The Hobart Magazine June 2021

THE HOBART MAGAZINE / JUNE 2021: ISSUE 23

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INDEPENDENT + LOCAL

STEPHANIE JACK ACTRESS, WRITER, MUSICIAN

HOBART LOCAL NEWS WWW.THEHOBARTMAGAZINE.COM.AU

PSYCHOLOGIST STEVE BIDDULPH ON BEING FULLY HUMAN WHAT’S ON IN HOBART THIS WINTER DIP YOUR TOE INTO OCEAN SWIMMING

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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, Zoe Lovell, Annia Baron, Sarah Aitken, Peter Carey, Amanda Double Cover image: Kishka Jensen 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.

WELCOME TO

THE HOBART MAGAZINE This edition has delved into a number of community groups and concerns, and people whose work is helping others. Community is our core and we hope that sharing the work being done, projects being launched and problems being faced will help you, our readers, to live your Hobart life to the full.

Actor and musician Stephanie Jack is our cover story in June - she has trained all over the world and shares her latest project with us.

Psychologist and author Steve Biddulph, who has sold three million books, chats about how we can become ‘fully human’.

And don’t forget to enter the Link Airways and Forrest Hotel and Apartments competition to win flights and three nights in Canberra!

It’s open until the end of this month.

As always, if you have something to share, drops us a line!

Cheers, Steph, James and The Hobart Magazine team.

Kayaking on Lake Burbury, by Ollie Khedun, Tourism Tasmania.

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Sabra Lane love Hobart is lucky to have Sabra Lane living here! Glad the topic of sexism in Canberra and the media was discussed. I can appreciate how good journalism is becoming more difficult! Great interview, thanks.

Lisa Febey, Hobart A less-than-spirited traveller Love your mag, keep the good work up. I enjoy my read every month. I’m a little miffed and I’m not sure if I should be or not! It happens every time I book the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to head over to the mainland during the school holidays. While I understand that the Spirit of Tasmania has dynamic pricing that kicks in during busy times and the price goes up, the government is a shareholder/ part owner/ financial contributor to the ferry crossing making it more affordable for people doing the crossing, whether they’re tourists or locals. What gets my goat up is, if the Spirit of Tasmania can find the money to be the main sponsor of the Jack Jumpers basketball team, I’m sure the majority of Tasmanians would rather that money be spent making the crossing cheaper for residents of Tasmania. I mean, what a waste of Tasmanian tax payers money! I can’t be the only person that thinks this way? And this is on top of the government deciding to move the ferry terminal to Geelong. Who wants to get on and off in Geelong. Please!!

Ms M Hall, Bellerive

Art or vandalism?

The vandalism to the statue of William Crowther in Franklin Square is supposed to provoke public conversation about its future. If I was to go and do that, I would be charged and fined, yet it is all right for an Aboriginal artist and activist to do it in the name of remembering an atrocity Crowther committed hundreds of years ago. There is no doubt what he did to the body of King Billy was wrong, however he should also be remembered for the many positives he did in the early days of Hobart, helping to build the infant settlement. Vandalising a statue of one of our well-known early settlers, and another three over the course of the next year, is in no way going to help reconciliation.

If anything, these acts will make the gap between our Aboriginal and European-descendants communities wider. Instead of reflecting on the dim past, these Aboriginal activists and their supporters should look at ways to bring these two communities together in harmony, not antagonism.

Alan Leitch, Austins Ferry Give the trees a break!

Everywhere you turn these days someone is trying to cut the f$#kin trees down! After working hard for a number of years to promote Derby as an epic forest ride, and now it’s cranking, the loggers have their eyes on the surrounding forests. What’s more important - a loss-making industry that is (and should!) be dying, or a sustainable tourism industry that keeps more people in jobs?

John F, West Hobart Got something to share? Email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au

What’s on

AT T H E T H E AT R E ROYA L

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LOCAL LAD

Matt Breen Interview: Stephanie Williams Chef Matt Breen has weathered the Covid storm and is now looking at his next phase as fatherhood approaches.

What’s the best thing about Hobart? It’s close proximity to all things wild and new - kunanyi, beaches, the waterfront and some of the best eateries in Australia.

And the worst? The cold. Even though I’ve grown up here, I still haven’t seemed to adjust to it.

Tell us a little about your work? Currently, I am the owner and chef of a little wine bar called Sonny in Elizabeth St. We’re an intimate 20 seater bar with a great wine list curated by Al Robertson, paired with bar snacks that are on an ever-rotating menu. It’s a fun, vibrant space where we spin vinyl, cook delicious bites and have a bit of a house party every night.

Readers may not know that you aren’t connected with Templo anymore. How did it feel to let it go, and what does your work life look like now? It’s been a year and a half since I hung up my apron at Templo. I think the move to focusing just on Sonny was a smart one. It had been a long and successful three years since opening Templo and I felt that I had done what I had set out to do there. Although it was sad to let go, I was ready for a change and felt that Sonny was a step in the right direction - another challenge and another four walls to play in.

