return. Managed investments are not a bank deposit; accordingly, higher risk of losing some or all of your money exists. Refer to Fund PDS for important risk information at tptwealth.com.au. TPT Wealth Limited ABN 97009475629 AFSL 234630. A wholly owned subsidiary of MyState Limited ABN 26 133 623 962.

contents.

AUG / SEPT 2021

Welcome note

Inbox

A word from our President

Our members share what’s on their minds

lifestyle

What’s on

Foodie finds

28 inside

Photos: Ali Davis; Jacob Collings; Max Combi / Killara Distillery

New heights

The latest happenings on our island Tassie’s whisky wisdom

Wellness

Coming home to the LongHouse in Hobart

A mile in their shoes

Meet an ambassador for Tasmania’s wild birds

drive

15 travel

Travel news

The pit stop

0-100 review

on the cover

Road test

Our branches are open Mon–Fri 8.45am to 5pm For customer service, call 13 27 22 For roadside assistance, call 13 11 11 anytime Visit ract.com.au Email journeys@ract.com.au

We try out the new Škoda Kamiq on kunanyi

The natural phenomena lighting Tassie’s nights

Changing gears

On assigment for Journeys, Tasmanian photographer Oscar Sloane (@oscarsloane) captured the dramatic approach to Queenstown.

See the light

Our writer discovers there ain’t no mountain high enough to daunt Škoda’s new small SUV.

Our review of the Subaru Outback AWD Touring

Tasmania’s largest west coast town is on the up

The latest

Queen of the west

Auto news

The latest developments in the car world

How to spend the perfect day in Burnie

community

Everything on our radar in the local travel scene

News from the RACT community The big issues affecting RACT and our members

Member rewards Member savings available right now

Puzzles

Take on the crossword and our road safety quiz

Rear view

See your snap of Tasmania here

Have your say on Member Hub and social media

To unsubscribe from Journeys, visit ract.com.au/update

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Straight

Curved

welcome. ABOUT YOUR RACT PRESIDENT Kathryn Westwood VICE PRESIDENTS Alison Flakemore Jenny Richardson BOARD Josephine Archer, Peter Dixon, Ralph Doedens, Jude Franks, Phil Jones, Risden Knightley, Pieter Kolkert, Sue Smith RACT GROUP CEO Mark Mugnaioni JOURNEYS MANAGING EDITOR Zoe Cooney

A word from our President LAST YEAR THE RACT BOARD DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED OUR NEW GROUP STRATEGY. The strategy

includes a strong focus on the longterm financial sustainability of the Club, while always ensuring that our members remain at the heart of our decision making. Since then, we have taken significant steps forward in realising this ambition, with our first year of the strategy aimed at aligning our priorities and, most notably, undertaking a series of divestment and investment opportunities that will enable us to provide more for our members. Recently, as a part of this realignment, the Board agreed to increase RACT’s investment in the insurance business, with the Club signing an agreement to secure 100% ownership of the business from our valued partner, Suncorp (subject to the regulatory approval process). The decision to invest further in this high-performing business was made in line with our agreed strategy.

Importantly, we’ve heard directly from our members that they value our insurance offering and now, more than ever before, they want to support locals and buy locally. With this in mind, the Board agreed that now was the right time to invest further, with this change meaning that RACT Insurance will now be Tasmania’s only 100% Tasmanian-owned and located general insurer. With this change, the RACT Group will focus even more strongly on improving the experience and value provided. I can assure you that there will be no adverse impact on members or existing insurance policies. It’s business as normal. This means you will be able to engage with us as you do now, in person at branches across Tasmania, through our local call centres and at any time online. We are excited for the future of RACT and our combined business and, importantly, for the improved experiences and value we are creating for our members. Kathryn Westwood // PRESIDENT

Journeys is published for The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania by Hardie Grant Media, Building 1, 658 Church Street, Richmond VIC 3121 hardiegrant.com Managing Director Nick Hardie-Grant Deputy Managing Director Clare Brundle Managing Editor Krysia Bonkowski Art Director Dallas Budde Design Katrina Mastrofilippo Advertising Sales and Partnerships Director Lauren Casalini laurencasalini@hardiegrant.com Senior Account Manager Amanda Travers amandatravers@hardiegrant.com Printer Ovato Mailhouse D&D Mailing Services Distribution Australia Post Australia Post No. 100003899

Competition terms and conditions can be found at ract.com.au/competitions. No part of Journeys may be reproduced without permission. Copyright 2021 RACT. The opinions contained in this publication may not be shared by The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited or its related bodies corporate (together “RACT”) or any of its directors or employees. Advertisements in Journeys are the responsibility of the advertiser. No person should act or rely upon such opinions or advice and RACT accepts no liability for them. Any rewards or rights provided to a member cannot be transferred, assigned, sold or redeemed for cash. Inclusion of a product should not be construed as an endorsement by RACT.

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inbox. LETTERS

A roundabout way In your April–May issue you gave information on roundabouts (p. 57). However, this does not get through to enough people and there needs to be more education. They are meant to make traffic flow and not stop, just slow. Launceston has acquired large and small roundabouts in the last couple of years. However, we have drivers who have no idea how to use them. Especially frustrating is the single-lane one on the northern side of the Tamar Street bridge. People approach this roundabout from both north and south at excessive speeds – intimidating young and old drivers who do not have confidence in their skills. We end up with a very long queue. We wait and we wait, getting more frustrated.

Rest at risk The signs on the Bass Highway and other roads give motorists the safety message: “Rest and survive the drive”. The signs really resonate with us all, knowing full well by the accident statistics that fatigue is a big contributing factor. But where in Tasmania precisely are motorists able to pull out of the high-speed, frenetic road race that unfortunately is our lot when travelling major roads here? Farmers’ gateways seem to be the only option, which you’ll all agree is a most unsuitable choice. On the mainland, highways have huge signs first to advise motorists of approaching rest bays – giving distances to the next one – then huge signs prior to the actual rest bays themselves. The bays are large enough in most cases to give rest to semi-trailers as well as other vehicles. These bays are quite frequent along all major highways. When is something actually going to be done in Tasmania? We’ve been asking this question since moving here from the mainland in 2002. Judith-Anne Tahir // Deloraine

Daphne Longman // Dilston

Let survivors speak Road safety is of primary concern. To address this, public awareness raising and education is by far the best strategy. For every death on the roads, there are four others who are subjected to severe pain and suffering for the rest of their lives. We have concentrated far too much on road death statistics and not nearly enough on the agony and despair of these survivors. A long-term campaign targeting this still-living group will have much more impact. John Hunter // Sandy Bay

Junior School Anglesea Street South Hobart Middle School Molle Street Hobart

Experiential Learning The Collegiate Difference 8

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

Senior School Macquarie Street Hobart T 6211 4911 www.collegiate.tas.edu.au enrolments@collegiate.tas.edu.au

Distracted drivers The very informative police stats that you ran in the last issue – among them 2070 mobile phone offenders (p. 10) – indicate that inattention is a real problem. However, we are all missing the ‘elephant in the room’ regarding driver inattention, and that is those very attractive, big (and getting bigger) touch screens and buttons on the car dashboards. Lots of different information and entertainment available at the touch of the fingertip; plenty of time for distraction and inattention, instead of concentrating on pointing the vehicle in the right direction and at the appropriate speed, as well as avoiding contact with other vehicles, pedestrians and/or wildlife. Steve Willett // Spring Beach

Mayday for Maydena I regularly travel the roads to and from Maydena. The trip from Westerway to Maydena is scary enough, the roads are narrow and winding. In winter, sections remain wet all day. I have lost count of the number of times I have nearly been wiped out by people cutting corners. If you can't see what is coming, why would you do it? Caravans, cars, and cars towing trailers are just as bad, but the majority seem to be big 4WDs and cars laden with mountain bikes. Please stay on your side of the road. Melissa King // Glenorchy

Breaking bad habits To make our roads safer we need high-standard driver education, affordable defensive driving lessons for everyone and government-run road safety campaigns with an emphasis on courtesy and kindness. If our teenagers get driving education mainly from parents, they will inherit all the bad habits of their old folk as well. So, let’s make sure that our children become way better drivers than we are. This cannot be achieved with draconian speeding fines and limiting car speeds. Werner Knuepfer // Kaoota

WRITE TO US

Photos: iStock; Tourism Tasmania / Stu Gibson

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on any motoring or travel-related topics and auto questions. Please keep them brief – we reserve the right to edit.

journeys@ract.com.au @ractofficial

MTAA Super and Tasplan have merged to become Spirit Super. Learn more at spiritsuper.com.au/merger-info. Advice on Spirit Super is provided by Quadrant First Pty Ltd (ABN 78 102 167 877, AFSL 284443) and issuer is Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718). Read the PDS at spiritsuper.com.au before making a decision.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

BC • RACT6986

lifestyle 12/ 15/ 17/ 20/

Photo: Jacob Collings

Launnie lights up

WHAT’S ON FOODIE FINDS WELLNESS A MILE IN THEIR SHOES

Preparations are forging ahead for one of Tasmania’s most vibrant cultural events. Junction Arts Festival is an interactive multi-arts celebration bringing live music, art and performance to unexpected venues across Launceston. First intended as a one-off event, Junction has since proven so popular that it will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year on 1–5 September. The beloved festival marks a joyous start to spring with open-air public events and intimate shows (with COVID-safe plans in place across the board), fuelled by Tasmania’s seemingly endless creative reserves.

P For the latest updates, visit junctionartsfestival.com.au

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

what’s on. YOUR NEW TO-DO LIST 6–14 AUGUST

A BEAKER FULL Feed your curiosity at Beaker Street Festival. As well as in-person events at the hub in Hobart’s Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, science and art lovers can catch livestreams of Beaker Street’s statewide roadtrip or take a self-guided audio escape with the digital Sci Art Walks series.

