THE HOBART MAGAZINE / AUGUST 2021: ISSUE 25
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INDEPENDENT + LOCAL
HANNAH GADSBY TASSIE’S EMMY AWARD WINNING COMEDIAN
HOBART LOCAL NEWS WWW.THEHOBARTMAGAZINE.COM.AU
NEW HOBART WINE PROJECT BEARS FRUIT WHAT’S ON IN HOBART TRAVEL: SAND SURFING ON THE TASMAN PENINSULA
STYLIST AND AIRBNB QUEEN SARAH ANDREWS 1
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Editorial Stephanie Williams (Publisher) editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Advertising James Marten advertise@thehobartmagazine.com.au 0405 424 449 Contributors: Beau Leighton, Sarah Aitken, Annia Baron, Peter Carey, Steve Madgwick, Max Marriott. Cover image: Alan Moyle. Circulation: 35,000 copies are distributed each month, dropped to our network of over 300 cafes and public places across Hobart, at Hill Street Grocer, and delivered to inner city homes. Publisher Information: While all care has been taken, some information may have changed since publication. The Hobart Magazine regrets it can’t accept liabilities from errors or omissions contained in this magazine. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or amend all advertisements without explanation. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in articles and advertisements are not endorsed by the editor or publishers. We welcome any questions, feedback or submissions, email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au.
Pic: Tourism Tasmania, Tim Whybrow.
WELCOME TO
THE HOBART MAGAZINE I won’t lie. I’ve wanted to feature Tassie’s Emmy Award winning comedian Hannah Gadsby for a while, but the planets have never aligned. But this month, as she brings her new show to Hobart, the timing is right. Journalist Sarah Aitken had the pleasure of talking with Hannah and reported back that she was a pure delight, very intelligent and of course, very funny. We hope you enjoy the story. This month we also talk with stylist Sarah Andrews about her very successful Airbnb rap sheet, with some takeouts for those styling at home. We take a walk to Crescent Beach for some sand duning, explore different ways to experience food across the island and see what’s happening in the Hobart housing market right now. <RX¶OO QRWLFH RXU ,1%2; SDJH LV ¿OOLQJ XS :H ORYH WR KHDU IURP you so please email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au if you have anything to share. All the best, Steph, James and The Hobart Magazine team.
INBOX Consultation Ferguson-style The skill of genuine consultation is either a lost art or is hidden in a deliberate strategy by the current Tasmanian government. As one of those residents of Dynnyrne Road facing the bulldozer of compulsory acquisition to make way IRU WKH 6RXWKHUQ 2XWOHW ¿IWK ODQH IROO\ our experience of ‘consultation’ thus has felt a whole lot more like the autocratic rule of the Powerful than any genuine intention to engage. This is concerning given, in our recent meeting with Minister Ferguson, he told us of more infrastructure plans in the pipeline. In fact, in this meeting, he seemed most concerned in knowing how his public servants could get this initial contact with people right (Is a phone call better than a letter? What about a home visit? What if there is an answering machine, should we leave a message?). If this is the case, which community is next? Minister Ferguson seems to have completely missed the point that consultation is about shared decision making. It is about providing an opportunity to understand the evidence, appreciate the problem and work on solutions. It is a process of negotiation, discussion and debate. Instead, what we experienced has left my neighbourhood in shock. Over four months later though, we have been invigorated by the Minister’s comments knowing that, even if we lose our homes, we are the vanguard for other communities, and neighbourhoods that might now be in Minister Ferguson’s sights. When State Growth, either clumsily or callously, thought they could steamroll MY street they were wrong. So QRZ '\QQ\UQH 5RDG UHVLGHQWV DUH ¿JKWLQJ QRW RQO\ IRU EHWWHU WUDI¿F FRQJHVWLRQ DQG urban planning solutions, but for proper community engagement that is respectful, transparent and accountable for all communities across Tasmania. You can support us by signing our parliamentary petition at www.haepetitions.parliament. tas.gov.au and joining us on social media. Meg Smith Dynnyrne Road Residents Spokesperson 4
Smoked Salmon? Hi – further to your opinion piece in the May issue of The Hobart (“Bad Salmon”, THM, May 2021), I’m wondering if you have a view on the contradiction Mr Flanagan is using to sell his holiday house vs the claims he made in his book. I note \RXU FRPPHQW ³FRUSRUDWLRQV FRPH ¿UVW government comes second and people and places come a hard last”. It would appear that Mr Flanagan has performed an enormous con job on Tasmanians – either he’s lied to sell his book or he’s lied to sell his property. Interested in your comments on whether you intend to call out this contradiction? Pene Snashall, Corporate Communications & Community Relations Manager, Huon Aquaculture Group Limited Eds note: The piece in the May edition was a book review of Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan’s latest book, Toxic, not an opinion piece, as stated above. A Ferry Interesting Idea Many people I talk to are too concerned or worried about taking a ferry...(once there is one up and running) as their main concern is where to park the car. Why not operate a bus service, either big or smaller buses, through the suburbs that run very regularly at peak hours and drop
you off at the ferry terminal. Ideally with plenty of stops through the local streets so that everyone has a stop nearby.This will get people moving as well - a hassle free service that can link your ticket with the Ferry ticket all in one! A great way to leave your car at home and a nice way to travel to work in the city. That same bus can also be used for people who just need to do small things in the area and this way HYHU\RQH FDQ EHQH¿W $Q HYHQ EHWWHU ZD\ is to provide free buses to the ferry as a great incentive to leave your car at home. Make space on the ferries for your bicycle as well. Looking forward Hobart to seeing more activity on your waters. Suzanna Liebrand Awww, thanks! I love your magazine. Thankyou for giving me a Tassie paper. Kirsten Bacon Robert Clifford - Minister for Transport? Fantastic article with Robert Clifford (THM, July, 2021) talking great sense. When will our “leaders” wake up and start getting public transport sorted by putting the right people in charge. Meredith Hepburn via Facebook. Got something to share? Email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au
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LOCAL LADY
GEMMA LYNCH-MEMORY Interview: Stephanie Williams Gemma Lynch-Memory has just opened her 33rd solo art exhibition, as well as a brand new gallery space as a joint venture with her husband Terry Memory with whom she has six kids. Where in Hobart do you live? I live about 40kms out of Hobart on a beautiful property in the Huon Valley with my husband Terry and our family. What’s the best thing about Hobart? The scale. Having lived in bigger cities before and moving here 12 or so years ago, the novelty of that small town feeling has not yet worn off. And the worst? 7KH YHU\ VDYY\ 3DUNLQJ )LQH 2I¿FHUV Tell us a little about your work? I’m a professional artist. Having had a paint brush in my hand since I was about four years old, I have always painted - through my school days, uni days (I have a Bachelor of Visual Arts with a Painting Major and a Masters of Art Admin), through all of my pregnancies, through all of my other business ventures and non stop during the slower pace of life that Covid 19 has been responsible for.
Tasmania for what was supposed to be one weekend. We fell in love with this beautiful part of the world, saw a real estate agent, found our farm with an old barn on it, made an offer on the property, offer accepted, settlement in July, totally packed up and relocated by October. Our sixth baby (and my sixth caesar) was born in 2011 about 18 months after we settled here. We all 100% love it here and have never looked back.
Your new exhibition Continuum is now open at The TAG Art Gallery, your new gallery! What can people expect? Continuum is my 33rd solo exhibition. It’s a slight departure from my abstract landscapes. It’s leaning towards more pure abstraction but still employs my usual thick impasto painterly technique, mark making and infusion of text and is in a high key colour palette. The gallery itself has been in our pipeline for many years. The time just felt right to open it now. We are excited about bringing something fresh, new and exciting to Hobart with this beautiful space.
What do you love doing outside work? Most of all, I love being with Terry and our children. We have a lot of fun together no matter what we are doing. I love working on my amazing succulent collection. I bought one succulent after watching my daughters obsession with them, and I now have over 400. I love spending time in my home, which is an old barn that Terry and I renovated. I am a keen gardener and love being in our garden. :H ZHUH RQ D PLVVLRQ WR EH VHOI VXI¿FLHQW ZKHQ ZH ¿UVW PRYHG to Tasmania so we built a 200 square metre hot house and now grow about 70% of what we eat.
You have six children. What does home life look like for you? In a word, full!! Having six children sounds daunting and probably would be if we were delivered six all at once, but it’s the ‘slow build’ that makes it doable. They are all fairly close in age but we still had time to get our heads around having one, having two, having three etc before having another one. We have been blessed to have three boys and three girls who all adore each other so there is a natural harmony that comes from this.
Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? Kalbi in North Hobart. This little place is a true gem in the food scene in Hobart and I truly recommend trying their wonderful cuisine if you haven’t already done so.
How did you end up in Tassie? How long have you been here for? Our family was involved in the Black Saturday bush ¿UHV LQ :H ZHUH OLYLQJ LQ WKH <DUUD 9DOOH\ LQ 9LFWRULD when we had to evacuate for several weeks. We returned to my parents house (and my childhood home) in Bathurst, NSW on WKH HYHQLQJ RI WK )HEUXDU\ ZLWK ¿YH \RXQJ FKLOGUHQ D WUDLOHU load full of chickens and rabbits and a few essential items. This was a very stressful and exhausting time so my Mum insisted that she took care of our children and sent Terry and I away for D ZHHNHQG IRU VRPH PXFK QHHGHG 5 5 :H ERRNHG D ÀLJKW WR 6
What do you never leave home without? I am an R.M. Williams junkie. I have the same RM belt that I bought about 20 years ago and I’ve been wearing it almost every day since. I also have a boot fetish so it is usually my favourite pair of R.M.Williams boots. Favourite Hobart secret? Deja Vu Books in Salamanca Arts Centre. I love to see businesses built on pure passion and wonderful old world charm. Where to next? As always when starting a new business, it is one day at a time. The TAG Art Gallery will occupy a lot of my focus in the short term whilst we develop the exhibition program and our connection to art lovers.
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LOCAL LAD
JOHN CHURCHILL Interview: Stephanie Williams As executive chef of The Deck and core restaurant and bar, John Churchill believes sustainability starts with teaching apprentices well. Where in Hobart do you live? Howrah, near the Cambridge Valley Vineyard. What’s the best thing about Hobart? The potential. In the past ¿YH \HDUV ,¶YH ZLWQHVVHG +REDUW VROLGO\ FRQWHVWLQJ 0HOERXUQH and Sydney as the cultural capital of Australia. You can really see it in all the new talented chefs and eateries popping up. And the worst? The lack of sunlight six months of the year. Tell us a little about your work? Being a chef is a labour of love. You essentially must be enthusiastic about serving others. Cooking something might take all day, only for it to be eaten in 30 minutes. It really necessitates a certain pride of work, to want to make that 30 minute experience worthwhile. You focus on sustainability. How is that being played out in the kitchen and on the plate? The most sustainable thing we can do as chefs is inspire and educate our apprentices to adopt the best practices possible. With methods like “nose to tail” and reducing waste wherever possible, whilst also creating dishes that draw attention and excitement. Which ingredients are you loving right now? I’m really into wood smoke and chargrilling right now, so that means that a ORW RI WKLQJV DUH WDNLQJ RQ D FDPS¿UH DHVWKHWLF %XUQW RQLRQV charred meats, smoked tomato, and I’m even dabbling with ash and salt bakes. There is much talk of seasonal eating and chefs having a strong relationship with their producers. Who do you enjoy working with and why? I love the passion that Stu and Natasha from Albatross Fishing have for their oysters. Every time I call to order we spend at least 15 minutes talking about the oysters. They put so much care and attention into their product and it’s really evident on the plate. Suppliers like that make my job easier, and I love to see that drive for excellence is thriving in Tasmania. What’s your dream project to work on? I would love to be a part of a project that predominantly focuses on educating and practicing farm-to-table ideologies, with a special focus on ecology and passing the torch to the next generations of chefs. I’m inspired by...-XVW DERXW HYHU\RQH , ¿QG WKDW HYHU\ SHUVRQ I meet has a story to tell about food and cooking that might be mundane to them but insightful and unique to me. 8
What do you love doing outside work? Spending time with my wife and daughter. We’re relatively new parents and it’s amazing WR ZLWQHVV KHU H[SHULHQFH WKLQJV IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? The Agrarian Kitchen. They’re always innovative and dedicated to providing a great experience. Drink of choice and where do you head for it? The bartender at Faro makes a mean Old Fashioned, or an FGR Riesling by Frogmore Creek. Guilty pleasure? 'H¿QLWHO\ %XQQLQJV VQDJV ZLWK RQLRQ Favourite team? West Coast! What do you never leave home without? I have a small tea strainer in the shape of dugong that I always seem to have with me. I’d like to travel to...Canada, I like hockey and maple syrup. If I didn’t live in Hobart I’d live...Probably Perth, where my parents and siblings are from. When there’s nothing to do, I...:DWFK ROG 6FL ¿ PRYLHV RU work on home renovations. Favourite Hobart secret? Dumbo Dumplings, it is a well-hidden restaurant in Warrane. It’s very clear that they make everything fresh and have a lot of passion for their trade. Last meal? Porridge oats with blackberry coulis, and a cup of tea. Where to next? I would love to have a closer look and work in aquaculture in Tasmania, before opening a venue that can holistically deliver a great experience with sound ethics for ecology. Quote to live by? (YHU\RQH \RX PHHW LV ¿JKWLQJ D EDWWOH \RX know nothing about. Be kind, always.