Life is pretty similar really but I feel that I have a little more flexibility with our menu and dining style at Sonny. No bookings and no set menus. It’s an exciting change of pace.

Where do you think the Hobart food scene is at and where do you think (and hope!) it’s going? I think the Hobart dining scene is thriving at the moment. It seems that it’s the place to be (again). I hope that we keep pushing forward and more quality restaurants keep opening. Most chefs and restaurant owners I talk with speak of huge wait lists each night of the week so there’s plenty of room for more venues to open. I would also like to see more small scale farms get up and running so that we can all keep using the amazing produce that is right here on our doorstep.

How has the COVID year or so been for you? What do you think the future of hospitality holds? Although it was a very hard year for most, I found that the break was good. It gave me a chance to fully switch off for six weeks while we closed before re-opening with limited dining. It has reminded me what is important in life and that balance is crucial to a healthy lifestyle.

You’re about to become a dad - congratulations - how will the juggle look for you? I’m so excited and proud to become a Dad. My partner, Monique, means the world to me and to think we’re 6

going to raise a little baby girl together makes me overwhelmed with joy. I’m starting to put some systems in place at Sonny so that I can take a step back for a while and focus on our family.

What’s your dream project to work on? I love tinkering on my 1850’s cottage in West Hobart. I’d love to one day buy a country cottage in Kettering and renovate it. It would be great to have a large garden and a cooking school for kids.

Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? I can’t go past a Sunday long lunch at Fico. Freddy, Oskar and the team have constantly been pushing and achieving their goals, year after year. It’s one of the best dining experiences in Australia in my opinion.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? A Boags XXX in front of the fire at the New Sydney.

Guilty pleasure? Bueno chocolates - I’ve been eating way too many lately.

What do you never leave home without? Underpants.

I’d like to travel to...Arnhem Land and The Bungle Bungles.

If I didn’t live in Hobart I’d live...Brunswick Heads or Sicily probably Sicily if I had the choice though.

When there’s nothing to do, I...Shred Van Halen solos on the guitar.

Favourite Hobart secret? Savoy Baths. Nothing better than a steam and sauna after a long week.

Where to next? Hopefully a few months after Monique and I have our baby, we might look at buying an old coaster mini bus and drive to Western Australia...who knows what the future holds.

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Hi, I’m Nicola, the Designer and co-owner of Smitten.

13 years ago I had a dream to design lightweight merino wool clothing that was stylish, comfortable and practical, and get it manufactured right here in Tasmania.

We had recently moved from WA to Tasmania and loved the climate, the people, the whole island, and especially the sheep! We wanted to know where all the wonderful wool was going, because we were cold and wanted to wear some. So I designed some pieces and we decided to make it ourselves. We wanted to support Tasmania and be local. We wanted to create a unique Australian brand and offer visitors and locals a Tassie souvenir they could wear for years to come.

It’s a family business – Carl is Main Marketing Man, Nicola is the Designer and Photographer, our daughter Holly is the face of Smitten and part-time fab Salesperson, Brooke, our other daughter, is part-time Smitten Model and full-time Doctor in Tweed Heads, and Daniel, our skateboarding son, is hopefully taking over as Photographer for all our shoots (when he directs the camera away from beetles and sheep...)

We hope you love Smitten as much as we do. Our Holly, Nicola relationship with youand is one weCarl treasure. Mason Thankmerino you for keeping our wool dream alive.

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LOCAL LADY

Gillian English Interview: Stephanie Williams Pic: Dahlia Katz Gillian English is Hobart comedian, currently preparing for her national tour, Buy the Cow, which kicks off in August.

Where in Hobart do you live? I live in Kingston with my husband and our dog, Hugo.

What’s the best thing about Hobart? There are so many beautiful views and vistas in Hobart. Every time I turn around, I’m looking at something gorgeous.

And the worst? The worst thing is how early the buses stop running to Kingston. A late night bus service to the suburbs would be heaven.

Tell us a little about your work? I’m a stand up comic and actor. I tour quite a bit around Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Canada.

Could you tell me a little about your comedy - your style, how you get inspiration? My comedy is very high energy, I’m known for being an incredibly fast talker so pay attention! When I’m writing a new show I think about it for a very long time.

I come up with a title and poster idea, and then I start writing.

For a new stand up comedy set, a lot of that gets written in the shower.

What’s your dream project to work on? I would love to make a film adaptation of my show SHE WOLF. If anyone out there knows how to get movies made, call me!

I’m inspired by... Hard working women all over the world.

What do you love doing outside work? Over the last year, I’ve gotten really into crochet. I love it. I particularly enjoy being able to hold a physical representation of how I’ve spent my time.

Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? I love the Shamrock Hotel. Love a pint and a schnitty before a movie.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? Pint of Cascade Lager, on a Sunday afternoon, in the beer garden at the Salty Dog in Kingston Beach.

Guilty pleasure? Large Manhattan pizza with extra cheese from Pep Pizza.