FROM 26 SEPTEMBER

IT’S TULIP TIME

All event details are up to date at time of print, but can change. For updates, consult organisers directly, and support Tassie’s events industry through these challenging times.

7 SEPTEMBER 9–15 AUGUST

DAY OF THE TIGER

Celebrate our mastery of the golden spirit and world-class distillers this Tasmanian Whisky Week. Buy a bottle, tune into a virtual tasting or join a ticketed event. Turn to p. 15 to meet two talented local distillers.

National Threatened Species Day was enshrined to mark the sad day in September 1936 when ‘Benjamin’, the last known thylacine, passed away in a Hobart zoo. It’s a precious reminder of all the species teetering on the brink and an opportunity to reflect on what we can all do to help.

LIQUID GOLD

3–13 SEPTEMBER

VINE AND DINE Raise a glass to one of our prettiest wine regions at the Great Eastern Wine Week. Join an array of COVIDsafe events such as a long lunch at Twamley Farm, a wine cruise or Freycinet Vineyard tour; or go solo on the East Coast Wine Trail. Stay a while with 25% off accommodation at Freycinet Lodge for RACT members. Due to the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic, we recommend you research any event before heading off to make sure everything is going ahead as planned.

Photos: Sam Shelley; Twamley Farm; Graziano Di Martino; Chris Tzaros / Birds Bush and Beyond Tourism Tasmania / Stu Gibson / Lauren Bath / Lusy Productions

Each year a clifftop property in Wynyard bursts into a riot of colour with tulip season. Table Cape Tulip Farm opens its gates to the public on 26 September for a few glorious weeks until late October. If you can’t make it in person, Van Diemen Quality Bulbs ships direct from Table Cape.

lifestyle Want to tell us about your event or product? Reach us on journeys@ract.com.au

Made in Tas Prepare for planting season with Veggie Garden Seeds. This homegrown Hobart business offers veggies, herbs, grasses, flowers and native plants in pretty little packets, including rare seeds. A pastelhued zinnia or summer squash is just the thing to banish winter blues.

Bird is the word It’s not just us humans who look forward to spring – it also signals the start of a flurry of activity for Tasmania’s feathered residents. From September onwards there are plenty of reasons for twitchers to come out of hibernation, binoculars in hand. The endangered swift parrot brings a pop of colour back to the island as they return to breed in Tasmanian blue gum forests. After a long winter getting their burrows in shape for the spring nesting season, male little penguins are joined by the ladies on the north and east coasts. And a few million short-tailed shearwaters complete their mammoth journey from Alaska to settle in for a well-earned summer holiday.

Make a note

Read With words by Bruny Island-based writer Anne Morgan and illustration by Hobart artist Lois Bury, The Way of the Weedy Seadragon from CSIRO Publishing is as pretty as it is educational.

Listen Get your literary fix until the biennial Tamar Valley Writers Festival returns in September 2022 with the TVWF podcasts, on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Download Inspired to do a spot of birdwatching? Find the Bird in the Hand app by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service on Google Play.

WHAT’S BLOOMING?

with SADIE CHRESTMAN from Fat Pig Farm Winter is the time to take stock and recuperate. It’s late mornings and early evenings. It’s time to sit by the fire and plan for summer. It’s also time to start the tomato, eggplant and pepper seedlings indoors. Be careful with plants near windows, as they are lovely and sunny during the day but, if not double-glazed, can be super cold at night. By early September, the ground is dry enough to prepare the summer beds with lots of compost, a handful of rock dust, plus a bit of blood and bone or pelleted chicken manure. It’s the hungry patch – we’re eating lots of preserved veg in the form of pickles and making polenta from last summer’s flint corn. We’re harvesting the last of the winter brassicas but waiting on peas. Thank goodness for green garlic, harvested to use the whole small bulb and stem. We’re also getting creative with our greens – harvesting the leafy tips of broad beans and weeds like fat hens. These are delicious sautéed in olive oil with slivers of green garlic. Sow now tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini Harvest now green garlic, purple sprouting broccoli ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

lifestyle

Slow FOODIE finds

steady

Photos: Natalie Mendham; Killara Distillery / Max Combi

Tasmania’s whisky industry is young by European standards, but it has no problems with taking it slow, writes Nola James.

GIVEN TASMANIA’S REPUTATION for producing world-class whisky, it is hard to believe that it’s been barely 30 years since Bill Lark, founder of Lark Distillery, convinced the authorities to overturn a 150-yearold law prohibiting small-batch spirit production on the island. Fast forward to 2021, and Tasmania is home to more than 20 whisky distilleries. Killara Distillery founder Kristy Booth-Lark says that while her folks, Lyn and Bill Lark, taught t he mselves t he a r t o f wh isk y production (with a little help from friends in Scotland), their passion for sharing their knowledge helped Tasmania’s whisky production grow. “One distillery doesn’t make an industry,” she says. Kristy, one of the few female ow ner- d ist i l lers i n t he world , launched Killara (top left) in 2016, naming it after the street she lived on as a child. It was there that her parents first registered the Lark label. She attributes Tasmania’s success as

3 MORE TO TRY McHENRY DISTILLERY Visitors to McHenry’s Port Arthur cellar door can also stay the night. A Swiss-style cabin on the property makes it the ultimate holiday spot for whisky lovers. LAUNCESTON DISTILLERY Launceston Distillery’s whisky production takes place in the historic aviation building Hangar 17. It’s open for tastings and free tours Monday to Friday, and by appointment on weekends. HELLYERS ROAD DISTILLERY Australia’s largest boutique whisky distillery offers a full-service experience from its Burnie-based visitor centre. You can wax-seal your own bottle to take home.

a whisky producer to its scale. “We focus on small batch and quality of craft, and I think that really shows through in the whisky.” Heather Tillott (top right), head distiller at Sullivans Cove, says good whisky just takes time. Production at Sullivans Cove – the two-time winner of World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards – is slower than many people might think is sane, she says. “We have a reverent respect for the liquid, and we treat it very gently all the way through.” For now, Heather and her team are planning a physical expansion – a new distillery and cellar door on Hobart’s waterfront is about two years away – but the low and slow approach will never change. “The amazing liquid being distilled in Tasmania is only going to get better,” Heather says. Visit Killara Distillery in Richmond and Sullivans Cove in Cambridge for tastings.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

lifestyle

Home and

heart

Photo: Rosie Hastie

Community and connections are at the core of this Hobart social enterprise, writes Elspeth Callender.

half-moon rises over nipaluna / Hobart as I approach the giant luminescent shed. Smoke and steam from a mobile kitchen ride the cold night air. A small crowd of silhouetted figures surround firepits. I fall easily into conversation over chai and warm biscuits before we head inside. Friday Feels is one of many events held in a space created specifically to elevate wellbeing. The LongHouse stands on the homelands of the Muwinina – the original wellness practitioners of lutruwita/Tasmania. Its floor is the insulated concrete slab of a former cold store at the intersection of Davey and Evans Street at Macquarie Point. The space was designed by architectural studio Core Collective in collaboration with First Nations social enterprise Nayri Niara (NY-ree nee-AR-a) and applies sustainable

principles. Plexiglass roof and walls permit natural light. The concrete holds warmth and radiates it. There’s an edible garden courtyard. Its multipurpose shed can be packed up and re-used elsewhere. During a Connect 2 Create workshop earlier in the week, Yorta Yorta woman Ruth Langford tells me the transparency of the LongHouse represents relationships with others. “We are living in a world where there’s a desperate need for a new way of being to emerge to help heal this epidemic of loneliness and disconnection.” Nayri Niara’s founder, creative director and wellbeing team member is a songwoman and Indigenous medicines therapist whose creative practice is art installation. Ruth tends to use the word wellbeing. “How we are ‘being’? Do we feel passionate about life? Do we feel that we have a sense of purpose? And, ultimately, do we feel that we belong to ourselves and are we connected to those around us?” ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

lifestyle

“We are living in a world where there’s a desperate need for a new way of being to emerge to help heal this epidemic of loneliness and disconnection.”

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

Nayri Niara has programs supporting parents whose children have been removed and young people who benefit from mental health support. They offer internships, residencies, exhibition opp or tunities and co - create d events. They accept donations and sponsorship for specific initiatives or the “overall creating of good spirit”. Most events, like this evening’s Friday Feels, involve “medicinal nutritional cuisine”. Nayri Niara favours seasonal local produce and partners with collectives including the Migrant Resource Centre, Future Feeders and Wild Grove Farm and Kitchen. The mo on is high when we leave the LongHouse after dancing, Yin yoga, live music and a two-course meal. The intensely enjoyable evening has satiated me in ways wellness experiences never have before. “I’m not into fluff,” as Ruth says. “Give me heart, depth and meaning or give me death.” Visit the LongHouse at 6 Evans Street, Macquarie Point, Hobart. For more, see nayriniaragoodspirit.com

THIS PAGE

(Left to right) LongHouse’s gardens, Ruth talks at an event with local knowledge keeper Sean Mansell.

Photos: Nikki Michail; Adam Gibson

While Nayri Niara is open to everyone, it focuses on First Nations people’s knowledge in its exploration of “experiences that unite ancient traditions with modern conscious practices”. Healing space Tin Camp Studios, built by Yuwaalaraay and Yorta Yorta man Warren Mason, is a permanent fixture in the LongHouse. The awning-top bird sculpture is by palawa artist Dean Greeno. “It’s a space for people to tell stories – a safe space,” explains Warren, after playing guitar there during Connect 2 Create with spokenword poet, Young Dawkins. Live music wasn’t scheduled; this cultural communal hub just naturally draws in community. The environment is always family-friendly. “It’s interesting we called it the LongHouse,” says Ruth. “It is like a home.” Collaboration is fundamental to Nayri Niara. Arts and culture collective Blackspace Creative had a pop-up at the LongHouse before opening its pataway/Burnie shopfront in May. Home Hearth Market hosts a range of 45-minute taster workshops for $10 each. The market was paused for winter but, from 12 September, will run every second Sunday.