OBSCURA II NACHTMUSIK
A NEW PROJECT FROM THE T S O. I M M E RS E YO U RS E L F I N A R E A L M O F S O U N D & L I G H T.
T H U R S D AY AY 1 2 A U G 6 P M O D E O N T H E AT R E T IC K E T S $ 4 4.9 5 T S O. C O M . AU
BITS AND PIECES TAG Art Gallery (60 Murray St, Hobart) has opened with the launch exhibition Continuum. Incredibly it’s the thirty-third solo exhibition for Australian visual artist Gemma Lynch-Memory.
NEW OPENINGS Big Wong BBQ (97A Elizabeth St, Hobart) has opened, serving Chinese BBQ meat - BBQ duck, roast pork, char siu pork - as well as rice dishes, soups and noodles. Drink Tasmania (Shop 4/50 Bridge Street, Richmond) is now open, serving the very best of Southern Tasmania’s premium wines, whisky, gin and other craft beverages. The Stock Market (8 Brooke Street, Hobart) are now serving up Allpress coffee, housemade coffee miso caneles and Pigeon Whole Bakers treats from their cute window weekdays from 7:30am. Love cake? You might enMR\ D VOLFH RI -DSDQHVH VRXIÀH FKHHVHFDNH or Taiwanese castella cake from Glace Penguin Dessert. If you’re after a special occasion cake, there’s a new option in Bellerive with Crazy for Cake (Shop 7A, Bellerive Quay Shopping Centre) opening. Get some energy out at Kidz Central (Shop 11, Channel Court Shopping Centre), Kingston’s newest play cenWUH <RX¶OO ¿QG WKHP DW VHOHFWHG PDUNHWV or order via their Facebook page. Keep an eye out on the Moonah main drag for The Moonah Hotel and Cellars, which is currently being refurbished in the old Mustard Pot site. Also...keep an eye out soon for the new Potsticker Dumplings (84 Main Road, Moonah) sister store in Moonah, in the old Coogan’s store. Like Japanese? Head to Souta (2/73-75 Main Rd, Moonah) which is newly opened next to Sarinya Thai. It’s open every day except Sunday, from 11am-2:30pm and then 5:30pm-7:30pm. The Moonah RIIHULQJ LV GH¿QLWHO\ KHDWLQJ XS The 10
SPORTS RORTS GRANTS FOR SPORTS CLUBS IN TASSIE Grants of up to $500,000 are available to support sporting clubs and associations in getting Tasmanians more active. The $10 million Improving the Playing Field Program SURYLGHV ¿QDQFLDO KHOS WR XSJUDGH amenities at sporting facilities around Tasmania, allowing them to cater for all participants. The developments could include change rooms, toilets and shower facilities, accessibility, lighting, security, fencing and scoreboards. Applicants must contribute at least 15 percent of the total project cost. Applications for the small grants stream close on 6 September, and applications for the large grants stream close on 25 October 2021. More information about the program, including eligibility, guidelines and how to apply can be found at www.communities.tas. gov.au/csr COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN HOBART INCREASES WITH SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAN While there’s no debate that compostable IRRG FRQWDLQHUV EHQH¿W WKH HQYLURQPHQW how is the recent single use plastic ban by the Hobart City Council affecting local businesses? With COVID restrictions, lower tourist numbers and winter in general, Robert Mallett, Executive Director of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce said some local businesses might be struggling with the transition. “Overall feelings would be ‘mixed’. We probably all would prefer to use environmentally friendly products but their introduction needs to be fair and approSULDWHO\ GRQH ´ KH VDLG ³$ VLJQL¿FDQW number of Hobart businesses have been using compostable products for some time and for them the transition just means that they may have lost a unique selling point. For others, the cost of doing business will increase. The compostable products are generally more expensive and the time to
decant the various condiments e.g. tomato sauce, soy etc will be an added cost in not only the materials but also wages.” Robert also shared that retailers have been permitted to use up their existing supply up until July 31st so now they will no longer be able to use them. “I’m sure that takeaway food venues in all other municipalities will be very happy to buy them at a discounted price.” If a business hasn’t transitioned yet, there is help at hand. “The Hobart City Council has a very comprehensive listing of all the various compostable containers on its website to support vendors transition but it still remains that the cost of doing business in Hobart is increasing,” Robert said. MORE SALMON… 6KRWV KDYH EHHQ ¿UHG E\ DUWLVW .LUVKD Kaechele as the debate around salmon farming heats up. In a three and a half minute parody video posted to her Instagram account on 14 July, Kaechele role plays leading a military style attack on salmon pens, saying, “We’re gonna f#$k you up.” Days later a feature appeared in The Mercury (20 July, 2021) with a response from Huon Aquaculture founder Frances Bender describing the video as “ridiculous and puerile at best, inciting violence at worst.” While we wait for Kirsha’s sequel or Frances’ spoof video of blowing up Mona, if you haven’t seen the vid, head to www.instagram.com/kirshakaechele.
BITS AND PIECES take as an organisation because of their ages, stages and mix of households, so WKHUH LV DOZD\V D QHHG WR ¿QG SHRSOH willing to open their hearts and homes to young people of all ages,” she said.
available at our Club during Legacy Week, as well as most suburban shopping FHQWUHV DQG WKURXJKRXW WKH &%' 7R ¿QG out other ways to buy merchandise, make D GRQDWLRQ RU ¿QG RXW PRUH DERXW /HJDF\ please visit www.legacy.com.au, call Hobart Legacy on 6234 6581 or email admin@legacyhobart.com.au
LITTLE BADGE WITH A BIG IMPACT Words: Suzanne Curry, Friend of Hobart Legacy. For almost 100 years, Legacy has kept the promise to thousands of veterans’ families - helping provide ¿QDQFLDO DQG VRFLDO VXSSRUW IRU WKRVH in their care during times of hardship and grief. The Southern Tasmanian community will have the opportunity to support Hobart Legacy Club during Legacy Week, Monday 30 August to Saturday 4 September, 2021. This year focuses on Little Badge: Big Impact – the notion that even the smallest of donations will have a real and heartwarming impact on our veterans’ families. Hobart Legacy currently looks after over 700 veterans’ families, providing services like welfare assistance, home visits, widows’ clubs, luncheons, and educational support. Nationally, Legacy cares for 48,000 veterans’ families, including Widows in their senior years, younger Widows with children, and veterans’ dependents with a disability. Legacy merchandise, including badges, pens and Legacy bears will be 12
TASSIE RACING INDUSTRY INFRASTRUCTURE DEEMED ‘NOT ADEQUATE’ The rise in female participants in the Tasmanian racing industry has required funding to upgrade training centre and racecourse facilities, which are currently ‘not adequate’. The state government has announced $3 million for one-off infrastructure upgrades at the Brighton Training Centre, the Longford Racecourse and the Devonport Racing Club. The funding will cover track upgrades and drainage works as well as improvements to amenities buildings and female jockey rooms. HOBART FOSTER CARERS URGENTLY NEEDED Southern Tasmania’s largest foster care provider is desperate for more carers. There are approximately 1300 children and young people in state care in Tasmania and not enough carers to take them in. Andrea Sturges, General Manager of Kennerley Children’s Homes, said some children are unable to be placed as a result. “There are children we cannot
Ms Sturges said many of their carers will eventually “age out”, but younger FDUHUV DUH QRW \HW WKHUH WR ¿OO WKH JDSV “We need all ages of carers, and we need them now,” she said. “They can be any age, religion, same sex couples, singles, married, have their own children, be unable to have children of their own. We are a non-denominational organisation that welcomes people from all walks of life and we make no judgments.” It’s not all or nothing either - they need carers for full-time placements as well as respite options. “People live busy lives and work, they often don’t realise that they could be a respite carer – which would mean they can care for the same children regularly but not full time to give their family or their carer a break.” Carers are volunteers, but they can receive a tax-free board payment from the state government to reimburse them for the care. They may also be eligible IRU &HQWUHOLQN IDPLO\ WD[ EHQH¿W RU other payments. The Kennerley Centre provides ongoing training, development and support. “We need your help as a community so they feel loved and safe,” Ms Sturges said. If you’re interested in offering your home and your time to a foster child, contact the Kennerley Centre on 6107 9300 or together@kennerleykids. org.au. MAYORAL RACE HEATS UP IN THE BRIGHTON COUNCIL BY-ELECTION With the resignation of Brighton Council mayor Tony Foster on 30 June 2021, a E\ HOHFWLRQ KDV EHHQ VFKHGXOHG WR ¿OO the vacant positions of mayor and one FRXQFLOORU 7KHUH DUH ¿YH FDQGLGDWHV IRU councillor and four candidates for mayor. Polling closes on 24 August at 2pm. Head to www.tec.tas.gov.au for more information.
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BITS AND PIECES to better understand how to manage mental health risks at work, along with showing managers what they can do to support their staff.
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE STRANGER HITS THE STAGE A play written by Agatha Christie which lay dormant for almost 100 years will be performed in Hobart at the end of the month thanks to The Hobart Repertory Theatre. The synopsis of psychological thriller The Stranger says it better than we could ourselves: Who could blame her? Enid Bradshaw had been engaged to solid, reliable Dick for seven years but hadn’t seen him for almost half of that time. She’d been working in a boring job for ages and like many young women, had dreams of a life offering excitement and adventure. One day, a tall, dark, handsome stranger suddenly walked into her life and offered her everything she had ever dreamed of…” Directed by industry legend Jeff Kevin, The Stranger opens on Friday, 27 August at The Playhouse Theatre and will keep you guessing right up to WKH ¿QDO EUHDWK MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AT WORK IN TASSIE The Tasmanian Government has launched a free online mental health platform to support Tasmanian businesses and help their employees with their mental health. The Head4Work platform aims to support workers 14
RAPID GROWTH IN HOBART AS ROLLER SKATERS CLEAR THE SHELVES The Hobart Social Skates group reckon they might be ‘Hobart’s happiest and most fun social group’, and it sounds like they might be right. Created in January 2019 as a Facebook group, it has quickly grown to include over 600 members who hold weekly indoor and outdoor skate meetups for roller skaters and inline skaters. They’re gaining in popularity so quickly that group admin Russ Tatlow says they’ve cleared out the local skate supplies shops. “Skating (quads and inlines) is a global activity that is experiencing rapid growth in Tasmania (and around the world),” he said. “So much so, there is a shortage of skate gear and it’s commonplace to have to join an ‘order queue’ to get the skates/blades or wheels and gear you want. Otherwise \RX KDYH WR EH VDWLV¿HG ZLWK ZKDW LV left on the shelf! It’s a crazy situation for retailers, but kind of good that it’s getting so popular again.” If you’d like to start skating - or revisit your skate¿OOHG \RXWK \RX FDQ MRLQ WKH JURZLQJ numbers of Hobartians from all walks RI OLIH E\ ¿QGLQJ WKH +REDUW 6RFLDO Skates group on Facebook. TENPIN BOWLING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOBART Moonah is currently hosting the 59th Tenpin Bowling National &KDPSLRQVKLSV 7KLV LV WKH ¿UVW time since 2006 that the National Championships has been hosted in Tasmania, and only the fourth time since the event’s inception in 1962. This year’s event will see both the Junior and Adult National Championships, as well as the Australian Masters, with elite and aspiring elite players participating at IZOne Bowling. It all wraps up on August 15.