I particularly love pieces by Tinfoil Collective, Doodad & Fandango, and Haus of Dizzy.

I’d like to travel to... I was supposed to tour Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland last year, but had to cancel because of the pandemic.

Why Tasmania? And how have you found living in Tassie?

I moved to Tasmania when I started dating the man who is now my husband. I love it here; the work life balance is perfect.

I can have a great night out on the town one day, then go on an epic bushwalk and be completely off the grid the next. It’s the perfect place.

If I didn’t live in Hobart I’d live..in the North West of Tasmania, on a hobby farm with 4 sheep, 2 alpacas and a goat.

When there’s nothing to do, I...remember that I have a huge pile of crochet works in progress, and I work on one of those until it’s time to check my email again.

Favourite Hobart secret? There’s this super cool paint and sip studio called Archaica Schola on Macquarie Street. Really cool vibe and aesthetic, and the paintings are uniquely Tasmanian.

Definitely check it out!

Favourite team? I may be an Australian Permanent Resident, but I’ll always be Canadian at heart. So it’s the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team for me.

Where to next? I can’t tour internationally for awhile, so I’ll be seeing as much of Australia as I can

What do you never leave home without? Putting on earrings.

Quote to live by? Don’t Panic. - Douglas Adams

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BITS AND PIECES

OPENINGS Mewstone Wines (11 Flowerpot Jetty Road, Flowerpot), who also produce the Hughes & Hughes label, are set to open their new, and very lovely looking, cellar door in a few weeks time. Dave Macgill, the former head brewer at Moo Brew is a whisker away from opening Deep South Brewing Co (220 Argyle Street, North Hobart). The venue opens this month with Macgill teaming up with friends Warwick Deveson and Ben de Rue. And keep an eye out for Overland Brewers & Distillers moving in soon at 284 Argyle Street, strengthening the line up for a North Hobart beer crawl. Young’s Table (Shop 58, 1 Channel Court Shopping Centre, 29 Channel Highway, Kingston) is now open in Kingston serving all the Korean classics, as well as kids meals. Metropolitan Pizza (70 Brisbane Street, Hobart) has had a facelift and is reopening on 16 June as Metro Pizza, for takeaway and alfresco dining. Panko Chan (23 Beach Road, Kingston Beach) is now serving breakfast, but with a Japanese twist, open from 8am. The Maker has expanded from Salamanca to their new digs in Midtown at 173 Elizabeth Street adding to the bustling little strip. Next door at 175 Elizabeth Street, Hikka’s is now serving authentic Sri Lankan dishes and some classic Australian cafe faves for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Sick of cooking? Order a home delivered fresh or frozen lasagne from Delpino Lasagne, available in two sizes and can be gluten free. They also deliver free to Sandy Bay. The Emerald Duke will open at Channel Court in early July, with coffee and flowers on offer.

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DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS A $17 million dollar CBD hotel development was amongst the 56 planning permits issued by the City of Hobart in April. The hotel developer plans to transform the former O’Brien workshop at 125 Bathurst St into a ten-storey boutique hotel, bar and restaurant complex with rooftop gardens, aimed at younger tourists. The art deco facade is to be retained. Council revealed that 794 planning approvals were granted in the 12 months ending April 2021, slightly fewer than the 866 approvals granted in the previous 12 months.

Construction began on the new $35 million Glebe Hill shopping centre, on the corner of Pass and Rokeby Roads near Howrah, in late May. The site is close to several new residential estates, and is the first new major shopping centre to be built in greater Hobart in over a decade.

WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR CAR? The Tasmanian government is offering $1000 incentives to locals who lend their car to tourists struggling to find a rental car. When borders closed for months last year, local hire car companies sold off about fifty per cent of their fleet. Now the tourists are back, but the cars are not. Premier Peter Gutwein said the $1million program would help car hire companies increase their fleet and also help private vehicle owners sign up through car-sharing platforms.

GOT A SPARE CAR THAT DOESN’T ACTUALLY GO ANYMORE? You can donate it to the Tasmanian Fire Service for training exercises.

TFS firefighters use real vehicles for road crash rescue training exercises.

It’s super easy to donate - they will arrange the collection of your vehicle - contact your closest TFS regional office during business hours. The Southern branch can be reached on (03) 6166 5500.

THUMBS UP Reuse in action. Wool offcuts are being repurposed into packaging to replace polystyrene, and used cooking oil recently powered a seven hour flight from Paris to Montreal.

Local restaurants booking out weeks in advance...it might seem like a Thumbs Down, but we’re stoked they’re going well.

While “love” shows like Married at First Sight are focused on tearing people apart, it’s refreshing to see the inclusiveness of The Bachelorette who cast Brooke Blurton as their first bisexual leading lady.

Brooke Blurton.

THUMBS DOWN Do you ever let your car idle to warm up the engine, or yourself? According to Surfers for Climate and ABC News, recent research found we’re likely to idle for 20% of our driving time. If we stop idling, it will be equivalent to taking 1.6 million cars off the road.