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raptor A mile in THE SHOES OF A

rescuer ‘RAPTOR MAN’ CRAIG WEBB has always had a special bond with birds and animals, and has merged his passion with his day job, finds Briar Jensen.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

lifestyle

Photos: Luke O’Brien, Tourism Tasmania / Brian Dullaghan

t’s mid-winter as Craig Webb wades into frigid waters 100 metres offshore to rescue an injured ‘wedgie’. Back at his wildlife centre Raptor Refuge, wet and freezing, he jumps in the shower fully clothed with the endangered Tasmanian wedgetailed eagle to warm them both up. Craig does whatever it takes to rescue injured birds of prey affected by habitat loss, poisoning, shooting, collisions and more, earning him the nickname ‘Raptor Man’. Raptor Refuge, a not-for-profit dedicated to rehabilitation and release, is located discretely among native bushland and landscaped gardens in Kettering, 30 minutes’ south of Hobart. Craig has always had an affinity with animals. “They seem to be attracted to me, whether it’s finding bats strung up on fences in my travels or fairy prions landing exhausted at my feet on the Spirit of Tasmania. It was like destiny.” After five years spent working and soaking up knowledge at a veterinary clinic in the Kimberley, Craig returned to Tasmania in 1997 and purchased the land at Kettering. “I got licenced to look after kangaroos and wallabies and built enclosures on my 20-acre property. A few birds came in so I knocked up some makeshift aviaries. The turning point was when a sea eagle came in. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a serious bird. I need to make a really big aviary.’” Craig was working in the aquaculture industry at the time and ingeniously made an aviary out of an old salmon farm net, despite some naysayers. “I’m a bit of a stubborn bloke. If I have a good idea and think it’ll work, I’ll run with it. I basically strung the net up between poles, giving these big birds more room to fly and get fit prior to release. It’s snowballed since then.” The centre now has a 16,500-cubic metre aviary made in Croatia, an 80-metre doughnut-shaped flight tunnel and an education centre with a small hospital facility. But Craig dreams big. He wants to add an X-ray machine, have vets on-site, and invite experts from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to share their knowledge of treating falcons. No two days are the same for the straight-talking Craig. Pragmatic and tenacious, he arranges postmortems, collects roadkill, manages staff and volunteers, liaises with an advisory board and lobbies industry for bird safety. He’s currently working with TasNetworks on installing

“I’m a bit of a stubborn bloke. If I have a good idea and think it’ll work, I’ll run with it.” THIS SPREAD

(left to right)

Craig with an endemic Tasmanian masked owl; Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles are protected as an endangered species.

inexpensive measures such as pole-top perches to reduce raptor electrocutions. He also offers guided tours which, along with calendar sales, raise money, as the refuge doesn’t receive government funding. Recuperating raptors are off-limits to visitors, but birds that can no longer survive in the wild are their ambassadors, including eagles, owls, hawks and falcons. There are boobook owls whose asymmetrical ears enhance hunting, masked owls whose ultraviolet vision enables them to see their prey’s urine trails, and brown falcons whose double-chest feathers protect against snake bites. Once you’ve looked into the beguiling face of a Tasmanian masked owl, you’ll likely become as passionate as Raptor Man. Help birds by removing roadkill to reduce collisions, and by trapping rodents to prevent secondary poisoning. Report injured or dead birds of prey to Craig’s Raptor Rescue Hotline, 1800 RAPTOR (1800 727 867). Visit raptorrefuge.com.au to find out more and book a tour (address provided with tour bookings).

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

The Solar Experts

Introducing the all-new 2 in 1 EV charger/Solar inverter SolarEdge offers a solar inverter that also acts as an EV charger. This world first solution reduces installation costs and can charge an electric vehicle up to four times faster than a standard Level 1 charger by using grid and solar power simultaneously. Get EV ready and pop into our showroom for a demonstration today.

• Solar panels and battery storage • Free in-home consultation • Electric vehicle chargers • 100% Tasmanian owned and run

Photos: Name Here

RACT members receive a Free Smart Meter for monitoring a new solar system purchase from I Want Energy. Value $450

The Solar Experts

iwantenergy.com.au

(03) 6234 7009

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Photo: Maserati

Maserati’s electric dream

24 / AUTO NEWS 27 / 0–100 REVIEW: SUBARU

OUTBACK AWD TOURING

28 / ROAD TEST: ŠKODA KAMIQ

Better known for the stirring exhaust notes of its trademark V8s, Italian sports car maker Maserati’s initial foray into electrification is at the mild end, with the new Ghibli Hybrid GranSport (left-hand drive pictured). Under the sensually curved bonnet is a high-tech turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, coupled with a belt starter generator, an eBooster, and a 48-volt battery that regains energy when the car brakes or cruises. Fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions are reduced by 20 and 25% respectively over this model’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 stablemate. The raspy four-cylinder may not match the mellifluous tones of the brand’s V8s, but everything else about the $139,990 (plus on-road costs) Ghibli Hybrid is classic Maserati, from its beautifully crafted interior to its sculpted bodywork.

P For more, visit maserati.com.au ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

auto news.

The latest developments in the car world

Kia’s EV hat-trick

Kia Niro, by numbers The Niro Hybrid has a

240-volt

lithium-ion polymer battery located under the rear seat weighing

38.5kg,

which provides electric assistance to achieve its thrifty 3.8L/100km fuel economy. The Niro PHEV has an electric-only range of

58km,

and features a pair of larger lithium-ion batteries weighing

117kg.

Fuel efficiency is an excellent 1.3L/100km.

The Niro EV is powered by a lithium-ion battery that weighs

South Korean car maker Kia may be coming later to the Electric Vehicle (EV) party than its stablemate Hyundai, but it makes an emphatic statement of intent with the launch of not one, but three electrified versions of its Niro crossover SUV. The Niro is based on the same platform as the Hyundai Kona, whose EV version landed here in 2019. Kia is promising more space, more kit and more electric drivetrain options than the Kona, however, with the Niro available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full electric. Available in S and Sport trim levels across the three drivetrains, pricing for the entry-level Kia Niro Hybrid S starts from $39,990, rising to $46,590 for the PHEV, and tops out at $65,990 (plus onroad costs) for the EV Sport. For more, visit kia.com.au

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

457kg

with a voltage of

356,

and an electriconly range of

455km*.

Charging times range from around

29 hours

on a trickle charger, to

1 hour

approx. on a 100kW DC fast charger. *World-harmonised light-vehicle testing procedure.

drive

Isuzu circles the wagons Arriving here nearly a decade after its firstgeneration model debuted in Thailand, Isuzu’s new second-generation MU-X seven-seat SUV will again rely on the D-Max ute for its underpinnings. That’s no bad thing, given the new D-Max has been critically acclaimed since arriving last September. Powering the MU-X will be the same heavily revised 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine that motivates the D-Max, with outputs of 140kW and 430Nm. Isuzu has engineered the engine to deliver strong low-end torque across a wider band, which will be music to the ears of the MU-X’s legions of tow fans. So too the news of its stout 3000kg tow rating. Isuzu is keeping pricing and specification powder dry ahead of the model’s official launch, but expect the new MU-X to boast a more sophisticated interior, full suite of advanced driver assistance systems, and a broadly similar safety arsenal to the five-star ANCAP-rated D-Max, plus price rises across the range. For more, visit isuzuute.com.au

Introducing Stellantis

In what is likely to be one of the biggest auto industry shake-ups in decades, global heavyweights French Groupe PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles officially joined forces in January to form Stellantis, the world’s newest automotive alliance. The 50-50 merger was valued at US$52 billion on its first day of trade, with the new entity ranking as the world’s sixth largest carmaker, based on 2020 sales. Beneath the Stellantis umbrella are no less than 14 individual marques, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot, Jeep and Maserati. Other group brands include Vauxhall and Opel, Dodge, Chrysler, Lancia, Abarth and DS. For more, visit stellantis.com/en

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p.a*

Returns are net of fees and are likely to change in line with changes in market interest rates. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. There is a risk that an investment in the fund will achieve lower than expected returns. An investment in the fund is an equity investment in a managed investment scheme. It is not a bank deposit. An investor faces a higher risk of losing some or all their investment than is the case with a bank deposit. This information does not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any investor. Before making any investment decision, investors should consider taking professional advice.

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*Average annualised rate for the week/quarter/year ending 27/06/21. Investors interested in investing in the Fund must complete an application form attached to the current Product Disclosure Statement that is available from Murdoch Clarke Mortgage Fund 10 Victoria Street, Hobart or at www.mcmf.com.au. Murdoch Clarke Mortgage Fund ARSN 093 255 559 Responsible Entity: Murdoch Clarke Mortgage Management Limited ABN 84 115 958 560 Australian Financial Services Licence Number 296758 Australian Credit Licence Number 296758

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0 -100 review

SUBARU OUTBACK AWD TOURING SUV

Subaru delivers another gripping instalment of its versatile all-wheel drive wagon. Story Harry Weller

Photos: Subaru

IF EVER THERE WAS AN AUSTRALIAN STATE where the benefits of all-wheel drive can be appreciated, it’s the winding, and often slippery, roads of Tasmania. Japanese car maker Subaru’s near-total commitment to building all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles is encapsulated in its former marketing tagline, “All-wheel drive is all we do”. It’s a message Tasmanians appear to have embraced with gusto, if the number of Subarus on the state’s roads are anything to go by. Among this fleet, the Outback is arguably the brand’s most identifiable nameplate, and earlier this year Subaru Australia introduced the sixth generation BT version. Now, as before, symmetrical all-wheel drive and a horizontally opposed Boxer engine are at the heart of the new model. The combined technologies provide the strong grip, low centre of gravity and good balance that lends the five-door wagon its sure-footed ride and handling. Beneath the subtly restyled body is a revised version of the established 2.5-litre