THUMBS UP How good are the Olympics!! Congratulations to golden girl Tassie swimmer Ariarne Titmus. Pregnant women over the age of 16 have ĆQDOO\ EHHQ GHVLJQDWHG D SULRULW\ JURXS and are now eligible to book for Covid-19 vaccines. The Tassie Travel Vouchers are back, this time with a pool of $7.5 million to support local tourism operators. Congratulations to Seedlab Tasmania, a food incubator, on expanding nationally in partnership with Woolworths. Parents, get your ears around Mike Phirman and his collection, “Songs to Sing At Kids”.
Sunset in Devonport.
THUMBS DOWN Our thoughts are with everyone affected by WKH %UXQVZLFN +RWHO ĆUH Tragedy on Tasmania’s roads with ongoing fatalities. A reminder to take it easy on those wintery roads. More bank branches are closing. The latest casualty is Kingston’s Bendigo Bank branch, set to close this month. 7KH ĆUVW GLQJ LQ D QHZ FDU Rain on bin night. Why does it always seem to bucket when it’s time to take out the bins.
NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY
which given the year we’ve had is surprising, a lot of organisations weren’t even sure if we were open during the lockdown (we were),” she said. “While we wish the need for our service didn’t exist, we are very grateful for so much community support that allows us to help so many kids.” Clair said she expects the next year will bring more growth. “The year ahead makes me a little nervous at just how much it may hold but I know we can do it as support for Tassie Mums continues to grow.” If you’d like to volunteer or donate goods to Tassie Mums, get in touch via tassiemums.org.
AUSTRALIANS OF THE YEAR TRAVELLING EXHIBITION The National Museum of Australia is touring an exhibition celebrating the eight state and territory recipients of the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards, including national winner, our RZQ *UDFH 7DPH 7KH UHFLSLHQWV KDYH HDFK FRQWULEXWHG D VLJQL¿cant object that reveals meaningful stories about their lives, aspirations and experiences. Grace Tame, a survivor of sexual assault and advocate for others, has chosen as her object a book with the ¿UVW QDPHV RI LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR VXSSRUWHG KHU FDPSDLJQ WR change Tasmania’s state law that prevented survivors of sexual assault from speaking publicly about their experiences. The book reminds her of the tremendous support she has had in Australia and overseas through the #LetHerSpeak campaign and represents a new future for survivors. The exhibition will be on display in TMAG’s Central Gallery from 13 August to 26 September.
TASMANIAN BUILDING BOOM CONTINUES Tasmania’s building sector continues to boom, according to the latest information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics $%6 7KH $%6 ¿JXUHV VKRZ WKDW LQ WKH 0DUFK TXDUWHU the value of residential building work in Tasmania was 13.6 percent higher than the same period the previous year, which showed the second highest growth of all the states. The number of dwellings started in the March 2021 quarter was the highest it has been in the past 25 years.These statistics show our economy DQG MREV LQ WKH EXLOGLQJ VHFWRU DUH KHDOWK\ EXW RQ WKH ÀLS VLGH builders, tradies and architects are so in demand it can take months to get the ball rolling with any renovations or new builds in greater Hobart. Have you had trouble getting a build started? We’d love to hear from you!
THE UNDIES PROJECT HELPING WOMEN A new initiative is giving away free pairs of reusable period underwear to Hobart residents on low incomes. The Undies Project wants to increase the accessibility of period undies and reduce the amount of plastic sanitary products going to ODQG¿OO $V WKH XQGLHV DUH ZDVKDEOH DQG UHXVDEOH WKH\ FDQ VDYH a lot of money in the long-term too. The project is being run by Women’s Health Tasmania in partnership with Australian underwear manufacturer Modibodi. It is supported by the City RI +REDUW WKURXJK WKHLU 8UEDQ 6XVWDLQDELOLW\ *UDQW 7R ¿QG RXW more head to the Women’s Health Tasmania website and look for The Undies Project for the link to a survey to claim your pairs. TASSIE MUMS DO IT AGAIN Well done and hearty thanks to Tassie Mums, the local charity who collects then delivers clothes and essentials for kids in need across the state, for the increase in services they’ve provided WKLV SDVW \HDU 2YHU WKH SDVW ¿QDQFLDO \HDU WKHLU YROXQWHHUV worked with 60 organisations to help 660 children. They sent out 2130 bundles including 19 cots, 21 prams and 24 car seats with a combined value of over $250,000. Total bundles were up by just over 200, and they helped an extra 70 children compared to the prior year. Clair Harris, Tassie Mums Founder and CEO, said WKH ¿JXUHV KDG LQFUHDVHG VWHHSO\ LQ OLQH ZLWK WKH HQG RI &RYLG SD\PHQWV LQ 0DUFK ³$OO WKH ¿JXUHV DUH XS RQ ODVW ¿QDQFLDO \HDU
Visit the Kermandie Hotel ÉĶƐIJ īşşĎ ĪşşĎ ëŕĎ ë ƱĶŕĕ ōĶƆƐ ƐIJëƐ ſĕǕĕĈƐƆ ōşĈëō żſşĎƖĈĕǹ ćĕĕſƆǹ ƱĶŕĕƆ ëŕĎ ĈĶĎĕſƆ wŕōƷ Ǣǝ ŔĶŕƖƐĕƆ ĪſşŔ LşćëſƐ ĈĈşŔşĎëƐĶşŕ Ķŕ ƐIJĕ IJĕëſƐ şĪ şſƐ LƖşŕ wżĕŕ Ǥ ĎëƷƆ ë ƱĕĕŊ ǣǟǦǤ ǞǝǢǟ ƱƱƱȀŊĕſŔëŕĎĶĕIJşƐĕōȀĈşŔȀëƖ 15
BITS AND PIECES This year marks the 25th anniversary of the attack, which remains the worst massacre in modern Australia committed by a single person. Nitram is directed by Justin Kurzel, who lives in Hobart, and also stars Judy Davis, Essie Davis and $QWKRQ\ /D3DJOLD ,W LV WKH ¿UVW $XVWUDOLDQ ¿OP WR VKRZ DW &DQQHV LQ D GHFDGH DQG will have its Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 6 ahead of a national cinema release, including Hobart’s State Cinema. SAVING LIVES AT RHH HELIPAD According to recent statistics released by the Royal Hobart Hospital, 373 patients have arrived at the hospital via the helipad since it opened in May 2020. IMAS LAND-BASED HATCHERY LEADS THE WAY Hobart will host a new research hub in the hope of establishing a sustainable onshore lobster aquaculture industry in Australia. The ARC Research Hub for Sustainable Onshore Lobster Aquaculture will be based at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), and is funded by a $5 million Australian Research Council grant through the University of Tasmania. “Through this Research Hub, we’re building the knowledge required to establish WKH ZRUOG¶V ¿UVW VXVWDLQDEOH RQVKRUH lobster aquaculture industry, with our research outcomes targeted at positioning Australia at the forefront of onshore lobster aquaculture,” Research Hub Director, Professor Greg Smith said. “It’s about providing alternate solutions for lobster culture in bio-secure and cost effective onshore systems, with an opportunity for technology transfer to other aquaculture sectors,” he said. “Potential research outcomes include reduced environmental impacts, workforce training, new product development, improved aquaculture food VDIHW\ DQG ELRVHFXULW\ DQG WKH VFLHQWL¿F advancement of aquaculture as a critical technology.” Other key partners are the University of Auckland, the University of the Sunshine Coast, and Australian industry partners Ornatas and PFG Group, with a total research investment in excess of $26 million. 16
PORT ARTHUR MASSACRE FILM WINS BIG AT CANNES WITH HOBART DIRECTOR The star of Nitram, the controversial QHZ ¿OP DERXW WKH OHDG XS WR WKH 3RUW Arthur Massacre, has won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. Texan Caleb Landry-Jones, who plays the mass murderer, won after the audience gave WKH ¿OP D VHYHQ PLQXWH VWDQGLQJ RYDWLRQ Critics at the awards have praised the ¿OP EXW EDFN KRPH LQ 7DVPDQLD WKH LGHD RI D ¿OP UHODWLQJ WR WKH PDVVDFUH KDV EHHQ met with fear and anger. Nitram ZDV ¿OPHG LQ *HHORQJ UDWKHU than Tasmania, due to the sensitivity of the subject matter. It does not depict the massacre, nor does it name the perpetrator. When news of the production was announced last year survivors, families of victims and the local mayor all expressed deep misgivings. Tasmanian author Justin Woolley , who survived the massacre as a child, tweeted at the time: “As a survivor of the Port Arthur massacre I would like to state that this can, and let me be clear, f**k the f**k off,” he wrote. “I was 12 years old when that guy tried to shoot me. Our family was amazingly lucky given we all walked away. Not interested in ‘exploring this dark chapter of Australian history’ or the ‘study of a man driven to do’ this.”
TASSIE WINE QUALITY SOARS We all know that Tassie wine punches way above its weight...and it’s been well DQG WUXO\ FRQ¿UPHG ZLWK QHZV RI RXU wine grape quality outperforming the national average four times over. Tasmanian wine grapes have reached a record value of $3,146 per tonne, compared to the national average of $701 per tonne. Tasmania’s grape vintage volume is up 18 percent this year and the state’s wine sector contributes about $200 million to Tasmania’s economy. Next time you’re standing in the bottle-o, make sure you ¿QG WKH VKHOYHV RI 7DVVLH YLQR \RX¶OO QRW only be supporting locals, you’ll get the best quality too. CABLE CAR APPLICATION REFUSED The Hobart City Council voted to refuse the Mt Wellington Cableway Company’s planning application on 27 July. During WKH PRUH WKDQ ¿YH KRXUV RI GHEDWH LW ZDV revealed that there were 16,500 public representations and that over $200,000 ZLWK WKH ¿QDO ¿JXUH VWLOO WR EH GHWHUmined) was spent on consultants for the HCC’s investigation of the application, with the proponent reportedly paying $29,000 for their application. During the debate many councillors cited the building was designed on an unnecessarily large VFDOH $W WKH ¿QDO FRXQW WKH YRWH ZDV in favour of refusal.
.LFN RII \RXU QLJKW ZLWK XV RQ 7KH 'HFN &RV\ XS XQGHU RXU KHDWHUV E\ WKH ˉUH DQG enjoy a hot toddy or mulled cider as the sun sets over kunanyi. Enjoy some new menu items, added cocktails, spirits as well as old favourites. Or savour the best of Tasmania’s local fare created by culinary innovator John Churchill at core restaurant and bar. Ensure you sample a sumptuous and very insta-worthy dessert crafted by inhouse pastry chef Nicole, who happens to be our Executive Chef John’s wife! Find us at Level 4, 110 Liverpool St, Crowne Plaza Hobart or call to book on 6213 4200.
THE GLENORCHY ARCH IS HAVING WORK DONE A refurbishment project is set to revamp the Glenorchy Arch for generations to come. David Patman answered our burning questions. What is happening to the arch? The arch has been at the motel for 60 years and it needs a bit of love and care. It’s a bit of a landmark on the Brooker Highway and we want to make sure it lasts another 60 years if we can. We’re commencing a restoration project between the Beck Family (current owners of the motel), and the Glenorchy City Council, with the assistance from the Glenorchy Historical Society and the local community. To work out what needs to be done we’ve had to temporarily dismantle it, with approval from Glenorchy City Council, while engineers do some testing and generally look it over. We’re fully committed to getting it on its feet again as soon as we work out what needs to be done.
When will people see it again? Once the testing has been completed, we’ll have a better idea what resources we need for the restoration and can make a plan. It’s such an icon and symbol of Glenorchy and we know people love it that we want to bring it back as soon as we can. We have created a website with some of its history and people can subscribe for updates on the restoration process - we’d love to hear from people with any stories about the arch. For more info or to get involved, please visit and subscribe for updates at www.glenorchyarch.org In the pictures below: Note the 1951 Plymouth vehicle appearing in both pics. Top is the Glenorchy Arch in Liverpool Street, courtesy of John Goldsmith and bottom at the Riverfront Hotel, by Simon Cuthbert.