Traffic woes through Hobart. In particular, there were two separate three-car prangs in almost the same spot on the Southern Outlet in the one afternoon. Chaos ensued!

Sick kids and carers at public parks. Keep the germs at home.

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BITS AND PIECES

NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY

KINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL 1980 - 2005 Did you attend Kingston High School between 1980 and 2005? A former teacher is facing allegations of sexual abuse at KHS in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Law firm Maurice Blackburn is representing two alleged victims and is calling for anyone who attended the school between 1980 and 2005, and knows anything, to come forward.

NEW ROKEBY SPORTING PRECINCT OPEN FOR COMMENT The Clarence City Council, in collaboration Bayview Secondary College and the Department of Education, is preparing a draft master plan to develop a new community sporting precinct at Bayview Secondary College in Rokeby. It’s designed to be a community sporting hub for the Clarence Plains and South Arm Peninsula.

The estimated cost is in the order of $35 million, including an indoor sports centre ($25.7 million), outdoor playing surfaces ($4.7 million), site works and car parking ($3.7 million), and a perimeter circuit trail ($2 million). A draft master plan has been developed following consultation with state sporting associations, peak bodies, council staff, and local sporting clubs currently using the site and the college and it’s now open to the public for feedback.

Head to www.yoursay.ccc.tas.gov.au before 2 July, 2021.

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS AVAILABLE NOW IN HOBART The Tasmanian and the Australian Governments are working together to give safe COVID-19 vaccinations to the community. Vaccines are being delivered in phases. All Tasmanians aged 16 and over will be able to get vaccinated for free. You can find out which phase you are in, how to book an appointment or have FAQ’s answered. If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccinations, please call the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or head to www. coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine for more information.

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TASSIE MUMS NEED SPARE WARM CLOTHES THIS WINTER If you have spare warm kids clothes in excellent condition, consider donating them to Tassie Mums. The charity is really low on girls and boys winter clothing in sizes 5-7 in particular. They have a range of drop off points across Hobart and further afield - check their Facebook page for more information.

HAPPY ENDINGS AT APPLE Author and psychologist, Steve Biddulph, who we have interviewed in this edition, recently reported on his Facebook page...”FACEPLANT! People buying my new book Fully Human on Apple iBooks downloads have instead been receiving a soft porn novella called Happy Endings

by Bella Green (no I am not making this up!) and gradually (I hope) working out that this is not my book! Don’t buy the book from Apple iBooks until we know this is sorted. Unless you like that sort of thing LOL!”

HOBART STUDY FINDS PLASTIC IS WARMING BEACHES A new study has revealed that plastic debris increases the daily temperature extremes in beach sediments. Led by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) here in Hobart, the study found that accumulated plastics in beach sediments act as an insulator, increasing daily maximum temperatures by almost three degrees. Lead author, IMAS researcher Dr Jennifer Lavers, said the effects of plastic debris were getting worse. “With global plastic production currently doubling almost every decade, and much of the plastic debris that accumulates in our oceans eventually making its way onto beaches around the world, the low and moderate debris loads we observed on Henderson and Cocos are likely to transition to high debris over the next few decades,” Dr Lavers said.

MT WELLINGTON CABLE CAR DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION OPEN FOR FEEDBACK You have until Tuesday 22 June to have your say on the proposed cable car on kunanyi / Mt Wellington. The Mount Wellington Cablecar Company’s planning application and all accompanying information is available to view online and in person at Hobart City Council. Feedback provided as a formal representation can be considered by the planning authority (the Council) as part of the assessment process. Information on how to lodge a formal representation can be found at hobartcity.com.au/ planningapplications. It is expected that the Council will consider the application in July.

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BITS AND PIECES

TUMOUR HUMOUR OPENS IN MOONAH An exhibition of comics reflecting a young artist’s experience of living with a brain tumour and cancer has just opened in Moonah. Jai Sutton-Bassett was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he had a seizure 18 months after graduating from the University of Tasmania with a fine arts degree. “I decided to express my feelings about having brain cancer in visual form by making a digital comic series. Working in a digital format was a new approach for me and my initial Tumour Humour work was in black and white. More recent works in the series use colour. In this, the works illustrate my development as a digital artist,” Jai said. “While the works track personal experience, they confront more universal themes such as medical treatment, dealing with relationships, coping with emotional stress, other people’s reactions to a 14

person with cancer, the health impacts of a cancer diagnosis and facing death.” They’re also funny, and very moving.

See them at the Moonah Arts Centre until 26 June.