THE SPECS PRICING • Driveaway $52,398 SAFETY • Not rated (all variants up to March 2021 ANCAP 5 Stars) ENGINE TYPE • Direct injection, DOHC, horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder petrol 91 (RON) ENGINE CAPACITY • 2498cc MAX. TORQUE • 245Nm @ 3400– 4600rpm MAX. POWER • 138kW @ 5800rpm TRANSMISSION • CVT FUEL CONSUMPTION • 7.3L/100km (Combined); 9.3L/100km (Urban)

four-cylinder Boxer engine. It’s the only power plant in the new Outback range, with Subaru claiming it’s 90% new, adopting direct fuel-injection and other detail changes to boost power and torque to 138kW/245Nm. The automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) has also been upgraded with a wider spread of ratios and an eightspeed pseudo-manual mode. The roomy, airy cabin is now slightly bigger, with room for five adults, a wider boot and an electric tailgate that accesses a 522-litre boot. The luxurious interior features a vertically-oriented 11.6-inch infotainment screen, Nappa leather seat trim, heated front and outboard rear seats, nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio, and an electric sunroof. The Outback’s enhanced safety ensemble includes a new passenger seat cushion airbag, the latest generation of Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist system, and a stronger inner-frame structure. Performance is brisk enough, while the fully independent suspension ensures a plush ride, even over rough roads. A handy 213mm of ground clearance and Subaru’s X-Mode multi-terrain system mean the Outback won’t stop when the tarmac does. Smooth, refined and versatile, with its confident road-holding and all-round polish, the new Outback builds impressively on the legacy of this ever-popular model. ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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Photos: Name Here

ROAD 28

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

drive

TEST Photos: Name Here

THE ŠKODA KAMIQ takes

on city driving and wintery mountain passes with ease, discovers Alice Hansen. Photos Ali Davis

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Motors. Tasmania’s Home of Hyundai.

Burnie Motors Hyundai

Hobart Motors Hyundai

60 Marine Terrace Burnie TAS 7320 (03) 6419 7969

Cnr Collins & Barrack St Hobart TAS 7000 (03) 6122 0208

Launceston Motors Hyundai

Devonport Motors Hyundai

Cnr Margaret & York St Launceston TAS 7228 (03) 6332 9101

Don Road Devonport TAS 7310 (03) 6459 2608

Motors. Since 1910.

motorshyundai.com.au/contact-us/

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he Škoda Kamiq Monte Carlo awaits us at the dealership. There’s an elegance about its exterior – unsurprising for the Volkswagenowned Czech brand that is gaining popularity on Tasmanian roads. Whether it’s the crisp Hobart air or the anticipation of that new car scent, we’re quick to take our front seats. This petite SUV, Škoda’s first foray into the class, was recently crowned Best Small SUV in the Drive Car of the Year 2021 awards. Firstly, the Kamiq is clever. Smartphone connectivity comes cable free, courtesy of Qi wireless charging; one just slips a smartphone neatly in the centre console to access tunes, directions or phone calls with no need to touch it again while driving. The new generation of infotainment also means that safety couples neatly with entertainment. We’re road-testing the Kamiq on a microadventure from Hobart’s city streets to the top of kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Though compact in size, the Kamiq feels spacious throughout the cabin. There’s also nooks and hooks tucked away, including a hidden umbrella in the driver’s door – something of a Škoda signature. With overcast conditions, it’s a handy addition. There is also a petrol cap that comes complete with an ice scraper to sort out a frosty windscreen and a reversible plastic-come-carpet boot mat in the cargo section. It’s these neat little features that set Škoda apart – especially for a winter escape. The Kamiq provides a comfy ride through the suburbs as we begin to climb through leafy South Hobart. The approx. 21km ascent to the Pinnacle

There’s a genuine sense of ‘safe’ that comes with the ride. takes about half an hour – yet within 10 minutes of leaving town, the terrain becomes beautiful and wild. Quick glances caught through the glass panoramic roof of the Kamiq make it extra special. Up above, towering gums and the sheer dolerite Organ Pipes play out like a sky movie. We’re travelling up a road that dates back to 1937, so it has its share of narrow bends. The Kamiq hugs scenic corners in style and there’s a genuine sense of ‘safe’ that comes with the ride. That’s because there is plenty of tech packed into this small SUV including lane assist, seven air bags, and brakes that stop the Kamiq in an emergency situation in 38 metres from 100km/ hour (outperforming others in its class). It may be a city-focused SUV but transitions gracefully from traffic lights to wilderness.

THIS PAGE

(Clockwise from top left) Sheltering at Lost Freight, Škoda’s fatigue detection tells drivers when to take a break, Hobart views.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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THE SPECS PRICING • Driveaway $42,840 (as driven) SAFETY • ANCAP 5 Stars (2019) ENGINE TYPE • 4-cylinder in-line turbocharged petrol ENGINE CAPACITY • 1.5L MAX. TORQUE • 250Nm @ 1500– 3500rpm MAX. POWER • 110kW @ 6000rpm BODY STYLE • Small SUV wagon TRANSMISSION • 7-speed DSG automatic DRIVE TYPE • FWD SEATING • 5 FUEL CONSUMPTION • 5.6L/100km (Combined); 6.8L/100km (Urban) 0-100KM/H • 8.4 seconds

We pull up at the Springs, partway up the mountain. Lost Freight, a cool coffee outpost fashioned from a shipping container, is always great for a hot chocolate or sweet treat before rolling on to the Pinnacle. It’s also the departure point for some popular walks including the Organ Pipes Circuit and Sphinx Rock. A few heads turn as we pull out of the Springs carpark. Do they recognise this Škoda as a multi-award winner? We’ll never know, but in a crowded market, it’s a definite achievement to trump traditional favourites with the brand’s first small SUV. We are reminded why as the Kamiq accelerates happily, unchallenged by the steep final hop to the summit. For those who like the figures, this is courtesy of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, matched to a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG) driving the front wheels. As we reach the 1271-metre summit, Hobart sprawls below, intersected by the River Derwent. As with every trip to the Pinnacle, there’s a quiet nod of awe to this ever-present godfather watching over the city. And the Kamiq seems to quietly hold its own in the landscape. This small SUV has triumphed over its competitors with quality, boldness and Eurofeatures. Having reached the heights of kunanyi/ Mount Wellington with ease, the Kamiq also knows how to roll back into town – swiftly becoming a city-SUV as though we’d never left.

On the road? Roadside assistance is there, 24/7, on 13 11 11. Test drive the new Škoda Kamiq at Hobart Škoda and Buckby Škoda in Launceston.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

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Photo: Adam Gibson

Right on point

36 / TRAVEL NEWS 39 / THE PIT STOP

40 / QUEEN OF THE WEST 49 / SEE THE LIGHT

Poised on a grassy headland above Frederick Henry Bay, The Point provides the sensation of being alone on the edge of the world, just 20 minutes outside of Hobart. The brand-new retreat sleeps six adults in three bedrooms, each with a private balcony and en-suite, and offers fireplaces and an open-air firepit to gather around. From the house’s elevated position on the South Arm Peninsula, stretches of glass let ocean views pour in from all angles, while a coastal track outside the front door leads to nearby beaches perfect for swimming, surfing or fishing. Bring the wetsuits – the surf break directly out front is on its best form in the winter months.

P For more, visit thepointtasmania.com

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

travel news.

Inspiration for exploring our state

3 TO TRY

must-visit list

NEIGHBOURHOOD Launceston’s beloved Bread + Butter has opened a sister cafe in Trevallyn. Watch this space, evening service at Neighbourhood starts from September.

THE ALBERT

SEIZE THE LAST OF THE OFF SEASON We never thought we’d ever wish winter would linger. But it’s the last chance to claim the exclusive deals running for The Off Season – a celebration of Tasmania’s quietest time. Seize experiences such as an Off Season Pop-Up Picnic in Bicheno, with a fire pot set up on an empty beach (pictured); or the winter Devils@Cradle’s Joey Encounter (with fireside marshmallows), both running until 31 August. Or have a fondue picnic, complete with east coast wine, at Twamley Farm in Buckland until 30 September. Find more at discovertasmania.com.au/off-season 36

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

After closing in 2020, Hobart’s Boekamp Bier has returned as The Albert Brewery, with the refreshed Moonah brewery just revealed.

ON ISLAND TIME With government-funded Bass Strait Islands flights locked in ’til March 2022, now’s the time to try an On Island Time package from The Flinders Wharf.

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Our towns are the tops Congratulations to New Norfolk and Stanley, Tassie’s Top Tourism Towns for 2021. Both are now in the running to be crowned as Australia’s Top Tourism Town, to be announced in Canberra. Good luck! Find out more about Tassie’s Top Tourism Towns on p. 52.

Happy snaps Since launching its women-only photography tours on Flinders Island in late 2020, Tassie company Shutterbug Walkabouts has added trips to Bruny Island and Rathmore in the Derwent Valley. These all-inclusive tours can help you hone your camera skills with professional support in spectacular surrounds. The next Flinders, Rathmore and Bruny trips will run before the end of the year, with 2022 locations released soon. For dates, visit shutterbugwalkabouts.com.au

Photos: The Cove; Tourism Tasmania / Andrew Wilson; Shutterbug Walkabouts / Roy Vieth

Fill the well In need of a reboot? New Tasmanian business Wild Wellness offers immersive retreats combining the healing powers of the great outdoors with programs shaped by qualified wellness practitioners. Its first series of retreats have just kicked off, including multi-day walks in conjunction with Tasmanian Walking Company and group stays at The Cove (pictured), recently opened outside Devonport. Details and dates can be found at wildwellnessmethod.com

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

ROAD TRIPS MEASURED IN MOMENTS NOT KILOMETRES

Now is the perfect time for a classic Tasmanian road trip. Something more than just driving from A to B, and then back again. For inspiration, we’ve put together a guide that contains all the information you need to turn meanderings into memories. Hit the main roads, back roads and even dirt roads and Make Yourself at Home

Photos: Name Here

everywhere around our state.