Why is the arch historically significant? The arch was built by the Municipality of Glenorchy and local businesses in 1954 as a symbol of Glenorchy’s engineering know-how and civic pride for the Tasmanian visit of the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth. The Zinc Works (then called EZ and now Nyrstar) made most of the arch, with the wires provided by Titan, and a large crown on top which was made of fabric donated by Claudio Alcorso’s company Silk and Textiles. They even made silk handkerchiefs with a picture of the arch embroidered on it. Originally spanning the road from the Tasman Bridge into Hobart, it was a cheeky move by Glenorchy to promote itself by putting a large structure like this right in the heart of Hobart. After sitting at the Berriedale Reserve for a few years, the ‘Glenorchy Arch’ was purchased by Riverfront Motel (formerly known as the Motel Derwent), in 1961. The arch also has a unique place in design history, being one of the few remaining examples of large-scale space-age ‘Googie’ style construction, and is possibly the only commemorative arch left in Australia. Dr Helen Norrie, lecturer in Architecture and Design at the University of Tasmania, told us, “Glenorchy Arch is a wonderful example of unique civic design, born out of willingness of the major local manufacturers to cooperate and create a striking, fun and futuristic representation of Glenorchy’s aspiration to be a manufacturing hub. What’s interesting is that Glenorchy really has become a centre for designers and makers - not only the large industrials, but light industry and craftspeople, making everything from zinc to chocolate, catamarans to furniture. The arch was made for the Queen, but it should be kept for Glenorchy. TASSIE’S BEST DESIGN AWARD A Canberra artist has won Tasmania’s most prestigious design award. Ashley Eriksmoen took home the $20,000 acquisitive Clarence Prize for Excellence in Furniture Design, run by Clarence City Council. It is one of the highest cash prizes for furniture design in Australia. 18
Eriksmoen’s winning work, titled ‘Following years of steady decline, we are witnessing a period of unprecedented growth¶ LV D UHFRQ¿JXUDWLRQ RI D UHVFXHG chair that incorporates salvaged parts from many other discarded chairs. Made with hand tools and simple machinery on her back deck during the height of
the COVID pandemic, the work seeks to offer an antidote to society’s consumption-waste cycle and begins a critical conversation around the purpose of furniture beyond materiality and function. $Q H[KLELWLRQ RI WKH ¿QDOLVWV¶ ZRUN LV RQ display at Rosny Barn until 15 August.
Earth Science student conducting water testing, Little Blue Lake, Derby.
Start doing what you love FLEXIBLE COURSES FOR EVERYONE We believe that university is for everyone. Whether you want to boost your career, pick up a new skill, or pursue something you’ve always been curious about, we have a course for you. æȌɐ ƧƊȁ ȺɈɐƮɯ ȯƊȲɈٌɈǞǿƵ ةȌȁǶǞȁƵ ةȌȲ ǘȌɩƵɨƵȲ ˛ɈȺ ɯȌɐȲ ȺƧǘƵƮɐǶƵ خ And with our huge range of scholarships, you can focus on getting the most out of your time at uni. Find your dream course at utas.edu.au
Photo: Osborne Images. CRICOS 00586B.
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BOOK REVIEW
HOW LOVE-GONE-WRONG BURNT DOWN THE HOBART LIBRARY TO HELP LITERACY Interview: Stephanie Williams What do you get when you combine a Hobart librarian, an illegal sex videogame and literacy project? Ruairi Murphy explains his new book, which does more than tell a cool story, it helps those struggling with literacy. Tell me a little about your new book Two sets of books? It’s about the two versions of ourselves - the one we curate and present to the world, and the true self that we hide from others. 7KLV LGHD SOD\V RXW WKURXJK WKH OLYHV RI ¿FWLRQDO VWDII DW +REDUW Library. There’s a book shelver who burns down the library out RI ORYH D WHFKQLFDO VXSSRUW RI¿FHU ZKR UHFUHDWHV D ZRPDQ LQ DQ illegal sex videogame; a security guard who deciphers book titles to prevent an armed robbery - all good, wholesome fun. Readers can expect vivid stories that challenge stereotypes about the placid nature of libraries. You’re launching the book in partnership with Libraries Tasmania to highlight and improve Tasmania’s literacy rate. How is that happening? Partnering with Libraries Tasmania was D QDWXUDO ¿W IRU WKLV SURMHFW WKHVH VWRULHV DUH UHDOO\ D ORYH OHWWHU to Hobart Library. Literacy is at the heart of every success I’ve enjoyed in life and a great source of pleasure for me, so it’s an honour to support efforts that seek to improve it in other people’s lives. Libraries Tasmania Literacy Service and 26TEN are committed to raising literacy levels in our community. An important part of this work is purchasing books and eResources suitable for people with lower levels of literacy. These resources allow them to read regularly - a practice crucial to improving literacy - so WKH\ FDQ EHFRPH LQGHSHQGHQW UHDGHUV 7R WKDW HQG SUR¿WV IURP the sale of my book will be donated to purchasing these kinds of resources for Libraries Tasmania. How did your work as a librarian at the Hobart Library inform the book? I worked for the State Library for several years during the 2000s. They were patient with my lack of direction and gave me opportunities in many different roles - lending librarian, reference librarian, children’s librarian. I got a good feel for the nature of the clientele and the concrete details of the place. The characters and plots in my book are grounded in these details, but they’re all fantastic distortions. Your manuscript was shortlisted for the Tasmanian Premier’s literary awards and a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird digital literary award. What does that mean for an author? I didn’t realise it at the time, but it meant a lot. Neither shortlist led to any payment or publication, but they fattened a very slim writing CV, which then led to opportunities like meeting other writers and tutoring in creative writing at the University of Tasmania. It also made me think that the collection had potential and that I 20
could craft it to a publishable standard. Is this your first book or do you have others? 7KLV LV P\ ¿UVW book that will see daylight. The others that went before it gave their lives so this one could be respectable. Can readers attend the launch? Where can they get their hands on a copy? Absolutely. The launch will be held in the Hobart Reading Room on September 8 at 5.30pm. Liz Jack, executive director of Libraries Tasmania, will launch the book. Everyone’s welcome to attend - it’s a beautiful space. People can register at www.two-sets-of-books-launch.eventbrite.com. au. The book will be available in local bookstores. And of course there’ll be copies for loan in the library soon.
1HZO\ 5HIXUELVKHG ! y I 0 ª 0 y ! 0 ۋ0 ß0 y À ² ȯ ׁׁׄ׀ ׀ׂׂ׆ ׃׀ ب Ƶ بǏɐȁƧɈǞȌȁȺۊȺƊǶƊǿƊȁƧƊǞȁȁخƧȌǿخƊɐ Ɗ ׀ׁ بJǶƊƮȺɈȌȁƵ ²ɈȲƵƵɈ ةRȌƦƊȲɈ
ǏǏƵȲǞȁǐ ɈǘƵ ǶƊɈƵȺɈ Ǟȁ ǞȁȁȌɨƊɈǞɨƵ ƊɐƮǞȌ ɨǞȺɐƊǶ ƵȱɐǞȯǿƵȁɈس ǞȁɈƵȲƊƧɈǞɨƵ ɈȌɐƧǘ ׄj ƮƊɈƊ ȯȲȌǯƵƧɈȌȲ ةȺǿƊȲɈ m0( ׄj ÀßزȺ ةƊȲȲƊɯ ȺȯƵƊDzƵȲȺ ةȯƵȲǏȌȲƊɈƵƮ ƧƵǞǶǞȁǐ ɈȌ ƧȌǿȯǶǞǿƵȁɈ Ɗȁɯ ȯȲȌǏƵȺȺǞȌȁƊǶ ȯȲƵȺƵȁɈƊɈǞȌȁ ةƦȲƵƊDzǏƊȺɈ ةǶɐȁƧǘ ةƮǞȁȁƵȲ ɈȌ ɩƵƮƮǞȁǐȺ ٌ ƊȁƮ ǏȌȲ ɈǘȌȺƵ ƮƵǶƵǐƊɈƵȺ ȌȲ ǐɐƵȺɈȺ ɩǘȌ ƊȲƵ ɐȁƊƦǶƵ ɈȌ ƊɈɈƵȁƮ ɩƵ ǘƊɨƵ ǏɐǶǶ ɨǞƮƵȌ ƧȌȁǏƵȲƵȁƧǞȁǐ ƧƊȯƊƦǞǶǞɈǞƵȺخ
FOR ALL YOUR DENTURE NEEDS
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(03) 62311222 or 0419833495 Under new ownership. Maurie D’Andrea is pleased to announce Nikolaus Zak is back!
Level 1/ 100 Elizabeth St Hobart www.smilesonhobart.com.au 21
Winter is a food lover’s paradise in Tasmania. From paddock to plate, nose to tail, root to tip, or ocean to table, there’s a mouth-watering treat to suit everyone. Whether carnivore or vegan, cheese lover or wannabe-chef, a culinary experience awaits you and your taste buds. Find out all the ways it’s our Off Season at discovertasmania.com.au/off-season
FARM FRESH MARKETS
FORAGE AND GRAZE
Local markets have the best selection of seasonal, fresh produce straight from the farmers. Harvest Launceston starts bright and early on Saturdays and Farm Gate Market in Hobart’s city centre is on every Sunday. Head to Bream Creek Farmers Market on the first Sunday of every month, and Willie Smith’s Artisan and Produce Market in Grove on Saturdays. Stock the pantry and warm up in the kitchen with some slow cooking.
Stop at a roadside farm-gate stall for seasonal produce, bread, jams and pickles. Venture on a Northern Forage road trip and discover the bountiful range of produce across Northern Tasmania. On the Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail, meet the makers of treats ranging from chocolate and truffles to whisky and craft beer. And taste honey from hives deep in the forests of takayna/Tarkine at Blue Hills Honey in Mawbanna.
OCEAN TO TABLE
PADDOCK TO PLATE
Winter is when oysters are at their plumpest. Add Get Shucked on Bruny Island, Barilla Bay Oyster Farm in Cambridge and Freycinet Marine Farm in Coles Bay to your oyster trail. Stanley is reputed to have the best fish and chips in Australia a claim to test. Enjoy fresh seafood at the Fish Van in Triabunna and The Gulch in Bicheno. And find out why people line up for the lobster roll at the Lobster Shack Tasmania in Bicheno.
King Island is regarded as one of the best places in the world to raise pasture-fed cattle. Take a tour of an 800-hectare sustainably managed cattle property with Meat Your Beef, before sitting down to a hearty lunch. If you’re craving a succulent steak, it’s hard to beat Cape Grim Grill at Tall Timbers in Smithton. Want to know the trick to making mouth-watering salami? Book an artisan workshop at Fork n Farm Homestead in Glengarry.
CHEERS TO CHEESE
WANNABE CHEF
You can never have enough handcrafted cheese. There’s a craft beer to match your cheese at Bruny Island Cheese Company. At Ashgrove Dairy Door and Visitor Centre, indulge in an Off Season special offer of a melt-in-your-mouth truffle fondue for two. Or while away the afternoon in the paddock with award-winning farmhouse cheese at Pyengana Dairy.
Take your culinary skills to the next level with an atmospheric cooking school. Book a Winter Warmers masterclass at The Farmhouse Kitchen in Wattle Grove, or settle in for a cooking session at the beautifully restored Red Feather Inn in Hadspen. Gain confidence in the basics of cooking or master the flavours used in multicultural cuisines at Sylvia’s Kitchen in Launceston.
discovertasmania.com.au/off-season
WHAT’S ON IN HOBART MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
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copy Gadsby Hannah brings Body of Work to the Theatre Royal tonight until the 7th.
Lasca Dry plays originals and some covers at The Republic Bar, 7pm.
Beaker Street Festival begins! It explores the intersection of art and science, and facilitates connections and collaborations amongst artists, scientists, and the public. Until 14th August.
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Hannah Gadsby in Body of Work.
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It’s Tasmanian Whisky Week! A celebration of the numerous Tasmanian distilleries, their spirits and whisky - so grab a wee dram.
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Un Momenta, an art installation by Jacqui Ward, is on display 24/7 at Lightbox, Salamanca Arts Centre, until August 31. And it’s CENSUS 1LJKW GRQ¶W IRUJHW WR ¿OO out your forms.
Rattle, the Queer Tasmania Cabaret, begins tonight at the Moonah Arts Centre, 7:30pm.
TSO presents Obscura – Nachtmusik, a journey to an interior world, at the Odeon Theatre from 6pm.
The Bell Shakespeare Company presents the classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Theatre Royal. There’s also no aphrodisiac like The Whitlams playing The Odeon tonight.
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UTAS’ Island of Ideas lecture series presents From Antarctica to Outer Space: Exploring gender equity at the extremes. Stanley Burbury Theatre, Sandy Bay campus.
Learn all about coffee at the Coffee Tasting & Extraction workshop at Born in Brunswick in North Hobart, 4pm.