DARK MOFO Dark Mofo is just around the corner. Running from 16-22 June, the 2021 version of the quirky midwinter festival has already been as controversial as ever. Organisers were quite late to announce the program this year, leading some to wonder whether the festival might be called off following the cancellation of a Santiago Sierra piece in which the artist invited First Nations people across the world to donate their blood so that he could soak a Union Jack flag in it. In response to intense backlash and an online - and ongoing - boycott call, Dark Mofo organisers employed a number of Aboriginal artists and advisers. This year’s program includes a number of Aborigi-

nal acts and events, including opening night’s Home State Reclamation Walk, in which a growing number of Aboriginal people will lead audience members through the city to a street where vegetation is taking the space back. For many, that is not enough to repair the damage done by the original inclusion of Sierra on the bill. Jamie Graham-Blair, a trawlwoolway pakana man from North East Tasmania, said: “Heed my words, Dark Mofo is absolutely going to put their foot in it again and Blackfullas are gunna have to educate them and the masses all over again...how many free passes are y’all going to give them before they are held to account? That being said, pls support the Blak events and pakana artists on this year’s

program. Not for Dark Mofo but to hear the yarns and learns what the mob have to offer.” There’s also performances from artists like Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, or take up the offer to launch a loved one’s ashes into the Derwent. Favourites like the Ogah Ogah, Winter Feast and the Solstice Swim return too.

NOT SO NICE RICE A recent study by the Uni of Queensland found we may be consuming three to four milligrams of plastic through a single-serve, or 100 grams, of rice. In pre-cooked or instant rice, it was four times higher than in uncooked rice, averaging 13 milligrams per serve.

Washing rice before cooking reduced plastics contamination by 20 to 40 per cent.

Visit the Kermandie Hotel With good food and a wine list that reflects local produce, beers, wines and ciders Only 50 minutes from Hobart Accommodation in the heart of Port Huon Open 7 days a week 6297 1052 www.kermandiehotel.com.au

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BITS AND PIECES

DYNNYRNE RESIDENTS SAY SOS ON ROADS Meg Smith represents a group of Dynnyrne Road residents facing compulsory acquisition of their homes to make way for a fifth Southern Outlet lane.

“Two days before Easter my family were advised by engineers from Pitt & Sherry and WSP that our homes were facing potential compulsory acquisition to enable a bus/T3 northbound lane to be built on the Southern Outlet. Like the rest of our street that weekend we were as devastated as we were unprepared by the news. Our street is beautiful. It is old and some of it is listed as a Heritage Precinct. Our home was built in 1910 by the Morris family, we are only the second family to live there. Eric and Trish have lived in their home since 1964. Anna Maria, now in her eighties, has raised three generations of her family in her home. People have been married here, died here. We have new families who have joined us and those who have been in the street for decades.

The proposal, as we were told by the engineers, included a) the compulsory acquisition of 18 homes (almost one side of the entire street), b) underpinning the Southern Outlet from Davey Street to Olinder Grove (the current road surface is so fragile a new lane could not be added without significant upgrade) and c) a cantilevered lane for part of the road. The dolerite rock uphill from Cats Eye corner prevents any expansion of the road into that cliff face, hence the proposed 4km Italian-Alps-style expansion. All this for the bargain price of $35 million dollars of taxpayers funds.

Frustratingly the engineers advised us (later confirmed by the CEO of Infrastructure Tasmania) that no low cost/no cost alternatives to impact the traffic congestion had been considered.

Not staggered work hours. Not better before and after school care options in Blackmans Bay. Not Hospital in the Home or Community Rapid Nursing Response services in Kingston and Huonville. Not working from home options. Not better bus services. Not better school bus services. Not banning heavy 16

freight during the morning peak hour. None of these alternatives had been considered. The opportunity cost of that initial $35 million investment is eye watering, but the total cost will be significantly more. What regional economic development options are missed? What community development ideas remain unfunded? What opportunities to deliver high quality healthcare to people in their own homes/communities will not be pursue?

What educational programs that keep kids in their own communities will be lost? In the meantime, 18 homeless families will contribute to tighter rental and hotter real estate markets.

Commuters will face years of traffic delay during construction.

Property prices will be impacted in affected areas. Others will face years of construction noise. And for what? International research shows us new lanes only temporarily relieve traffic congestion. At its absolute best it’s a short-term fix.

But the symptom of traffic congestion is indicative of a deeper malaise. Unrestricted urban sprawl will only feed this problem and proper park and ride solutions will be required. The engineers told us only a 4% change in behaviour was required to solve this issue. Only 4 in every 100 drivers needs to have alternatives to driving their car to save our homes and resolve the congestion issues. Why can a community campaign come up with a number of low cost/ no cost alternatives that might actually address the issue, when well paid international engineering and state growth think tanks can’t? Why are dinosaur responses to modern challenges considered good enough?

What can you do? Join our campaign by emailing us at SOSHobart2021@ gmail.com or follow our social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram as we await for the public consultation process to open.”

When construction on the Southern Outlet began in November 1966. Pic: Geoff Gillham.

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BITS AND PIECES

UTAS SKIPS KANGAROO BAY The Kangaroo Bay Project was dealt a blow recently when the council was formally advised by The University of Tasmania (UTAS) that it’s no longer in a position to commit to delivering a Tourism and Hospitality School in Kangaroo Bay in partnership with Chambroad Overseas Investment Australia (Chambroad). Clarence City Council Mayor Alderman Doug Chipman said the University outlined the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on international

student enrolments and the negative impact on supply and demand dynamics for hospitality personnel worldwide, as the major reason for this decision.