Table Cape discovertasmania.com.au/road-trips

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Burnie is a city on the rise. Once a centre of heavy manufacturing, now it’s bringing art into its heart and crafting some of Australia’s finest whisky, discovers Andrew Bain.

Burnie The PIT STOP

EAT Serving heavenly food inside a refurbished 1890s city-centre chapel, The Chapel’s all-day cafe menu features the likes of braised spiced cauliflower, mushroom bruschetta and The Chapel’s own house-brewed beer. Watch this space – the cafe is soon to open a brew pub around the corner.

ESSENTIAL STOPS • The Chapel • Ikon Hotel • Makers’ Workshop • Little Penguin Observation Centre

Photos: Tourism Tasmania / S. Group / Fenix Media

STAY Large rooms, large mirrors, large artworks, large views – boutique goes big at the Ikon Hotel, where 12 huge suites with iron-lace balconies provide a stay with real charm inside a landmark building.

• Hellyers Road

BLACKMAN REEF

BURNIE

SHOP Industrial in appearance, and industrious inside, the Makers’ Workshop dominates Burnie’s foreshore. More than 20 small studios are dotted throughout the building, with artisans crafting and selling jewellery, textiles and timber and glass pieces. SEE Burnie’s inner-city residents aren’t all human – every evening, little penguins shuffle ashore behind the Makers’ Workshop, where there’s an observation centre for easy viewing and, much of the year, volunteer guides on hand with a wealth of penguin intel.

SOUTH BURNIE

FERN GLADE RESERVE

DRINK Go to the source with a whisky tasting at Hellyers Road, the distillery created by local dairy farmers. It was crowned with the title of Australia’s best single malt whisky at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. Distillery tours and cafe feeds are also on the menu.

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(Top to bottom) The Chapel cafe, Burnie’s little penguins, whisky maturing at Hellyers Road.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

travel

QUEEN

Ly el

Lyell H

OF THE

QUEENSTOWN

Press West

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

Photos: Name Here

The Paragon Theatre

Soggy Brolly

WITH A MOUNTAIN BIKE network poised to transform the western town of Queenstown once again, Elspeth Callender meets a creative and tight-knit community used to weathering changes. Photos Oscar Sloane

WEST Royal Hotel

LINDA Horsetail Falls

QUEENSTOWN IS NO STRANGER TO CHANGE. Born of a boom-and-bust industry, disaster and sudden loss have repeatedly rocked Tasmania’s largest west coast town. The population has exploded and drained. Before the Mount Lyell mine closed in 2014, Queenstown was already adapting to the inevitable through art, festivals, building revival, eco-tours and outdoor adventure. Yet as mountain biking takes off, or takes over, ‘Queenie’ will work to maintain its identity. Hobart to Queenstown via the Lyell Highway is a 260-kilometre road trip that I relish. By Lake Burbury I’ve seen frosty button-grass plains, dense cool temperate rainforest and am now travelling beneath pink-tinged conglomerate peaks of the West Coast Range. Sun drenches everything. I pay my respects to the Lowreenne and Mimegin who sustained the health and wellbeing of their traditional lands and each other, here in south-west lutruwita (Tasmania), for thousands of generations. That was before clear-felling, pyritic smelting and sulfurous rain. On a sweeping bend near Gormanston looms the former Royal Hotel at Linda. This off-form concrete establishment opened in 1911 and last drinks were poured in 1952. It has since been stripped of everything but its potential. “All this for less than a car park in Sydney…” was what caught chef Zara Trihey’s eye.

Mount Owen

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

EXPLORE THE WILD SIDE

WITH YOUR RACT MEMBER DISCOUNT Enjoy a 35% accommodation discount when you book a Gordon River Cruise and stay two nights or more at Strahan Village. When travelling with family and friends, you can book up to five rooms using your RACT discount. Terms and conditions apply. Offer available to RACT members only and is subject to availability. Package is not available in conjunction with any other offer. Please see website for details. NG2043

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THIS PAGE

(Clockwise from above) The Paragon with its saviours Anthony Coulson and Joy Chappell, Iron Blow Lookout, the atmospheric Royal Hotel.

Photos: Name Here

The adjacent former Hydro building is now Linda Cafe. Zara, along with business partner Noona Auderset, poached chef Cassundra Hope from Byron Bay. Inside, where the decor is vintage and the wood fire is crackling, a cheery Gormanston resident brunches in overalls. I order coffee and fish stew from a chalkboard menu listing favoured ethical Tassie producers. They have loose-leaf tea, milkshakes, outdoor couches and a water bowl for visiting dogs. “We just want to create something we’d want to come to,” says Zara. Closed for winter, the cafe reopens permanently in mid-September. Plans are also underway for the heritage-listed ruin. Hi-vis vested Aaron Stewart collects me from Linda Cafe in his West Coast Council vehicle and, minutes later, we’re hiking a future black diamond trail that winds around a ravaged hillside of reed grass and snowberries.

A a ro n is p ro je c t co o rd i n ato r fo r Queenstown’s free-to-use mountain biking trail network, which will open in stages later this year. Trail development company Dirt Art is sculpting but not overly compacting the gravelly surfaces. “That’s going to be a bit of a surprise to some people,” says Aaron. “We’re not hiding the fact they’re all pretty gnarly.” There’s nothing else remotely like this in Tasmania; aesthetically, I’m reminded of the North American high desert. Despite being an experienced rider, Aaron admits he’s still learning to gauge speed and even avoid near-vertigo when negotiating the more elevated trails through treeless landscapes. Eleven beginner to double black diamond trails will make up four routes. Shuttles will transport riders to mountain tops with views to Frenchmans Cap. Below Horsetail Falls and on the slopes of Little Owen are rare undercanopy riding opportunities through remnant rainforest. Mount Owen will be ever-present. “A lot of the trails are a real journey,” says Aaron. From Gormanston it’s a short, yet epic, drive to the Gold Rush Inn, where I’m staying. After Conglomerate Creek and Queenstown’s famed gravel oval, it’s a sharp left at the original Evans store. At Orr Street, where the 120-year-old Empire Hotel stands across the road from the 125-year-old West Coast Wilderness Railway, I dogleg to the Paragon Theatre. “We bought it to preserve it and bring it back to life again,” says Anthony Coulson in the dreamy interior of this restored 1930s former grand talkie theatre. I’ve been here before for films, live music, Friday evening drinks in summer, and joyful festival after-parties.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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“I’m always interested in people making connections on the west coast and finding the positives in it.” Anthony and partner Joy Chappell fully support mountain biking but are increasingly horrified by proposed tourism developments encroaching on the nearby Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. They suggest all Queenstown visitors engage, in some way, with conservation-focused companies such as King River Rafting, any of the Franklin River operators, and their own RoamWild. “We’re hoping what we do can become the mechanism for conservation,” says Anthony, a former miner. “Come and help us help the cause.” I pass many murals walking to the nearby home-based studio and gallery of artists Helena Demczuk and Raymond Arnold. They have recently formed a collective, along with other

THIS PAGE

(Clockwise from above) Art colours the streets of Queenstown, Lea Walpole, Soggy Brolly gallery, Raymond Arnold at work.

artists including Shane Miller, to create Press West. The disused Queenstown Central Primary School will soon be a printmaking space, kitted out with new and antique presses for various techniques. “That equipment draws people in, to work together,” says Raymond. He speaks of visual literacy, community spirit and a medium for activism. Press West aims to attract Tasmanian printmakers, as well as newcomers, and will hold workshops. “I’m always interested in people making connections on the west coast and finding the positives in it.” Press West will launch in mid-October during the Unconformity, a visual and performing arts festival. The festival invites artists to interrogate Queenstown’s past through site-specific works and, this year, offers two residencies for lutruwita-based First Nations artists. Graphic designer Lea Walpole is in her Orr Street studio and gallery Soggy Brolly, which features the work of local artists, such as David Fitzpatrick’s industrial material sculptures. Lea says she’s ordered an electric mountain bike but is conscious of the social impacts this next exciting chapter could have on her home town. “I don’t want us to get lost. I don’t want the authenticity of us to be erased.”

On the road? Roadside assistance is there, 24/7, on 13 11 11.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

I N T E R N AT I O N A L G O L D E N P R O O F C O M M E M O R AT I V E A N N O U N C E M E N T

Pu yere re d Go in ld

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“1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1” Deluxe Presentation Case An elegant, high gloss case to display the ingots will accompany a future delivery and is yours FREE as part of your collection.

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Western Escape on a

Wilds road trip

n Tasmania it holds true – it really is wild out west. The townships along a Western Wilds road trip combine heritage with grit, surrounded as they are by one of the world’s last great wildernesses. Discover historic mining settlements, grand lodges and quirky towns. Beyond town limits, there’s iconic mountainscapes, pristine waterways, verdant rainforests and myths and mysteries waiting around every bend in the road.

Throw yourself in Western Tasmania’s rugged environs inspire adventure. Saddle up to hit Maydena Bike Park or the remote West Coast mountain bike trails (and plan your return for when Mount Owen’s trails are complete). Join King River Rafting for a whitewater ride on King River or drift on King River Gorge. Or forge amberhued Lake Pedder and the majestic River Derwent with Tassie Bound Adventure Tours. Don hiking boots at Lake St Clair or Mount Field. And brace yourself for Aardvark Adventures’ 140-metre Gordon Dam abseil, the highest of its kind. 46

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

brought to you by Tasmania – Make Yourself at Home

Stay a while

Photos: Tourism Tasmania / We Are Explorers/ Stu Gibson / Nick Osborne / Tim Bardsley-Smith / Natalie Mendham

Go with the flow Water sustains and shapes the landscapes found on a Western Wilds road trip. Step aboard with Gordon River Cruises or World Heritage Cruises to follow the glassy Gordon into the wilds; ride the world’s only Huon Pine river cruiser with Corinna Wilderness Experience or float into the Tarkine with Arthur River Cruises from September. On dry land there’s endless waterfalls to chase beyond Mount Field’s iconic Russell Falls, from Waratah Falls (which plummets off a cliff at the heart of its namesake town) to Montezuma, Nelson, Philosopher Falls and seasonal Horsetail Falls.