Love running? $QG ¿OPV" Combine your loves at RunNation Film Festival tonight from 7pm, Village Cinemas Hobart.
In ‘The Life of Curzon Allport: A Family and Collection Divided,’ Kate Vermey details the controversies of an old Tasmanian family. Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts, 2pm.
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The premiere screening of Conquering Cancer is tonight at Village Cinema Hobart, 7pm. Includes a Q&A.
Part of National Science Week, the ExBEERimental Science is a live-streamed beer tasting event sampling the science behind EUHZLQJ DQG EHHU ¿QG the event on Facebook!
Run away to the circus at Peepshow by Circa Contemporary Circus at the Theatre Royal until the 28th. 15+.
The Hive Collective presents a panel on Women Empowering Women at the Movenpick Hotel, 5pm.
Oh Mama Rosa!
Poor Man’s Pot perform at The Barn at Rosny Farm as part of the Rosny Farm Winter series. Check the Rosny Farm website for the full program in August.
Learn how to research the history of land and buildings and trace their ownership at an introductory workshop at Glenorchy Library, 2pm.
Take the kids to see family friendly musical The Old Man and The Old Moon at the Theatre Royal, 7:30pm.
OMG copy it’s Human Nature! Live in Hobart! Step back in time to the 90s at Wrest Point, 8pm.
Agatha Christie’s The Stranger opens at The Playhouse Theatre tonight, presented by the Hobart Repertory Theatre Society.
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FURTHER AFIELD SATURDAY
SUNDAY
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copy The new opera¿OP FROODERUDWLRQ between Opera di Roma and Rai Cultura: La Traviata opens at the State Theatre tonight. 'LUHFWHG E\ 6R¿D Coppola.
copy all Calling bookworms to the Monster Book Fair at Princes Wharf 1, all weekend. It’s a fundraiser for Tassie kids in need.
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The Festival of Bright Ideas begins today at Princes Wharf 1. Also The Stranded Wailers are performing at The Cannery - includes a singalong and 3 course dinner.
copy Multiinstrumentalist Shaun Kirk brings his vocals, guitar, drums and harmonica to Cygnet’s Cannery today from 2:30pm. Dying to Know Day is also on today and tomorrow.
copy See Bluey for real life at Bluey’s Big Play, Wrest Point, 6:30pm. Also The Badloves and King Canyon feat Jimmy Cupples are on at the Longley International Hotel.
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The Lenah Valley Hop rogaining event takes teams of runners over the hills of lower kunanyi/Mt Wellington today from 10am. Register by August 15.
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The irrepressible Mama Rosa provides dinner and a show tonight, The Italian Club, from 5pm.
Festival of Bright Ideas
For even more events in Hobart DQG IXUWKHU DĆHOG WKLV month head to www.thehobartmagazine.com.au/augustevents
5-8 August agriCULTURED is a new industry event aiming to connect agri-food industry professionals so they can learn together, inspire each other and plan a vibrant and resilient future. It includes a northern book launch of Soil by Matthew Evans (check out our article with Matthew in our July edition), musical performances, dinners, a meet the producers event, and a range of panels and talks across Launceston and surrounds. See www.agricultured. com.au/program for all the info. 7 and 21 August The newest Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra group is the Overland Ensemble, made up of three trombonists and a tuba player (Mitchell Nissen, Iain Faragher, David Robins and Tim Jones). They’re on tour this month, performing a varied program ranging from Bach to Debussy to Gershwin. The concert also includes Devil’s Waltz, and The Mountain, by tuba virtuoso Tim Jones, which was inspired by kunanyi/Mt Wellington. 7:30pm, August 7 at the Palais Theatre, Franklin and 6pm, August 21 at the Cooee Memorial Hall in Burnie. 13 August The Flinders Flicks Film Festival is a free event, now in its eighth year. It’s a great way to see snippets of life on the island - all ¿OPV PXVW EH XQGHU WKUHH PLQXWHV long! 13 August
Set your eyes to the sky for a night at the Dark Sky Dinner - a candle-lit, three course dinner at Spring Bay Mill at Triabunna. Enjoy local food and drink in a gorgeous setting whilst listening to Landon Bannister, president of Dark Sky Tasmania speak about the power of light and its relationship to human experience. In collaboration with Beaker Street Festival. 27-30 August Slow down and reconnect at Maddy Goodwolf’s three night yoga retreat at Run River Lodge near Dover. 1 September Join in the ten year celebrations at this year’s Junction Arts Festival in Launceston. Junction is an annual festival of extraordinary arts experiences in unusual spaces throughout Launceston. There is something for everyone, from kids music to installations and exhibitions, food and late night gigs.
Flinders Flicker Fest
Got an event coming up in Tassie? Email us at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Background photo: Lusy Productions, Tourism Tasmania.
COVER FEATURE
Words: Sarah Aitken )URP 6PLWKWRQ WR 1HWÀL[ DQG WKH (PP\V stage, Tasmanian stand up comic Hannah Gadsby has forged an unlikely path. Following on from the massive success of her shows Nanette and Douglas, Hannah brings her new show Body of Work to Hobart this month. It’s been a big year. For the entire world. For Hannah Gadsby, it’s been a mixed bag of a year. On one hand, a pandemic is not a great time for a touring artist. On the other, she’s been bunkered down in regional Victoria in a newlywed bubble - in January she announced she’d married her producer, Jenney Shamash, who is “very funny and is really talented at reciting facts.” Our interview takes place just before Gadsby’s new tour. Slated to take her around Australia and New Zealand, then to the UK and Europe early next year, at the time gigs were getting cancelled all over the shop. It’s become the new normal. “I have had to cancel a lot of stuff because of…well, you know. I can’t really complain but I do feel like the pandemic ruined my trajectory,” she deadpans. “But did I really want to be going that fast? No!” “The tour may just be Canberra to Tasmania, and back again...and back again, while everyone else sorts their shit out. I’m not fond of being alive during this moment of history. I might go back to the 80s when we were ruining everything and getting ready for this moment.” Nanette *DGEV\¶V 1HWÀL[ YDULHW\ special (and the show for which she won an Emmy, beating Beyonce), was meant WR EH KHU ¿QDO VKRZ EHIRUH UHWLULQJ IURP 26
comedy. She was tired of putting herself down for laughs. She went out guns blazing. Instead, she hurtled to international fame. Full of depth, intelligence and, of course, humour, Nanette included devastating stories of assault and trauma, and her RIWHQ GLI¿FXOW FKLOGKRRG DQG DGROHVFHQFH in North West Tasmania, where there was not much room for a lesbian with (at the time undiagnosed) autism. So how does she feel about Tasmania now? How might all these years away on the mainland, then touring the world and living in America, shape her perspective of the island she once felt quite stuck on? “Well, you have to be careful about what you think you feel about something that is so much a part of you, I don’t think you can ever get enough distance to have the perspective to understand,” she says. “Tasmania was the soup I stewed in. So I feel very connected to it. In the North West I still feel a little claustrophobic, but WKHUH LV GH¿QLWHO\ D VHQVH RI FRQQHFWLRQ there. I always feel like I come home when I go there but at the same time I am
always happy to be leaving! But I think that’s more to do with the nature of how I operate as a performer - I like to go home and then leave again and travel and then go home.” “The air is the best air I’ve ever had the pleasure of breathing though, and I breathe a lot, it is actually one of the things I do, and Tasmanian air is a tonic.” The follow up to Nanette, Douglas concentrated on her autism diagnosis from 2016, amongst a variety of topics (included the ongoing struggle with the patriarchy and of course the show’s namesake, her dog.) The value of having somebody publicly share their diagnosis of autism after having reached such critical and popular success is immeasurable. “I think part of what is driving me to be so open about this is that there don’t seem to be a lot of people with autism speaking for themselves, often they have to be a savant or a burden, when most of us are just in the middle,” she says. “It’s a lifelong thing so at different ages you have different struggles, like typical people, but I think a lot of damage is done
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COVER FEATURE
in early life, because the development is different but that’s seen as ‘slow’. A lot of what is traumatic about being on the spectrum is the misunderstanding of what it means to be on the spectrum when you’re in a very vulnerable time of your life, which is your adolescence and young adulthood. “Clearly I’ve stumbled myself into some sort of grace. I’ll take it, I’m not going to give it back and say I don’t deserve it. Hardly anyone deserves success but nobody deserves to be on the struggle bus needlessly. I think a lot of people are giving the spectrum a nudge and don’t know it because we’re only taught to understand the extremes of it, the extremes of the negative and the extremes of the positive, and that means there is just not enough support for people who are in the middle. “You know the saying ‘if you’ve met one person on the spectrum...you’ve met one person on the spectrum’. I can’t speak for everybody on the spectrum. But on the same hand Scott Morrison can’t speak for all Australians, that is clear!” Some might think intense fame and autism are not a great match. Gadsby says in some ways they are. “Because of my success I’m more able to create a more buffered life. The perks of show business are eerily similar to just...assistance. Which I never had when I really needed it. So I feel quite compelled...it’s not in my nature to be an activist but when I put my mind to it I speak quite strongly, as we know!” *DGVE\ FUHGLWV WKH ORFDO FRPHG\ VFHQH DV D WHUUL¿F IRXQGDWLRQ for her comedy career - a career that has allowed her to speak out to an enormous audience about pretty much whatever she wants now. “Australia honestly has one of the best comedy cultures in the world. You see a reasonable diversity – not much racial GLYHUVLW\ VDGO\ EXW GH¿QLWHO\ DORQJ WKH JHQGHU DQG VH[XDOLW\ lines we’ve got it good. The danger now is that everyone has the
1HWÀL[ GUHDP %XW WKH UHDOLW\ LV WKDW , ZDV RQO\ DEOH WR QDYLgate into that space by way of small local industry and festival infrastructure. “And I think that is something that Tasmania has in spades – it’s the local makers, it’s the craftsmen. There is so much craft in Tasmania that I think gets lost in the conversation that the MONA episode has sort of thrust upon Tasmania but no, the creativity has always been there, and people have always been plying their craft in whatever way they could. I think that spirit is well served before dreamin’ big.” As with each of her big shows, there is very little information about what we can expect in Body of Work, which leads us to ZRQGHU ZKHWKHU LW PLJKW EH EHLQJ ¿OPHG IRU DQRWKHU 1HWÀL[ special. Gadsby won’t commit to an answer on that one. “It’s only just started, I barely know what it is!” Gadsby laughs. ³,¶G OLNH WR WKLQN WKH\ >1HWÀL[@ ZLOO EH NHHQ IRU DQRWKHU RQH from me but these sorts of things are a long time in the pipeline. I made a decision after Nanette that I’m a touring artist, that’s what I focus on, and if you get the gravy at the end then that’s even better.” Many of her shows are sold out, but possibly more exciting than that is the news that Gadsby will be given an honorary doctorate whilst here. “I’m looking forward to becoming a doctor. I’m stoked. I’m taking it. I’m going to be known as Doctor Gadsby DQG ,¶P JRLQJ WR UHVXEPLW DOO WKH IRUPV UH¿OO WKHP GULYHUV licence, everything - It’s gonna say ‘Dr Hannah Gadsby’, and I’m taking it!” Hannah Gadsby performs Body of Work at Hobart’s Theatre Royal on August 4,5 and 6 at 7:30pm, and on August 7 at 5pm and 8pm. She then takes the show to Launceston on August 15 at 4pm, and August 16 and 17 at 7:30pm. Head to hannahgadsby. com.au
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THE COVID-19 VACCINE www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine 29
COMMUNITY
RETURN TRAVELLERS ADDING PRESSURE TO HOBART HOUSING Words: Simon Duffy, Regional Manager, Mission Australia Housing
For all of us 2020 was a year like no other, punctuated by rapid change and plenty of new challenges. For vulnerable people in Tasmania, including people facing homelessness, those on low incomes and those facing increasingly higher rents, it was very challenging. We are seeing a growing demand for homes in Tassie from international travellers returning home, people moving for work and others seeking the lifestyle that our Apple Isle has to offer. Tasmania has been greatly impacted by unprecedented increases in rent and a severe shortage of affordable housing. This means that even more people are grappling with the severe rental stress of paying more than 30 per cent of their income on rent, which is placing them on the brink of homelessness. As a charity focused on ending homelessness and ensuring people and communities in need can thrive, here in Tasmania, Mission Australia has risen to the challenge and adapted to COVID-19 requirements, while remaining dedicated to delivering vital services and housing at this time of increased need. As part of our work, we currently manage more than 500 social homes in Clarence Plains, across Rokeby and Clarendon Vale. But it is not enough to simply provide someone with the key to a house and hope that they will be alright. We aim to provide a person with a home to belong to, provide the right support services to help them sustain their tenancy and a community in which to connect and grow. Mission Australia staff do everything we can to meet the needs of local people and families who need housing and support, and ensure they are connected to the services that they need. To achieve this we focus not just on supporting people and families to maintain their tenancy and look after their property, but we 30
also nurture community development initiatives in partnership with local people and services so we can do our part to help Clarence Plains residents to thrive. We match homes to people’s needs by taking care to ensure the type of property is suitable for individual and family needs. We have also supported a number of long-term tenants to move into smaller, newer homes that better meet their needs so it is easier for them to navigate and look after their home. When these tenants move, it helps to free up larger social homes for families in need of a safe, secure and supported place to call home. Alongside this, we have partnered with the community and services in the Clarence Plains area to be part of the collective impact project One Community Together and we continue to invest time and resources into working alongside local residents to strengthen local community connections. This approach – and the fact that there’s a severe shortage of social housing across our state – means we don’t have a lot of vacancies because people want to stay with us. Many of our tenants have been with us since we started delivering social
housing in Clarence Plains in 2013. To meet the increased need we are continuing to see, Mission Australia’s Housing team is hoping to continue to grow our portfolio to supply more homes to Tasmanians in need. This includes houses we currently have under construction and more planned for the future. We have a series of one and two-bedroom homes due by the end of the year, which will allow us to see more people facing homelessness housed and join the Clarence Plains community as it continues to transform. Mission Australia wants to continue our growth into the future with the construction of even more social homes and the expansion of our services across more of southern Tasmania. Most importantly, we want to advance our commitment to ending homelessness and ensuring people and communities in need can thrive, and we want to do it in partnership with the community, with other service providers, with business-owners, with churches and with our tenants. We believe it is possible to end homelessness in Tasmania, but we need to face this challenge together. Because everyone deserves a safe, secure place to call home to stay well and thrive.