“Under the current sale and development agreement (SDA) Chambroad have until 13 October 2022 to commence substantial works on the site. If substantial works are not commenced at that time the buy back clause will come into effect,” Mayor Chipman said. “The SDA did not specifically mention UTAS, simply referencing an education provider, and therefore council’s understanding is that Chambroad can seek another education partner and stay within the current SDA.” Council is working with Chambroad to understand how they are progressing in finding another education partner and other options they are considering for the project.

AFLW KICKING GOALS Olympic gold medallist Chloe Dalton (who incidentally is a triple threat

AFTER DARK SHENANIGANS IN HOBART’S CBD What happens inside Hobart’s iconic 91 Murray Street building when the doors close at the end of the day and the lights go out? On the shelves sit thousands of books. In the archives sit thousands of artefacts, images and priceless documents. Are they sleeping peacefully...or are they sharing their stories? For one fun night you can discover the answer to this intriguing question posed by Libraries Tasmania. On Saturday 19 June from 6.30 to 9.30 pm, images of fascinating items from the collections of the State Library of Tasmania, the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts and the Tasmanian Archives will be projected onto the heritage-listed building – onto the outside walls, the inside walls, the ceilings, doors and even stairwells.

It’s a free, family-friendly event; visitors can wander and wonder. You might see snippets of early films, or paintings, posters and other quirky items from the vaults. Perhaps you’ll see images of two pannikins (small tin drinking cups) used by convicts from the Old Hobart Gaol in Campbell Street before it was partially demolished - what dark stories could they tell us about the inmates who drank from them? Or you might discover a note from Alfred Biggs, telling the remarkable story of a piece of muslin cloth cut from a dress, thrown overboard but retrieved a fortnight later from inside a shark, “…caught during a funeral at sea on board the ship Bombay, coming from England to Australia, end of 1852. Portion of said shark cooked, 18

professional sportswoman - basketball, then rugby then AFLW) recently reported as part of The Female Athlete Project (www.thefemaleathleteproject.com) that the AFLW smashed records in the recent season. It was the first time games were ticketed and 13 games sold out. She also shared that there was a total TV audience of more than 5 million viewers during the home and away series which was up 35% on 2020 and 49% from 2019.

Chloe Dalton.

and tasted very much like eel.” The piece was kept, labelled with the story and found its way into the archives through the family papers of the Biggs family of Hobart. This event builds on the “91 Stories” project recently promoted by Libraries Tasmania to showcase treasures from the collections, with staff and library members alike nominating favourite items which have inspired them. It’s all part of a broader ‘cultural campaign’ to highlight these important collections and our unique Tasmanian stories.

For as author Sir Philip Pullman has fervently declared: “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” No registration is needed but entry will be based on capacity limits (280 people at one time).

The 60s at 91 Murray Street. Pic: Tasmanian Archives.

BE PART OF SOMETHING BIG FOR NATURE Kelvedon Hills is 1300 hectares of rich, diverse habitat on Tasmania’s east coast.

More than 40 rare or threatened species need this habitat to survive. The Tasmanian Land Conservancy wants to make Kelvedon Hills a nature reserve, protected forever.

Find out more or make a donation at tasland.org.au Meredith River, Kelvedon Hills.

Photo: Andy Townsend

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COMMUNITY

Tasmania has the lowest literacy rate in Australia, which presents a range of social issues. Emma Sells is an accountant in Hobart and volunteers with Connect 42, an organisation helping to increase literacy levels among Tasmania’s prison population and disadvantaged communities. She’s the treasurer on the board, as well as an active volunteer in our prisons.

What is Connect 42 and what are your goals? Connect 42 is a literacy charity and we work on building connection through communication. Our aim is improving literacy. We’ve got this situation in Tasmania of having the lowest levels of literacy in the country. We know only 48 percent of Tasmanians have functional literacy, at a 12 year old level.

We had a symposium in 2018 and out of that came a goal of 100 percent literacy.

One hundred percent literacy doesn’t mean that everybody can read and write because that’s probably not possible. But it means everybody is as literate as they can be. We’re building and growing, running programs in the prison and through child-parent attachment.

What are the programs? The program with the inmates is called Just Time.

We’ve been doing that for a number of years, and we have been promised funding for the next three years in the recent election campaign. Last year we received funding for the next step, Just Moving On, which is working with the prisoners and their children outside the prison. That’s the ultimate goal because that’s how we’re going to see intergenerational change. We’re working with Bethlehem House and running a program on teaching homeless and disadvantaged men how to read and that’s been really successful. Then we’re also working with 20

the education department. There are two streams - we’re dealing with people who are already suffering the effects of not having appropriate literacy and communication skills and then we’re working with the education department in trying to stop that stuff before it starts.

How did Connect 42 start? Rosalie Martin, a speech pathologist, founded Connect 42, originally as Chatter Matters.

She contacted the prison offering to run a literacy program. And they said yes.