As befitting a Western Wilds road trip, accommodation is anything but predictable. Stay frontier-style in quaint cottages on the Tarkine’s fringes at Corinna Wilderness Experience. Don your flannies for a farm stay at Curringa Farm and Rathmore, or cast a line in private ponds at 28 Gates’ luxury farm stay. Wrap yourself in the New England-style surrounds of New Norfolk’s Explorers Lodge or stay in a National Trust house overlooking Queenstown at Penghana Bed and Breakfast. Find atmospheric lodgings in transformed Hydro town Tarraleah Estate, while Pedder Wilderness Lodge and Thousand Lakes Lodge offer comfort on the verge of untamed wilds.

Make history

Venture left of field In the sparsely populated west, creativity has room to flourish. Hear the salty tale of The Frederick and its convict crew with Strahan’s theatrical production The Ship that Never Was. Discover open-air artworks commissioned to share the story of the land and its people with travellers exploring The Sentinels and Franklin River. For souvenirs, browse antiques and fine crafts at New Norfolk boutiques such as Flywheel or secure a piece of handcrafted Huon Pine at Wilderness Woodworks Strahan.

The history of Tasmania’s west is filled with tragedy, triumph and big characters. Its legacy remains in former industrial sites transformed into wilderness experiences. Explore the ancient rainforests of Maydena on abandoned train tracks using Railtrack Riders’ pedal-powered vehicles. Discover pioneer mines among prehistoric forest with Queenstown’s RoamWild. Depart Queenstown or Strahan and chug through dense greenery with West Coast Wilderness Railway. Or join Magnet Tarkine Tours’ small-group trips to meander through the forest in an all-terrain vehicle to the abandoned mining town Magnet.

Taste the region Locavore habits might have been borne out of necessity out west, but it’s evolved into a highlight of gourmet experiences on a Western Wilds road trip. The Agrarian Kitchen redefined regional restaurants with its farm-tofine-dining feasts. Lawrenny Estate Distillery produces one of the world’s only paddock-to-bottle single malt whiskies in the Central Highlands. Biodynamic winemakers Stefano Lubiana bring a taste of Tuscany to Granton, while nearby Derwent Estate offers cool-climate drops from an 1820s Limestone cottage. Great pub grub and a warm welcome await at National Park Hotel and Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel. Discover fine ciders and ales crafted with estate-grown hops at Two Metre Tall Brewery, prop an elbow at The Eleventh Order Brewery’s New Norfolk brewery cellar door and pick up a craft beer four-pack at The Welcome Swallow Brewery. Try small-batch spirits at New Norfolk Distillery and stock up on local goods at Providore. To plan your Western Wilds road trip, visit discovertasmania.com.au/western-wilds

travel

See

Photo: Brighton Seeley @brightonseeley

the

IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER there are things that dazzle across Tasmania far beyond the man-made. In the isolation and purity of its position, Tasmania has a sky that dances with celestial lights, an ocean that flares with bioluminescence, and glow-worms and ghost mushrooms that add neon touches to the land. Look up, look down, look around – writes Andrew Bain – there’s light on the horizon.

light ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Night lights

Brighter to the naked eye is the light of glowworms, which do exactly what their name suggests. Though they aren’t actually worms (they are an insect larvae), they most certainly glow, lighting their abdomens to attract prey. Tasmania’s most radiant display is found inside Marakoopa Cave, which contains a chamber covered in these tiny creatures, creating a virtual night sky lit with glow-worms instead of stars. Marakoopa Cave can be visited on ranger-led tours from Mole Creek. Mystery Creek Cave, near Ida Bay in the far south, is also home to glow-worms. Above the ground, there’s a grotto of glowworms beside the walking trail to Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park – grab a torch and take the short walk after dark. Glow-worms also surround campers in the Great Ravine on the Franklin River, with the darkness serving to accentuate the tiny lights that make the Tasmanian night literally so brilliant.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

Photos: Tourism Australia / Graham Freeman / Pierre Destribats; Getty Images; Kayla Van Der Helm - King @kayla.k.v

Wonders of the worm

The star feature in Tasmania’s winter light show is the aurora australis, or southern lights. The southern sibling to the northern hemisphere’s famed aurora borealis, the southern lights are the result of solar wind bursts from the sun carrying electrically charged particles into the Earth’s atmosphere, where they collide with gases and emit brilliant light. The southern lights don’t get the same international attention as the northern lights primarily because there are fewer inhabited land masses from which to observe them. But outside of Antarctica, Tasmania is one of the best places in the world to view this night-sky spectacular, which, like most natural phenomena, is an unpredictable beauty. The best chance of sighting the aurora australis is to find a place away from light pollution, choose the darkest time of night, and, typically, head south. Cockle Creek, South Arm, Howden and Tinderbox are popular viewing spots. Photos typically depict aurora displays as dazzling drapes of green, purple and yellow light, though that’s a product of long shutter exposures, so expect a fainter – but still fantastic – display of cosmic colour.

travel

Waves of light Brighter than aurora, but equally flukey, is the watery wonder of bioluminescence, created when blooms of glowing plankton accumulate in neon scenes along the Tasmanian coast. These glittering blue displays can occur anywhere and are becoming increasingly common, likely due to warming ocean currents and waters. While most often seen in summer, when waters are warmest, they blaze brightest on long, dark winter nights. A few factors influence the appearance of this so-called ‘sea sparkle’. The blooms glow when they’re disturbed by waves, and typically appear in places that have a gentle onshore breeze holding the plankton against the shores. Tasmania’s prevailing westerly winds make Hobart’s eastern shoreline a good bet for spotting bioluminescence, with favourite spots including Montagu Bay and near the Bellerive Yacht Club. Freycinet Peninsula is another glowing go-to zone.

Ghostly fungi Bioluminescence finds its way onto land in the form of ghost mushrooms. These captivating fungi are a species called Omphalotus nidiformis, which appear ordinary by day but mesmeric at night. They emit a faint white light that, like aurora australis, reveals itself far more powerfully – and luminously green – through long-exposure photography. The mushrooms grow most prolifically after rain and are typically found growing on or around the base of trees during autumn and winter. It’s worth seeking them out during the day, then returning after dark to witness these fungi of the night. The epicentre of ghostly mushroom encounters has been Dooleys Hill in Latrobe. Check it out… Switch on to the aurora australis, bioluminescence and ghost mushrooms at the following Facebook pages: Aurora Australis Tasmania; Bioluminescence for all Tasmania Locations; and Tasmanian Fungi.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Congratulations to the winners of

Tassie’s Top Tourism Towns 2021 RACT SMALL TOURISM TOWN AWARD, POPULATION OVER 5000

New Norfolk

DERWENT RIVER

LEAP AND WANDER STUDIO

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

FLYWHEEL

Picturesque vistas, a food-lover’s delight, an adventurer’s playground – New Norfolk, at the start of the Derwent Valley, may only be 40 minutes from Hobart, but it feels a world away. It’s a region full of surprises, wilderness and magic. Much of what makes New Norfolk so special flows from the wondrous Derwent River. Aside from being picturesque – and home to some of the world’s biggest platypuses – locals also claim the river has magical powers: mesmerising those brave enough to explore it, but able to change the direction of the wind at any given time. Traverse the Derwent River aboard a kayak, paddle board or hydro bike with tour guides that will help translate the river’s many mysteries. Derwent Valley views are said to have inspired Irish composer William Vincent Wallace’s operatic masterpiece Scenes that are brightest. See for yourself with a short drive from the town centre to the Pulpit Rock Lookout, with its spectacular views of the New Norfolk township, rolling hills and the Derwent River. Summer might be glorious in New Norfolk, but every season is stunning. Explore the back roads in spring to witness lambs gambolling in the fields and calves

stumbling as they learn to walk. In autumn, gardens at the many heritage-listed B&Bs put on a colour show in shades of orange, red and yellow. In the cooler months, a dusting of snow coats the surrounding hills, showing visitors ‘The Valley’ in a completely different light. Produce is so abundant here, it feels too good to be true – but true it is, thanks to the many passionate and caring primary producers. Glossy, plump cherries are one claim to fame, as are world-class wines and brews. If you’re a foodie, dine at one of Tasmania’s few Chefhatted restaurants, where chefs source seasonally and locally; or find the crème de la crème of local produce at Banjo’s New Norfolk Market on Saturday morning. Browse High Street shops for trinkets, collectables and antiques. Trash or treasure? It’s for you to decide. There’s also cooking and ceramics classes to learn a new skill. It’s the personalities of New Norfolk that make it. The faces behind the businesses, attractions and activities – all so willing to share their time and local knowledge. Things in New Norfolk are just that little bit sweeter, bigger, deeper, fresher, wilder and weirder. It’s what makes it so unquestionably Derwent Valley.