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Tasmania’s Orchestra. Here for you in 2021. 31
STYLE
You’re an adventurer, how did it feel to be relatively settled in the Huon Valley? Peaceful. But don’t let that fool you, I’m still on the move! Most of the days I’m home I love to walk for hours in the bush and coast around my house. Or I’m at my shack, or at one of my students’ shacks all over Tasmania and the mainland. Oh, and as I answer this, I’m making preparations WR JHW RQ D ÀLJKW WR (XURSH IRU DQ XQGHWHUmined amount of time. You’ve previously been quoted as saying you’ve ‘never worked a traditional job in your life’. That does sound appealing. Well, I have worked a few - and they taught me so much, but they weren’t for me. I started out my work life as a scientist working for consultancies the world over. It was a wonderful experience, but just enough years to send me into self employment and never look back. Sarah Andrews has built a small empire out of a humble Strahan shack, then creating her own styling school to help others do the same. She spoke with Sarah Aitken about her self-made successes and her love of Tasmania. After working all over the world as a spatial scientist, then sailing across the world solo, Sarah found herself shipwrecked in a storm off the coast of Mexico. Rescued by the Mexican Navy, Sarah headed home to Australia to look for a small patch of peace. She found it in Strahan, where in 2016 she pipped the real estate boom to buy a tiny run-down ¿VKLQJ VKDFN IRU 7KDW WLQ\ VKDFN became Captain’s Rest, an impeccably styled, perfectly instagrammable, reliably sold-out little gem on Airbnb that nets Sarah $15,000 a month. That success spawned a styling business, then a styling school, The Hosting Masterclass, inspiring others to transform their spaces DQG EULQJLQJ 6DUDK IXUWKHU ¿QDQFLDO success. Last year she settled in a new home outside of Cygnet. But Sarah can’t stay put. Now, as she prepares to launch a book, a second styling school, and move overseas again, she managed to sit still just long enough to answer some questions for us. 32
Since you opened Captains Rest the Airbnb world has exploded in popularity - particularly in Tasmania. Do you think there is still space for new ones? Absolutely. Think about how many hundreds if not thousands of travellers we have here on the island every day looking for the most perfect place to spend their much anticipated holiday. There is absolutely space! What role do you think Airbnb has played in Hobart’s rental crisis? As a scientist, I would say absolutely negligible. Hobart’s rental crisis is due to Hobart becoming a place that people from the world over want to live, and can do so due to the prices being less than those in mainland cities. This has happened since the beginning of time, as cities become full and unaffordable, people move out - to places like Hobart and Launceston, and then in turn they become full and unaffordable - and people move out. And the process goes on. Even if Airbnb didn’t exist, this would still be happening. It’s part of the process of growth for any city. How has Covid affected your businesses? It’s been reported you rake in $12,000 per month on AirBnb - did that change? Captain’s Rest actually
turns over about $15K now! Of course, it was devastating when Tasmania shut its borders. I’m grateful for some wise EXVLQHVV DQG ¿QDQFLDO SODQQLQJ RYHU the years so I could ride out the storm and take care of myself and my team. It’s really interesting, I tell my students the cream always rises. Although there weren’t many travelling, we were all booked out - because those that were, wanted to stay with the best. Most of us have had one of the best years to date! Congratulations on your new book, Principles of Style. Tell us what it’s about. What an amazing adventure writing a book has been. In a nutshell, my book is a timeless resource that helps everyone create spaces that are perfect and beautiful - for them, no matter their taste, place or time. My students have started calling it, “the bible”. Is this book a Covid project? Absolutely! I have been working on this book for a few years due to the success of all the students coming through my school, The Hosting Masterclass. It wasn’t until 2020 I could give it the attention I wanted to, to create something truly of worth that everyone could have in their homes. Styling is not about a look or a style. Styling is about understanding who you are, and how you want to live, and putting that together in both a beautiful and functional way. And anyone can do it. It really is a science. What are your tips for people who would love to style their space differently but have a teeny tiny budget? Don’t start with the styling, start by learning my process, and then put it together. A project I worked on, Captain’s Cottage in Hobart had a styling budget for the whole house of around $3000. What do you love about Hobart? The history! I’m such a lover of age - I’m happiest in places that don’t feel like the PRGHUQ ZRUOG ² EXW ZKHUH , FDQ VWLOO ¿QG good coffee and get a parking spot right out the front. Sarah Andrews’ new book Principles of Style will be released on 1 October.
SAND SURFING ON THE PENINSULA Words: Sarah Aitken
The half-day walk to Crescent Beach in the Tasman National 3DUN RIIHUV VR PXFK LQFOXGLQJ HSLF VDQG GXQHV IRU VXU¿QJ DQG incredible views. I love a good value walk. I don’t mean a cheap one (though I do love that too), I mean a walk that offers you a lot for relatively little effort. This is one of those walks. For starters, there are the incredible views. The picture-perfect-postcard-shots-of-Tasmania views. We were lucky to have a FOHDU DQG VXQQ\ ¿UVW KDOI RI WKH ZDON DQG FRXOG VHH WKH FULVS RXWline of Cape Raoul’s jagged dolerite pipes almost immediately. The track winds over sandy dunes and rocky crops, with the expansive deep blue of the ocean always in sight. We saw heaps of birds, including a soaring pair of Sea Eagles, and I imagine at the right time of year it would be a great area for whale-spotting. About a third of the way along the track comes to Maingon Blowhole, where a solid bridge lets you stand, suspended, above the vertiginous chasm as seawater sloshes in and out many, many metres below. The blowhole was formed when a sea cave collapsed leaving behind a deep, narrow sink hole. It’s fenced, but not for long - one ridiculous child of mine did immediately attempt to go around the fence onto the dangerous side - keep them close at this point.
A little further along there is the option to climb Mt Brown, which I gazed at longling but which we didn’t reach, as little OHJV ZHUH HDJHU WR KLW WKH GXQHV $V ZH URXQGHG WKH ¿QDO ELJ EHQG DQG ZH JRW RXU ¿UVW JRRG ORRN DW &UHVFHQW %HDFK WKH ZDWHUV looked almost tropical, with white sand and an aqua-turquoise blend in the sunny shallows. Across the bay the iconic cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula continue off into the distance, with Tasman Island standing out, front and centre. Here you can catch the essence of the Three Capes Track, for free. The walk and views would be enough for a lot of people, but the real icing on the cake - especially for the kids - are the sand dunes here. Ranging in size and steepness, there’s something for everyone to have a go at. You can bring your own boogie - or even a piece of cardboard - to ride, but others have helpfully stashed a variety of boards in the bushes at the start of the beach. Watching the kids careen down the dunes with increasing speed and decreasing control was hilarious and totally joyful. All in all this walk is perfect for kids - our pack of little walkers ranged in age from 4 to 10 and whilst the littlest legs did get piggybacked on the return trip, overall they all absolutely loved it, as did their parents. Add it to the list! The full walk is 7.5km, 4 hours return. Taking out Mt Brown reduces that by about an hour but you’ll want that hour - and then some - at the dunes. There are plenty of cliffs in the area so keep little ones close and stay on the track. The track doesn’t ever veer too close to the edge, apart from the blowhole crossing. The walk starts and ends at the Remarkable Cave car park in the Tasman National Park. There are toilets here but no water - bring everything you need with you. 33
TRAVEL ON THE ISLAND
The Gulch at Bicheno.
WINTER IN TASSIE IS MADE FOR EATING Words: Stephanie Williams Picture: Stu Gibson, Tourism Tasmania
You’ve heard it before, and we’ll say it again, Tasmanian produce is amazing. And winter is the perfect time to get out and eat it all. Explore the markets, head straight to the farm gates or expand your cooking skills across the island. Food Markets I’m biased as it’s my home market but the Farm Gate market each Sunday morning in Hobart has got to be one of the best. It’s a great spot for breakfast with friends, and pick up some supplies while you’re there. If you’re up north on a Saturday morning, Harvest Launceston is a must visit, if only for a cracking bacon and egg roll, not to mention the awesome entertainment program. For something more intimate, the weekly Willie Smith’s Artisan and Produce Market showcases only local artisan wares and produce. The Bream Creek Farmers Market is on the 34
¿UVW 6XQGD\ RI HYHU\ PRQWK featuring local growers, cooks, brewers, producers and makers. Paddock to Plate Will you go to any length to check the provenance of your meat? Then head to King Island to experience a one and a half hour Meat Your Beef tour of a family-run 2000 acre beef property. Cape Grim Beef is produced in the far North West Coast and you can tuck into a top steak a stone’s throw away at the Cape Grim Grill at Tall Timbers in Smithton. Check into a tiny cabin on Fork n Farm, a 24 acre property, and pick fruit and vegetables that will end up in your dinner that night. Ocean to Table Interest in where seafood comes from and how it’s produced is increasing. All over Tassie you can head straight to the source and taste some of the best seafood in Australia.
Particularly interesting and delicious right now is the native Angasi oyster - if you see them on a menu, be sure to try them. Jump on the ferry over to Bruny Island and stop in at Get Shucked or head toward the airport to pick up freshly shucked oysters from Barilla Bay Oyster Farm. The east coast is a strong hold for high quality seafood. The Freycinet Marine Farm near Coles Bay sell freshly harvested mussels, oysters and local Tasmanian Rock lobster, abalone, scallops, urchin and salmon, or head up or down the coast to ¿QG H[FHOOHQW VHDIRRG ¿VK DQG chips at The Gulch and The Lobster Shack in Bicheno and The Fish Van in Triabunna. Cheese Please From rolling green hills comes excellent milk. From excellent milk comes divine cheese and on the island we’re very spoiled. Bruny Island Cheese Company export their cheese all over Tassie and the main-
land, especially right now with their Cheese Club offering. A yum gift for any interstate friends in lockdown! Up north, Ashgrove and Pyengana Dairy Farm Gate Cafe are worth diverting for if you’re on a northern road trip. Cooking Schools Expand your cooking repertoire and get to know local produce even better with a cooking school class. Want to learn to cook like a Nonna? At the Farmhouse Kitchen at Wattle Grove in the Huon Valley you can try a Winter Warmer Masterclass, where you’ll prepare seasonal Tassie produce in the traditional Italian way. Since 2007, Sylvia’s Kitchen has been welcoming students in the Tamar Valley, taking them on a journey through cuisines from all over the world. If you like your cooking with a side of luxe, make a weekend of it and check into The Red Feather Inn at Hadspen.