She ran the first one and it was very successful and grew from there. She was doing reading programs with men in the prison, two of whom were really severely low in literacy, and within about three to four months they had attained quite good literacy. The prison was stunned by that.

This was an opportunity. Rosie won the Tasmanian Australian of the Year Award in 2017, based on that work at the prison.

How do low literacy levels play out in the community? Literacy is very much based on communication - particularly parents communicating with children, because that’s where it starts. If people can’t speak out, they act out. If you don’t have literacy, it can be frustrating. A lot of people who have low literacy levels feel as if they’re dumb. And they’re not.

It’s an unconscious learning. Most of us learn to read and write without any pain whatsoever. It was just something we did, some slower than others, but we did it. We don’t realise how lucky we were, because for those who don’t have that, it can be seven years of hell going through school. It’s setting you up for a lifetime of hell because you feel like you’re not good enough. It’s not just a practical thing.

It’s an emotional thing. Then you’re more likely to be led down the path of criminality or to have low employment opportunities, which means it lowers your income. The other thing, and this is a bit sad, is sometimes people who are illiterate don’t want their children to be smarter than them.

Why does it matter to you? How did you become involved? I’m an absolutely avid reader. I’m passionate about it because accountants aren’t probably

known for being the best communicators!

I pride myself on being a good communicator. I grew up in the country and have worked mainly in regional areas where, once upon a time, people who had low literacy still had pathways. They could work. I’m sure I’ve worked with people who had very low literacy in the past, in particular in farming and rural. Nowadays with technology and with the workplace health and safety requirements, they can’t hide. This is a really sad thing because we’ve actually got this real skill set - I mean, ask them to build something and they can build it for you in a moment, or grow something and they can grow it.

These people would take home the forms and get someone else to fill it out and then bring it back. And now you go sit down on the computer and do it now.

I volunteered at the women’s prison because that’s what I am also very passionate about - supporting women. I mean greater than 50 percent of accountants are women but 17 percent of partners, business owners and C-suite are women.

You don’t feel like you’re threatened by it when you’re at the prison. I didn’t feel like I was in a room full of hardened criminals - I felt like I was in a room full of people who’ve been the victims of choices of others, and their own choices.

And it can happen to any of us.

What can parents and carers do to help their own children’s literacy? Working with the children and the schools and also advocating for getting more assistance in the schools. Because we can’t just go, ‘this is a teacher’s problem’, because it’s not. It takes a village to raise a child, that is so true, and it takes a lot to teach as well. This is a no-brainer and the public health benefit to increasing literacy is huge. You don’t need nearly as many prisons.

How can readers help Connect 42?

We’re currently running a Just 42 fundraising campaign to encourage people to donate $42 a month, on a regular basis.

If you can’t afford $42, just $4,20, or $10 makes a difference. It’s not the size that matters. Find out more at www. connect42.org

Fine jewellery handcrafted in Hobart using precious Australian gemstones

Visit our new shop at 58 Hampden Road, Battery Point 10am - 6pm, Tuesday - Sunday Luke 0455113747 www.earthfire.com.au

Audi Centre Hobart

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FEATURE

Swimming through the depths of winter Words and picture: Sarah Aitken

Power through the icy Derwent.

Ocean swimming in a Tasmanian winter is not for the faint-hearted. Yet there are a growing number of us doing it - sparked in part by pool closures during last year’s Covid restrictions.

a mantra of ‘hand enter, pull, hand enter, pull, hand enter, pull and breathe’. Sometimes it is a battle of wills against the elements where no rhythm can be found.

Always, it is a fantastic experience.”

It’s midday on a very cold day in late May. At Kingston Beach the sea spray is blowing all the way to the parked cars and behind them there is a decent covering of snow on the mountain. The very few walkers on the beach are decked out in a rainbow of Tasmanian tuxedos and even the dogs are mostly staying indoors.

Pete is thrilled with the increase in ocean swimmers at Kingston and Blackmans Bay over the past year.

The water looks less than inviting, matching the colour of the overcast sky. But Pete McKenna has just finished his swim, and he is grinning.

“Today it’s a little bit confused,” he laughs, indicating the choppy swell. “This time of year it is bracing when your head goes under water. For the first hundred metres it was difficult to breath because of the constriction on the chest and everything tightened up. But once that settles it’s quite lovely.”

Pete got into ocean swimming as part of his triathlon training, years ago. He was soon hooked on the space it gave him.

“Swimming is a wonderfully selfish act, he says. “It gives you a chance to be in your own headspace without outside distractions. Sometimes it is a meditation, 22

“It’s become like a highway of swimmers here, post-Covid. It has multiplied tenfold. If you come here on a Saturday at 8am there will be dozens here. People are really embracing it and making it a part of their lifestyle. And the local competitions have really started to take off - with lots more people participating, because they can now, they’ve pushed themselves and overcome that fear factor.”