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA TOP TOURISM TOWN AWARD, POPULATION UNDER 5000

Stanley

Photos: Tourism Tasmania / Brian Dullaghan; Sean Scott

HISTORIC STREETSCAPES

It takes a long time to get to Stanley. Maybe that’s what makes it so special. This old-world fishing hamlet in Tasmania’s far north-west offers solitude and mindfulness to anyone seeking respite from crowds. It rewards explorers with secluded beaches, wild landscapes and an off-beat charm that only salt-ofthe-earth Tasmanians can provide. “Come on in, get comfortable,” they’ll say, through warm grins. “Did you know this building is almost 200 years old? And, this whisky is a world-beater”. This place has a culture of its own. Anything larger than a station wagon is a ‘bus’. What is that weirdly addictive North West Tassie delicacy ‘savoury toast’? Why does everyone go ‘up’ the coast, never ‘down’, and how do locals know ‘top beach’ from ‘bottom beach’? These are questions worth exploring, slowly, as the island culture warms your soul like an open fire warms your toes. Locals think nothing of being raised on grass-fed beef, mutton-bird, oysters, abalone, fresh fish, lobster and scallops. It’s normal to forage on the pristine coast for samphire or saltbush for the evening meal. Even the local pub deserves culinary acclaim, with a stone cellar dating back to the 1800s, let

STANLEY FISHING FLEET

THE NUT

/ SILVER

RUNNERS-UP

ST HELENS Immerse yourself in St Helens’ enviable coastal lifestyle.

alone the seafood restaurant with its own fishing fleet and a giant lobster on the roof. Despite the challenges of 2020, seafood sales are booming and locals now sell platters, grazing boxes and giftware. They are a resilient and creative bunch, but then, you have to be when you live on the edge of the world. There is a magic here that changes people. Climb the iconic The Nut to gaze across Bass Strait and rolling hills, while breathing the world’s cleanest air… it’s capable of altering your perspective. Highfield House and quirky museums with seashell sculptures, run by volunteers in home-spun jumpers, are a reminder of life’s simple beauty. And, Instagram loves the fat, happy cows grazing volcanic pastures on The Nut. Stanley also offers worldclass sophistication. Local B&Bs adorn covers of glossy magazines and the art deco town hall hosts regular film nights (followed by tea and scones, of course). Cellar doors and wine bars offer true hospitality; and the local artistic community includes a Glover Prize winner. Stanley is jaw-dropping, but to locals it’s simply home. They proudly make way for wide-eyed visitors. It’s a long journey, but it’s worth it. Escape the crowds and encounter the magic.

/ BRONZE RICHMOND Beyond the bridge, there’s so much to see and do in this historic town.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Pay for this much employee.

Get this much.

Save up to 50% on the wages of your new employees. Australian Government subsidies are now available and can save you up to $28,000 on their first year wages. If you’ve taken on a new employee in the last two months you could also be eligible.

Employers from any industry can receive the subsidy.

Call 1300 309 675 or visit workandtraining.com.au today Provider no: 1126 *Eligibility requirements, terms and conditions apply to the new Australian Government Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy.

It's always a nice day for a drive

OPEN EVERY DAY

296 GILLESPIES RD NABOWLA, NORTH EAST TASMANIA IMAGE CREDIT; NB MEDIA

56/ THE LATEST

58/ CHANGING GEARS

61/ MEMBER REWARDS

community 65/ PUZZLES

66/ REAR VIEW

Photo: Ali Davis

Putting a spotlight on road safety

There is no silver bullet when it comes to road safety, which is why we must look at the issue holistically in order to find solutions that reduce road trauma. We believe the Tasmanian Legislative Council’s inquiry into road safety, endorsed in June, is a key part of finding these solutions. The inquiry has been called in light of Tasmania’s tragic road safety record, particularly our failure to meet National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) targets at the end of last year. It will consider a range of issues, including road infrastructure, vehicle safety, driver education, data and research, as well as national and international best practice. We’ll be asking for input from our members and the community on how to improve road safety in Tasmania, with this information to inform our submission to the inquiry. Keep an eye on your email, our website and social media for ways to get involved.

P For more, visit ract.com.au/road-safety-inquiry ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

the latest.

Notice of AGM and Board Election MEMBERS ARE ADVISED that the 98th Annual General Meeting of the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited will be held in Hobart in November. Following the success of last year’s virtual online AGM, we will invite members to attend online as well as physically this year. Formal Notice of Meeting and details for member attendance will be provided in upcoming member communications. The Constitution of the Club requires that the official Notice of Meeting, listing the agenda items, be published at least 21 days before the date of the meeting. To meet this obligation, the notice will be published in the October– November edition of Journeys as well as provided via other channels. Should any eligible member wish to be nominated for election as a director on the Board, a nomination form can be requested from RACT’s Company Secretary via companysecretary@ract.com.au. Eligibility to nominate for election and the election process is governed by 56

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

RACT’s Constitution and Election By-laws, which can be found at ract.com.au/about-us and will be provided along with any nomination forms requested. The closing date for completed nomination forms is two months prior to the AGM. Members who request a nomination pack will be advised of the likely nomination period on expression of interest. It should be noted that the position of director on the Board of the Club carries with it a number of legal responsibilities, such as a requirement to act in the best interests of the Club as a whole, setting aside any contrary personal opinions a director may have. If a director has an interest in a matter or is connected with an organisation that is interested in any matter, that director will not be able to take part in any vote on the matter. RACT is an independent voice for Tasmanians and consumers across the areas of its business activity. The Club’s business is increasingly complex

and any successful nominee will need to have significant business acumen and be able to understand financial reporting in order to contribute to the Board and ensure the continued successful guidance of the Club. Nominees must have appropriate skills, experience and attributes in order to meet directors’ duties and effectively contribute to the Board, including: accounting and finance; strategic development and implementation; risk management; WH&S and human resources best practice; legal, commercial and business acumen; advocacy, stakeholder engagement and government relations; and marketing, digital and data technology. As part of a nominee validation process, eligible members nominating for election will need to identify and substantiate their skills, experience and attributes in accordance with RACT’s skill requirements and participate in an interview with RACT’s Governance, Remuneration & Nomination Committee to evaluate their candidacy.

community

Congratulations to Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC on her recent appointment to Governor of Tasmania. We’re incredibly proud to have Her Excellency’s patronage and are looking forward to working together to support the Tasmanian community. We also send our sincere thanks to outgoing Governor of Tasmania Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AC for her continued support during her term.

YOUR BOARD

Jude Franks, West Hobart Over the next year our members can expect… greater understanding and service delivery. We’re really focusing on what our members want and need from us so we can support them and make a difference in their lives. I’m proud to be part of the RACT community because… I was given my first membership by my grandfather when I first started driving at 17. He and my father were both 50-year members, so to be involved at a Board level and to help guide the future of a new RACT is a real privilege. My biggest goal for RACT is… to have a valued relationship with every Tasmanian and to have a significant impact on reducing road statistics and improving road safety. My favourite place to holiday in Tasmania is… the east coast. I holidayed there as a child and I’m a really coastal person. On the weekends you’ll always find me at the beach or near the water. I love Bicheno and the Freycinet Peninsula – that’s where I spend most of my time. Outside of RACT… I’ve been part of numerous boards professionally and sporting organisations when my kids were younger. I’m currently on the trust for the MV Cartela, working on getting her restored and operating back on the River Derwent. I have also spent the pandemic mentoring a lot of people in the tourism industry, helping them to seek other pathways to make their businesses work. Something people may not know is… I’m obsessed with moon photos from my view at West Hobart. I probably have a gazillion of them!

Saving at the pump Our RACT Fuel Saver app has been downloaded more than 13,000 times. Since real-time fuel price reporting was launched in September last year, Tasmanian motorists have saved more than $19.6 million on fuel*. We’d love to hear about your experiences with the app. How and when do you use it? How much money have you saved? What improvements could we make? Let us know at advocacy@ract.com.au. The RACT Fuel Saver is available to download via Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information, head to ract.com.au/fuel-saver *Accurate as of 30 June 2021.

CAR

MEDIC Q Sometimes when

I’m driving my steering wheel starts shuddering. What does this mean? Richard Evans // Richmond

A If you’re feeling a wobble

or vibration through the steering wheel, at speed, it’s most likely being caused by tyre imbalance. As you can imagine, due to inconsistencies during tyre and wheel manufacturing, wheels and tyres are not perfectly symmetrical and therefore not always perfectly balanced. When tyres are fitted to rims, a balancing procedure is carried out by adding small lead weights to the edge of the rim. This means that the wheels and tyre won’t

produce any vibrations when turning at speed. As your tyres wear they will become imbalanced again, therefore it’s important to have tyres rotated (front tyres to the rear of the car, rear tyres to the front) and balanced during regular vehicle services. RACT Roadside Patrol // Grant Page

Road Safety Quiz Answers: 1 No, they must have 0.00 blood alcohol content level. 2 Yes, and we should always be prepared to give way to pedestrians. 3 At least three seconds and take into consideration the conditions, type of vehicle and speed being travelled. 4 40km/h. 5 True. 6 Yes, motorcyclists can lane filter at speeds less than 30km/h. 7 P1 drivers must obey posted speed limit signs but cannot drive faster than 100km/h. 8 Yes, and it’s illegal to drive an unroadworthy car. 9 If you accumulate 12 demerit points within three years then suspension and ineligibility periods will be applied. 10 100km/h.