P o: @expl Phot Photo: @ @explore_with_ab expl plore_ orre_with with_ab _ab ab
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DINING OUT
URBAN GREEK Words and pictures: Stephanie Williams
Sometimes you just want to enjoy eating something comforting. No fancy foams or trends, but just good, tasty fare. With my sister in town, my hubby and I went looking for a last minute booking spot and snared the last seats at the bar at Urban Greek the day prior to our booking. I do love a perch at the bar so we were happy. When we arrive the bartender gets busy with a cocktail each. My sister and I have spent time travelling in *UHHFH VR ZH ZHUH UHODWLYHO\ FRQ¿GHQW ZLWK WKH PHQX :H VWDUW with taramas ($9.50), whipped white cod’s roe with bread, lemon and onion, which ended up being such a hit we ordered another serve. The saganaki cheese ($17.50) is the classic grilled Greek kefalotiri cheese with herbs, lemon and a side of housemade jam and the dolmades ($17) are fresh and zingy. You can’t really lose when you order a hunk of grilled cheese. I’m usually one to pass when it comes to octopus, but when it’s presented sans-suckers, I’m all in. The chargrilled Pirates Bay octopus ($27) is sliced in long pieces rather than curled tendrils, and when dipped in the lemon oil, made me think I may have been missing out
all these years. Our mains arrive - we’re sharing a mixed grill plate ($42.50), which has all been touched by the charcoal. The plate is packed full with Loukaniko (pork sausage), lamb cutlet, chicken, lamb and a beef rissole, served with pita bread, lemon roast potatoes, tzatziki and chopped tomatoes. We pair it with the Cretan village salad ($17.50). The service throughout the night is the right level of showmanship and fun and we enjoy soaking in the buzz of a busy dining room while we can. Looking around WKH URRP WDEOHV DUH ¿OOHG ZLWK D PL[ RI IDPLOLHV JURXSV RI friends and date nights, so it really is a spot for all seasons and reasons. 103 Murray Street, Hobart.
DUMBO DUMPLINGS When I read our Local Lad column from chef John &KXUFKLOO KH PHQWLRQHG D QHLJKERXUKRRG ¿QG LQ :DUUDQH called Dumbo Dumplings. Intrigued by the recommendation, we popped in for lunch to see what it was all about. Having been at the Warrane shops for a year, it’s clear this is a spot for locals to enjoy dumplings close to home. To start we order the wonton soup, topped with seaweed ZKLFK LV ¿OOHG ZLWK ODUJH VOLSSHU\ ZRQWRQV DQG D clean soup. Next up is steamed prawn dumplings ($5.80, 6 pieces) and pan fried pork dumplings ($5.80 6 pieces). Both are tasty, although the pan fried version could have spent D OLWWOH ORQJHU LQ WKH SDQ :H ¿QLVK ZLWK VWHDPHG EHHI DQG onion buns ($7.80, 6 pieces) which enjoy a dash of soy and vinegar. All the dumplings are handmade, with all the sauces available at the table. Shop 1, 9 Dampier Street, Warrane. 36
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37
PSYCHOLOGY
STOP COMPARING. START CELEBRATING. Words: Annia Baron
How to genuinely celebrate other people’s wins. You and your loved one have been trying to get pregnant for years. You’ve done everything you can and have no luck. Your friend, who’s only been with their new partner a short time, posts a photo of their baby bump and merry face. Or you may have been working hard for a long time. You’ve persevered earnestly to better your life but you’re still struggling ¿QDQFLDOO\ DQG FDQ¶W VHHP WR FDWFK D break. Your mate, who has never had to worry about money a day in their life, calls and tells you they’ve landed their dream job. When we’re going through a bit of a slump, one of the hardest things for us to do is to be genuinely happy for someone else, especially when their situation resembles something we’re seeking. Naturally, we begin comparing ourselves and wonder why it’s so easy for them and not for us. And although logically we know not to judge a book by it’s cover, HPRWLRQDOO\ LW¶V GLI¿FXOW WR RYHUULGH WKH jealousy or resentment that creeps in. But if you really think about it, you have absolutely no idea of what that person has endured or is still going through. You haven’t witnessed the times they’ve sobbed in the shower when they’ve felt like failure. You haven’t listened to the “You’re not good enough” stories that weave through their inner dialogue. You haven’t been awake with them at 2am when they’ve had inconsolable panic attacks. You haven’t known what they’ve experienced having to care for their dying mum or the guilt of having to put down their beloved dog. You haven’t mourned their prior miscarriage with them. You haven’t journeyed with them through loss, debilitating pain, ongoing mental health battles or the traumas that have led them to be here. You don’t live with them through the moments their heart is 38
heavy, their body so depleted, and all they crave is to shut off from the world and be swallowed up whole. All we see is their ‘achievement’ and use this snapshot to formulate a conclusion DERXW ZKHUH ZH ¿QG RXUVHOYHV LQ WKH present moment. Engulfed by a perceived sense of inadequacy, we’re unable to step into joy with them. We succumb to that immature defence mechanism and choose to opt out of their happy experience. We forgo the congratulatory text or the 30 seconds it takes to write on their Facebook wall, send them an email or give them a call to say, “That’s awesome news. Well done.” And sadly, the only one that ends up missing out is us. Because VFLHQFH FRQ¿UPV WKDW ZKHQ ZH DOORZ RXUselves to be genuinely happy for someone else, neurochemically we too increase our own level of happiness. So, how do we get our hands on more of that? Simple: Stop comparing. Start celebrating. If you’re trying to lose weight and you VHH VRPHRQH ZKR ORRNV ¿W DQG KHDOWK\ celebrate their effort. Wish them well and in your mind say, “They deserve to be happy. As do I.” When your friend tells you they’ve just purchased a new home, wish them well and in your mind say “They deserve to be content. As do I.” When you see others happy with their
loving partner, pictures of their newborn baby, on a stage sharing their music, receiving their doctorate, starting their own business, getting engaged, celebrating a promotion, winning an award, doing good deeds, enjoying a holiday or any other achievement, wish them well and in your mind say, “They deserve joy. As do I.” Practice this often. It may feel strange at ¿UVW EXW \RX¶OO VRRQ UHDOLVH WKH LPPHQVH liberation that comes from letting go of the jealousy or resentment we carry and like a heavy backpack, ridding yourself of these unnecessary constructs will leave you feeling lighter and more open to opportunities that expand your sense of gratitude, and create a deep sense of IXO¿OOPHQW Because competing for joy is nonsensical. There’s enough of it to go around. And it’s never been about who has it easier or whose story is of greater hardship. We all have struggles. But no matter what we’re going through and what our lives ‘look like’, we all deserve happiness and sharing that with one another is a gift. So, rise above comparison. Step into celebration. If you’re curious about letting go of old, unhelpful patterns that are stopping you from living your best life, visit www.remindyourself.com or contact Annia, Clinical Psychologist & Mindset Coach on 0402 448 278
PAUL HARVIE Orthopaedics MAKO Robotic Hip & Knee Replacement Surgery
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\ Ե£FH P W F D W Q R F 3OHDVH \ Q D Ե H E LI , FDQ ! assistance SENATOR
JONNO DUNIAM LIBERAL SENATOR FOR TASMANIA 85 Macquarie Street, Hobart TAS (03) 6231 2444 senator.duniam@aph.gov.au www.duniam.com.au
Authorised by Senator Jonno Duniam, 85 Macquarie Street, Hobart TAS
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HOMES
THE POD AT LEWISHAM TAKES OUT AIRBNB #1 SPOT NATIONALLY Interview: Stephanie Williams
Local writer and entrepreneur Alice Hansen built The Pod at Lewisham, her love letter to Tasmania. It has been named as Australia’s most wishlisted property on Airbnb. Why do you think The Pod has come out on top of people’s wishlists? What is it about your property that you think incites ‘dreaming’? When I was dreaming up the Tailored Pod, I wanted it to feel like being wrapped in a Tasmanian cocoon. I wanted it to be like nothing else - the built form of everything I love about Tasmania - the rare wonders like Huon pine, the equally rare characters, and that exquisite nature. The dreaming comes from sitting on a Hydrowood couch, built from timber VDOYDJHG IURP WKH GHSWKV RI D 6: ODNH ÀRDWLQJ DERYH D YLHZ stretching out to the Southern Ocean. Next stop, Antarctica. In Hobart we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to unique accommodation, what makes The Pod stand out? We are blessed with creative people who have put their touch on stays across Hobart. From visitor’s comments, what stands out is sinking into a deep Huon pine bath under the stars, sipping complimentary bubbles and spinning a Tasmanian record. One honeymoon couple even stumbled across the artist at Salamanca Market the following day, apparently, ‘making their holiday.’ That’s what the pod is all about - connection - with Tasmania, with one another and with self. There is no TV by design - the changing landscape from the waters to kunanyi / Mount Wellington is entertainment HQRXJK 0\ RZQ ZLVKOLVW ZDV VLPSOH DQ RXWGRRU WXE D ¿UHSODFH as the focal point, to see the stars through an open skylight from bed and for every element that could be Tasmanian, to be so. More than 20 local artisans played a part, but you have to step inside to experience them. With an honesty shelf, you can even take a little of Tassie home. Might I add, the tank level sure FRQ¿UPV IRON ORYH D EDWK How has The Pod held up during COVID - have lockdowns and border closures affected your bookings? I’ve been very fortunate that the pod has struck a chord with locals as well as interstate visitors. It has held up relatively well through Covid and to be honest I never imagined the success my little pod
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would become. After all, it was designed to be my own house. Life and travel writing had other plans, but I look forward to returning ‘home’ in time. That said, the Covid interruptions are a lovely opportunity to invite friends in for a sneaky weekend away or to book myself in and hop in the kayak. Do you have any other properties in the works? I get emails from across the world as Grand Designs Australia is released into different countries - asking about the pod and to recreate it (The Pod was featured in Grand Designs Australia, series 8). Some requests are odd, like a fellow in LA wanting my earrings for his wife but most simply write from as far as Russia to Africa to the Netherlands that they want to come to Tasmania. That to me, is my mission accomplished. All I wanted to do with my little pod was to celebrate Tasmania. I write about this island every day for a living, so when the host Pete Maddison said it was ‘my love letter to Tasmania’ he was right. So yes, I do have other plans in the works of a similar style but with a fresh vision. Where do you dream about? I feel fortunate to have travelled the world now that Covid has re-shaped our future. So my dreaming is closer to home. It wasn’t until I lived in America that I came to appreciate Tasmania so much - I’d show a crumpled calendar featuring Wineglass Bay and Cradle Mountain to any poor soul who was willing to listen. Now, I couldn’t think of living anywhere else. I love my home. I dream of it’s distant FRUQHUV ,¶YH EHHQ WR WKH 6: QLQH WLPHV RYHU 7KH ¿UVW WLPH DUriving by seaplane onto Bathurst Harbour, we pulled up to a little island and the silence was like nothing I’ve ever heard. My other dreamy patch is Flinders Island. Both trips the weather hindered P\ UHWXUQ ÀLJKW DQG , FRXOGQ¶W KDYH EHHQ KDSSLHU WR VWD\ RQ What’s your next project? My next project is Wild Wellness (www.wildwellnessmethod.com), launching this month. It’s an $XVWUDOLDQ ¿UVW D PHUJLQJ RI PHGLFDO SURIHVVLRQDOV GHFDGHV RI experience and global thought leaders - delivered through online courses, retreats and Tasmanian Walking Company-partnered adventures. It’s the latest antidote to modern day stresses; a wholesome script to wellness where we take the best of the tradiWLRQDO PRGHO DQG EULQJ LW LQWR QDWXUH¶V RI¿FH , EHOLHYH WKHUH¶V QR better place for wellness than here - one of the last wild frontiers at the edge of the world. I don’t see why Tassie shouldn’t be the epicentre of health/wellness. The vision in time will see Wild Wellness as its own ultimate retreat with...you guessed it...VERY Tasmanian pods.
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COMMUNITY
27 Friends Get Snipping For One Off Wine Words and pictures: Max Marriott The borders were declared shut in Tasmania on the 30th of March, 2020; the ¿UVW VWDWH WR GR VR DPLG WKH &29,' pandemic and hard lockdown of Hobart followed. It was all somewhat surreal, and still is for many. We had friends and colleagues in and around Hobart who were immediately impacted, forced to close their doors, with businesses and livelihoods in jeopardy. Conscious of the emotional and mental toll this was having, we were scratching our heads, trying to think of a way we could bring the community together, especially given lockdown had coincided with harvest. One of the most powerful women in the world of wine – a Burgundy vigneronne by the name of Lalou Bize- Leroy – uses a particular processing method for her Richebourg grand cru fruit. She has an immense team of sorters who proceed to snip individual berries off each bunch of pinot noir fruit, cutting the grape off with just the small pedicel (green jack) protruding. Her wines sell for thousands of dollars and she likes the resulting tannin H[SUHVVLRQ MXVWL¿FDWLRQ SHUKDSV IRU DQ arduous and Sisyphean task that would be considered crazy and cost prohibitive for any normal winemaker.
buckets of pinot. A heartwarming, incredibly enthusiastic community response saw us undertake what was originally termed the “Hobart Wine Project”. Buckets of grapes were delivered to addresses all around Hobart, in the middle of vintage, at night, with a trailer. To the lady who was looking out the curtain of her window in West Hobart as I attempted a ninepoint-trailer-turn in a dead-end, before reversing back down the entire street, some decorum, please.
Any normal winemaker.
A stainless steel tank was then erected on the back of the ute and a multi-stage wild ferment began as these black caviar pearls were poured in, one address after another. Beyond the tannin expression that Madame Bize-Leroy espouses, there are other interesting things that happen to the kinetics of fermentation; intracellular dynamics, carbonic maceration, intensity of fruit expression, bunch character without green tannin and so forth. Moreover, an opportunity to do something truly unique, a one-off “time capsule” wine that was equal parts reaching out, motivating, keeping busy, empathy, excitement, intrigue and ambition.
I decided to send an email out to garner interest in such an idea. To really make it happen, we needed groundswell; enough pinot snipped to happily ferment and produce a barrel of wine. It was the 1st of April, so I waited until the next day, lest people think it was an April Fool’s Joke. The idea was to drop off S/M/L quantities (1, 2 or 3 buckets of pinot) to those interested, have them snip away in their slippers and pyjamas for a few days, then come back and collect the snipped
The name – Hobart 27 – references the 27 individuals involved in the snipping of the grapes. A wine made by Hobart, so to speak. The front label of the wine is watermarked with the Tasmanian Waratah, endemic to Tasmania and a ÀRZHU WKDW EORRPV RQ WKH VORSHV RI Mount Wellington, overlooking Hobart. 7KH JROG IRLO ÀRXULVK V\PEROL]HV WKH extremely rare yellow waratah, but also acts as a map; Hobart the centrepoint and the small anthers of the stamens charting
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the addresses of all who had buckets of grapes delivered to them. One third of the wine is reserved for the participants, one third will be offered to venues of those involved (Agrarian Kitchen, Frank, Tom McHugos, Templo, MONA, etc) and the remaining hundred bottles will be made available for purchase, with 3-4 dozen reserved for charity and philanthropic causes. Part of the impetus for the whole project at the outset was mental health and wellbeing; banding together and bringing the community along for a ride that was hopefully a welcome distraction from the situation and unfolding events of the world. To that end, it’s equally important that any fundraising efforts directly impact and come back to Tasmania, ideally Hobart. It’s a wine and a story that is very much a one-off, that we hope people treasure as a special keepsake and an opportunity to recount the parochial Tasmanian spirit. The 2020 Hobart 27 Pinot Noir was released on the 1st of July at a price of $270/bottle and is available direct from the winery until sold out. Venues involved with the project will have bottles available on their wine lists.
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Riding the whitewater.
SURVIVAL INSTINCTS SAVE LIVES ON THE FRANKLIN RIVER Words and pictures: Steve Madgwick
Luckily, Franzi Eichler uses her full-beast-mode only for the forces of good. Above Descension Gorge, so far mild-mannered Franzi’s sharp eyes instantly focus in on a yellow helmet bobbing towards an intense kilometre-long stretch of sharp, vicious rapids. “Forward paddle,” she bellows at her paddlers, in a voice that could kickstart a revolution. In seconds, her raft is on scene, scooping up a woman ejected from another raft moments before – just before she is fast-forwarded down into the Upper Franklin’s version of the River Styx. Franzi’s nothing-else-matters face quickly and easily reverts to her resting calm one. Such is life on the Franklin River. Franzi co-owns Tassie-based Franklin River Rafting Company with partner and fellow rafting guide Elias Eichler, who looks after their two children and business when she’s on duty (and vice-versa). Make no mistake, navigating one of Tasmania’s most remote and perilous landscapes with paying passengers is a “big burden”. Years of experience and an intensely local knowledge of the Franklin’s more treacherous rapids (some of which have claimed lives) are mandatory. ³<RX DUH GH¿QLWHO\ IRFXVHG DQG RQ WRS RI \RXU JDPH ´ VKH VD\V ³,W¶V DOVR D ¿QH EDODQFH WR OHW SHRSOH GLVFRYHU DQG SXVK WKHPselves a little bit but me not being their ‘mum’. Arriving safe at the jetty, at the end, that’s the highlight of my trip,” she laughs. Expeditions start under a (Lyell Highway) bridge over the &ROOLQJZRRG 5LYHU DQG ¿QLVK RQ WKH VWLOO ZDWHUV RI WKH *RUGRQ 44
River, 10 days later. In between, Franzi and her passengers see few palpable signs of humanity, sleep in caves and under tarpaulins in the rainforest, and live off only what’s lashed to their orange rubber rafts. 7KLV DXWXPQ ZDV )UDQ]L¶V ¿UVW H[SHGLWLRQ DIWHU KDYLQJ KHU second child, a daughter. Whitewater raft guiding is far from a rest from parental responsibilities and not an easy job to jump back into after a year’s maternity leave. ³,¶YH ZRUNHG UHDOO\ KDUG WR EH ¿W DJDLQ DIWHU WKH \HDU RII ´ VKH VD\V ³, GRXEWHG WKDW ,¶G EH ¿W HQRXJK EXW DV VRRQ DV \RX MXPS into the raft and you’re on ‘the stick’, it’s like you’ve never left.” “Up until the end of infamous Great Ravine I barely thought about the children. There is lots going on! From the Lower Franklin, the guides can take a deep breath. With the pressure RII PLVVLQJ WKH NLGV JHWV KDUGHU 'D\ ZDV WKH ¿UVW WLPH , looked at the photo of the kids.” Franzi was a ski-instructor in her native Austria when she met some guides who convinced her to go rafting in Norway in 2004 (where she met Tasmanian-bred Elias). Franzi and Elias travelled to Africa to raft the Nile (in Uganda) before heading to work on Queensland’s Tully River. +HU ¿UVW WULS GRZQ WKH )UDQNOLQ ZDV DOVR )UDQ]L¶V ¿UVW PXOWL GD\ expedition, a “mind-blowing, out-of-my-comfort zone” experience. But by the time Franklin River Rafting was established a decade ago, she was well-schooled in both the complexities of this wild river and macho-raft-guide culture, too. “Guiding is a bit blokey but there are a few more woman guides coming in. It is super-physical but you just have to lift your
weight and adapt. If you are able to do your work, you don’t get discriminated against or treated differently.” After 10 intense days of hard graft, setting up camp and cooking for people every night, you would think it would be a relief to get back to civilization. No, not necessarily. “It’s funny, this job is actually quite addictive - that feeling of running on high adrenaline. You don’t think forwards or backwards - you live in the moment. A lot of us can quite easily get depressed if we don’t have that stimulation in the outside world.” Mercifully, back at home, after the kids are in bed, Franzi does PDQDJH VRPH µKHU¶ WLPH ³, GH¿QLWHO\ OLNH D JRRG PLVVLRQ DQG D JRRG HSLF EXW WKHUH¶V URRP IRU 1HWÀL[ WRR ´
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% 100 “My job is to represent and help the people of Clark which includes Hobart, Glenorchy and Taroona. Feel free to get in touch to speak with me or one of my staff.”
Andrew Wilkie MP
Independent Member for Clark www.andrewwilkie.org andrew.wilkie.mp@aph.gov.au Telephone 03 6234 5255 Authorised by Andrew Wilkie MP 188 Collins Street Hobart 7000 45
OUSING WITH HISTORY: HOW A BAKERY RAISED A FAMILY Ouse (pronounced Ooze, for the newcomers) in Tasmania’s central highlands might, to some, seem a sleepy hamlet, but it still boasts one of two schools in the municipality and a very well serviced health centre. It also supports a general store and roadhouse. The Lachlan Hotel looks largely unchanged over many years (and serves great counter meals!). The town’s heritage is enhanced by a very motivated team in the history room, dedicated to its own special past, such as the families of the district. In 1835 the town served as a refuge for two escapees from the notorious Sarah Island. Personally, I have a family connection to Ouse. It was the late 1950s, when my aunt and uncle, George and Merle Berry, moved from Victoria to run their own country cafe. In its day, it was a popular spot to dine for West Coast-bound travellers. Merle’s brother, Ray Carey, was a baker and soon after, moved to the town to establish a bakery, to service the a large population base of the Hydro towns. With his wife Zillah, his two sons Stephen and Glenn, and his parents Hilda and Peter (my paternal grandparents), he bought a house next to the community hall DQG EXLOW D EDNHKRXVH RULJLQDOO\ ZLWK D ZRRG ¿UHG RYHQ ,W VWLOO stands today, but it no longer serves its original function. It’s a special place for my extended family of aunts, uncles, grandparents and many cousins - we enjoyed many short family stays, with said cousins all bunking in a large room at the front of the house and my cousin Stephen repeatedly playing the Elvis Presley classic Return To Sender on his record player. In the summer we would swim or paddle in large tractor tubes on the Ouse River under the bridge. Sometimes our water play was enjoyed in the Broad River. My father George, a motor vehicle inspector for the then Transport Commission, would often drop in on his two siblings and parents when travelling to the West Coast for work. Merle always seemed to be slicing ham for the café, while in the bakehouse, Ray was always whistling away while kneading the dough.
Ray was a brilliant baker and pastry cook. He would bake daily from an early start, before loading them into the EJ Holden panel van for delivery around the district. Locals would walk up to the bakehouse and purchase from the very room in which the baking was taking place (not like the shopfronts of today). My cousins and I would love to get in there too, if for no other reason but to savour all the wonderful aromas or to be surprised by some special bread shape that might have been especially sculptured for us with surplus dough. Ouse boasts several impressive colonial homes. In particular, Lawrenny, an estate of approximately 160 hectares on the banks of the Derwent River dating to 1883. Now the site of a commercial distillery, the homestead itself boasts one of the most aesthetically amazing examples of colonial architecture I’ve ever seen. After World War 2, it was occupied by George Berry’s brother Alf and his wife Ethel as part of a land grant scheme. In 1963 when my grandmother Hilda passed away; the whole family converged on Ouse. On her funeral day, the cousins were taken to the estate for Ethel to babysit. My biggest recollection as a four year old, were the larger ponds in front of the homestead where a couple of us did fall in. It did come as a surprise many years later how small they looked through adult eyes. In 1966, my grandfather passed away. Also, as the construction phase of the Hydro projects were winding down, so were the communities that were built around them, affecting the once thriving supply market. George and Merle sold the café ZKLFK ZDV VDGO\ ORVW LQ D ¿UH PDQ\ \HDUV DIWHU DQG PRYHG WR Cremorne, while Ray and Zillah moved to Bellerive. Their ties with this special community never faltered; as keen golfers, they remained members of the Ouse Golf Club, travelling there most 6DWXUGD\V 0\ FRXVLQ *OHQQ D SROLFH RI¿FHU ODWHU VSHQW WLPH DV the local constable. All aunts and uncles have now passed away but the nostalgia we share as cousins, remains very special. Merle was keen on taking Super 8 home movies of family and community moments and years after her passing, one cousin had them digitised for us to UHÀHFW EDFN RQ D YHU\ SRVLWLYH H[WHQGHG IDPLO\ FKLOGKRRG DQG the special close knit Ouse community. I recommend to history buffs, to drop in and browse the Ouse History Room behind the Library and Online Access Centre.
Ocean views by Suzanna Liebrand
Seal of approval by @thelittletwist
Wellington view from the the city. @ryankincade
Stunning walk on kunanyi for @sabrina_pocketsize
RIP Teapot. Our thoughts are with his owner Tamara. @ lily_and_dot
A rocky beach on South Bruny. @kristenosborneee
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