Thank you

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Changing gears

Technology’s answer to our

driving behaviour MOST OF US FROWN on those who speed or use their mobile phones while driving. But there is technology used in Australia today to detect this behaviour, all paid for by those breaking the law, writes Alex Luttrell.

dv a n c e d mobile phone and speed detection cameras are already in place in New South Wales, where they have been immensely successful. The same technologies will be in place in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria from later this year or early 2022, and we believe it’s time for these devices to be introduced in Tasmania too. These cameras catch people on their phones, speeding or not wearing seat belts by shooting down through the windscreen from overpasses, road sign gantries and from mobile trailers using extendable poles. During a six-month trial of mobile phone detection cameras in NSW, 100,000 motorists were detected using their phone while driving. The NSW Government later conducted three community surveys and found support for the camera initiative was at 80%.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

community

Distraction by numbers

Photo: Publicly released image from Transport for NSW/Acusensus

• Each year, distraction and speed contribute to 53% of fatal and serious injury crashes on our roads*

Independent modelling by Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) also estimates that the program will contribute to a reduction in road trauma of approximately 100 fatal and serious injury crashes in NSW over a five-year period. In May 2019, a mobile phone and speed detection device was trialled on the Brooker Highway in Hobart. Within 36 hours, it detected around 450 people illegally using their phones and over 170 travelling more than 7km/h above the speed limit. This was just from one lane. This kind of data is why we want to see such technologies introduced on Tasmanian roads. However, the challenge is how the rollout of this technology can be funded. This is why we want to see the revenue from an expanded camera network used to roll out, operate and maintain this critically important road safety measure. Such an approach will see those breaking the law pay for the technology, helping reduce these types of crashes. In 2020-21, traffic policing was expected to reap $21.5 million in fine revenue. However, Tasmania is the only state that does not reinvest this revenue into road safety initiatives, instead channeling it into general government revenue. In all other states, hundreds of millions of dollars from enforcement revenue is returned to road safety programs, including the NSW mobile phone and speed camera network. We want to see this revenue model implemented to fund these cameras,

in addition to the Tasmanian Road Safety Levy, which is paid out of our vehicle registration and goes towards infrastructure to make our roads safer (75%) and education programs to ensure we all drive safely and within the law (25%). It’s time to make this change because, let’s face it, we’ve all been guilty of speeding or using our phones while driving. Now, we need to be held accountable. Tasmania Police enforce speeding through 10 fixed cameras across the state, alongside hand-held and vehicle-mounted speed cameras. However, one look at our figures (right) will tell you about the attitude of many Tasmanian drivers towards mobile phone use and speeding, and why more advanced enforcement technology is needed. And if you think enforcement is all about revenue raising, think again. Tasmania Police issue far more warnings than fines every year, which is why we must also shy away from politicising road safety due to concerns about ‘revenue raising’. At the end of the day, if you’re breaking the law, you’re breaking the law. Reducing road trauma through this new technology is not a revenue raising exercise. It is deterrence and education through enforcement, which is a step that must be taken to help keep us all safe on the roads. Keep updated with our road safety advocacy at ract.com.au/advocating-change

• In 2019-20, almost 37,000 people were fined for speeding by Tasmania Police^. Of these, around 9300 were detected exceeding the speed limit by 15-29km/h, while about 1100 were caught travelling 30km/h or more over the limit# • In 2019-20, close to 2100 drivers were also nabbed for using their mobile phone while driving^ • Research has shown that a driver’s reaction time while using a mobile phone is equivalent to driving with a blood-alcohol level of between .07 and .10** • If you’re driving at 60 km/h you will travel 33 metres for every two seconds you take your eyes off the road to check your phone. At 100 km/h it’s 55 metres^^ • Research shows that with each 5km/h increase in speeds above 60km/h, the risk of a collision resulting in death doubles## *The Department of State Growth’s Towards Zero Action Plan 2020-2024 ^Tasmania Police 2019-20 Annual Report #Tasmania Police Corporate Performance Reporting 2019-20 **Street Smarts, Queensland Government 2021 ^^Road Safety Commission 2020 ## Transport Accident Commission 2021

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

Make your home picture perfect.

RACT

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the spring clean

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MEET THE LOCALS Experience Oz TAS Explore your backyard as never before with Experience Oz and access discounts on an array of attractions, tours and experiences across Tasmania such as the beloved Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Brighton. Save at least 10% when you book online through Experience Oz and enter your membership number.* Go to ract.com.au/experience-oz-tas Ms Jane Person Card number

1234 5678 9123 4567 Member number

01234567 Member since

2018

Visit ract.com.au/member-rewards for more

SEE QUEENSLAND Experience Oz QLD Save on the best of the Sunshine State, such as a trip to Australia Zoo, including wildlife hospital access. Visit ract.com.au/experience-oz-qld

*Terms and conditions apply. Please see ract.com.au/member-rewards for more details.

A collision of art + performance + music. 1- 5 S EPT EM BER 2 02 1 PRIN CE’S S Q UA R E L AU N C E S T O N | L U T R U W I TA/ TA S M A N I A T ICKE T S ON SA L E N OW

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6.04

Do you require income from your investments? Receive regular & competitive income by investing in GDA Securities Ltd Contact Malcolm Penglase or John Di Monda

10yr annualised total return 10.48%2

Statement (PDS) for the Trust is available JOHN DI MONDA MANAGING DIRECTOR

MALCOLM PENGLASE INVESTOR RELATIONS

JOHN FAIRLIE CHAIRMAN

HELEN COWHAN DIRECTOR

2 yr

5 yr

10 yr

Distribution

6.50%

6.59%

7.11%

7.18%

Growth

5.12%

6.10%

6.67%

3.30%

Total Return 11.62%

12.69%

13.78%

10.48%

ALLISTAIR LINDSAY ROD PARKER NON-EXECUTIVE NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR

This advertisement is placed by GDA Securities Ltd (ABN 58 105 612 600 AFSL 233013) (GDA). GDA is the issuer of the financial product comprising units in the GDA Diversified Property Trust (ARSN 108 321 651) (Trust). Applications for investment can only be made on the application form accompanying the PDS dated 22 December 2020 for the Trust and available from www.gdagroup.com.au/the-fund/. The PDS contains full details of the terms and conditions of investment and should be read in full, and particularly the risk section, in deciding whether to invest and prior to lodging any application or making a further investment in the Trust.The information in this advertisement and PDS does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs, and therefore does not constitute, and should not be taken as constituting, personal financial product advice by GDA. GDA recommends you seek independent professional financial advice from a licensed financial adviser on the suitability of this investment to your objectives, financial situations and needs. Not all Directors are shown.

RACT July 2021.indd 1

1 yr

Performance²

A copy of the Product Disclosure

request a copy of the PDS by contacting us.

income paid quarterly

GDA Diversified Property Trust

Phone: (03) 6234 4413 Email: investor@gdas.com.au www.gdagroup.com.au/the-fund/

on our website or alternatively, you can

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Based on actual distribution of 6.35 cents per annum per unit and a unit price of $1.0509 as at 31 May 2021. Performance data for the periods longer than one year have been annualised. Capital growth and income distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to the assumptions and risks contained in the PDS. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

06-Jul-21 12:07:01 PM

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JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

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puzzles

hgc005 1

Road safety quiz

9 10

16 17

19 22

4 What speed must you slow to when passing emergency vehicles that are displaying flashing blue, red or magenta lights or sounding an alarm?

Crossword

207 Aussie 7 Aussie 29 A scientist or Not model expressed or model 26 Feeling of listlessness arising and TV star Across done _in and TV star technical from boredom (5) Samantha _ _ _a_ _direct (6) 1 Toxaemia (6) 27 The most attractively unusual 8 Residences way (7)of mandarins in Samantha _ _ _ _ researcher 4 Without problems (8) (9) imperial China (6) _or old-fashioned _ (6) (colloq.) (6) 10 Australian actor Tom _ _ _ _ _ 21 World acclaimed _ _ _ _ (9)

Down 12 Watery fluid that drips from 11 Game similar to billiards (5)

28 A stoppered glass container

for spirits (8) 8 Residences of 29 A scientist or technical mandarins in researcher (colloq.) (6) imperial China Down (6)

9 When resources are all

tennis player Harry _ _ _ _ _ _ of a piece of music (9) (6) 17 Unable to perceive differences exhausted (4,2)

15 Performance or interpretation

1 Take away a 13 Duping (9) accurately (4-4) number from 22of musical To bepitch imminent 14 Try to hide the fact of illegal 18 Star Wars actor Joel _ _ _ _ _ 1 Take away a number from activity (5-2) another (8) 9 When (6) resources _ _ _ (8) another (8) 16 Corporate criminal and former are exhausted Not expressed or done in a 2 Come to understand or 2 Come realise nationalto hero Alan _ _ _ _ (4) 2320Impressive or direct way (7) realise (8) (4,2) 19 Unfasten (4) or understand (8) beautiful view 21 World-acclaimed tennis 3 Characteristic mode of 21 English-born Aussie actor 15 (6)Harry _ _ _ _ _ _ (6) Performance or player expression in music or art (5) Chris _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (7) 3 Characteristic 22 To be imminent (6) 5 Private taxi which can only be 24 Australian nun canonised in interpretation of mode of 2523Local dialect Describing an impressive or booked in advance (7) 2010 Mary _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (9) a piece of music expression in (colloq.) beautiful view (6)(5) 6 Proportion of used hotel 25 A feudal superior or (9) sovereign accommodation (9) 25 Local dialect (colloq.) (5) music or(5)art (5) 17 Unable to 5 Private taxi Want to find out how you did? Find the answers online at ract.com.au/puzzles perceive which can only differences of be booked in musical pitch advance (7) Photos: iStock

the nose or eyes (5)

2 As a driver are you legally required to give way to pedestrians at crossings and when turning at intersections? 3 To avoid tailgating, how many seconds should you leave between yourself and the vehicle in front of you when driving?

1 Can learner and provisional drivers have any alcohol in their system when driving?

5 True or false, the driver of a car is responsible if a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt? 6 Can motorcyclists lane filter when approaching traffic lights? 7 What is the speed limit for P1 drivers? 8 If your vehicle’s indicators or brake lights are not working, is your vehicle considered to be unroadworthy? 9 What is the demerit point limit for a full licence holder? 10 What’s the default speed limit on a sealed road, outside of a built-up area without a speed sign?

Turn to p. 57 for the answers. ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

rear view.

Tasmania as captured by our talented members

PICTURED (clockwise from top) // Lynette Graham greeted a golden sunrise over the River Derwent at New Norfolk; @whoishollyjean captured the elusive aurora australis

in all its splendour; @chasingdreamsau and four-legged friend Luna visited the Bay of Fires; @adzyphil spied these delicate fungi near Philosopher Falls.

Want to see your photo here? Send your shots of our beautiful island to journeys@ract.com.au or tag us with both @ractofficial and #yourjourneys on lnstagram, Facebook or Twitter.

JOURNEYS // AUG / SEPT 2021

Will you leave 1% to give them a life worth living? Your legacy is important to them. With just 1%, you can make a world of difference. Scan the QR code for more information

Journeys Aug/Sept 2021

Articles inside

Rear view

The latest

Changing gears

See the light

Queen of the west

A mile in their shoes

Travel news

Wellness

What’s on

Welcome note

Foodie finds

Road test