Clearly the temperature doesn’t put these swimmers off - today the water is about 12 degrees whereas on dry land it’s around nine. But they won’t swim if the waves are too big, or if there has been enough rain to wash pollution down Brown’s River and through the stormwater drains into the sea.

“Yeah...at times when you swim down past it you can taste...things...in the water,” Pete says with a slight grimace. “It just tastes dirty. The two main things that get washed down there, according to the water quality guys, are dog faecal matter and motor oil, and sometimes you get a

smoky taste when there have been burn offs. You become very aware of these things when you’re in it.”

When the sediments have settled they’re straight back out there enjoying themselves. Sometimes in groups but often individually. They come to need it, not quite finding the same effects through any other activity.

“It sets you up for the day,” says Pete.

“Even if you are cold for the rest of the day! That’s a good reminder in itself of that time in nature.

“I come away from a swim feeling mentally and physically stronger. Sometimes it is difficult, sometimes it is easy but always I am grateful and happy.”

QU E E N V IC T OR I A A RT G A L L E RY, ROYA L PA R K Ace of Spades (detail), Garry Greenwood

www.qvmag.tas.gov.au Our Country • Our People • Our Stories 23

WHAT’S ON IN HOBART MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

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THURSDAY

FRIDAY

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Dark Mofo

copy Tonight UTAS are hosting a discussion called “The Middle East: Turmoil and Challenges” at the Stanley Burbury Theatre, Sandy Bay, and online. Presented by Amin Saikal, AM, FASSA, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia. 6-7pm.

If you’re in Kingborough, today Council’s Positive Ageing and Natural Areas team are leading a gentle seasonal ramble through a local trail. Bookings are essential and a light lunch is provided. 11am-1pm, venue to be confirmed.

More info: 6211 8170.

Party at Dark Homo

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Lucienne Rickard’s work

Head to the RACV hotel for the launch of My Forests - a new book by Janine Burke, who takes readers from spectacular West Papuan tree houses to Tasmania’s Tyenna Valley, exploring the connections between trees and civilisations over time.

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Happy Birthday to the Queen (even though it’s not really today) and happy long weekend to us. Switch on The Crown, pour yourself a G&T and give a toast to Madge.

Dark Mofo, Mona’s midwinter festival, begins in Hobart today.

It runs until 22 June.

See the full program at darkmofo.net.au

The All Saints Art Show is on until 26 June, with art of all kinds from originals, to prints, posters, photographs and everything in between, on show and for sale.

The World of Musicals

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Prepare your standing ovation for The World of Musicals, a production of classics including The Lion King, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pirates of Penzance, Wicked, Cats and West Side Story at Theatre Royal.

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Today is the start of NAIDOC week - a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that First Nations people continue to bring to our shared culture.

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Cal Wilson

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If you haven’t yet, head to TMAG to see Tasmanian eco artist Lucienne Rickard’s latest work in progress, a large tableau of flesh-footed shearwater and her family memories. This is a progression from her 201921 work Extinction Studies.

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Hobart is hosting the National Netball Championships until Sunday. The pick of Australia’s emerging netball talent, including athletes, coaches, umpires and officials, are here for games, talent identification and development.

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Warm up the vocal chords for The Festival of Voices - a joyous celebration of choral, contemporary and cabaret singing held in winter in Hobart since 2004. Runs until July 11.

After copy a very long wait, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow comes to the Theatre Royal. Cal Wilson, Brett Blake, Michelle Brasier, Luke Heggie, Chris Ryan are on the gigs.

See the worldfamous opera Carmen in Hobart, as part of the Festival of Voices, thanks to Opera Australia.

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Simple Life Drawing is a twohour life drawing session hosted every Wednesday evening by Simple Cider and local artist Abigail Rothery. All materials are provided, however you are welcome to bring your own art materials too.

Party on at Dark Homo, the fourth iteration of the fun and sexy after-dark event at O Bar from 9pm until 5am.

Strictly 18+. More info on eventbrite.

Get copysome classical music into your life this evening with Musica Viva Tasmania. Nicolas Fleury, Emily Sun and Amir Farid play the Hobart Town Hall from 7:30pm.

West Australian indie-popsters San Cisco play in Hobart for their ‘Between You and Me’ tour. 8:30pm at the Goods Shed.

i San Cisco

FURTHER AFIELD SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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copyin at the Join annual olive harvest at Lauriston’s Groove in the Grove event. Roaring Beach, South Arm. More info on eventbrite.

copy Shark is Amy playing on the Wrest Point Lawns (and streamed online) tonight, as part of the 8-time ARIA award-winner’s huge Cry Forever tour.

The pointes are on point as the Victorian State Ballet presents Beauty and The Beast, the full length classical ballet production of the traditional fairy tale at the Theatre Royal.

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Moonah’s vibrant Multicultural market is on today - and the first Saturday of every month. Experience the food, clothing, tea, craft, art and music of diverse cultures. 67 Hopkins St, Moonah, from 9:30am2pm.

Rev copythe motors at the South East Suns Truck Show at Pembroke Park, Sorell.

Trucks, cars, buses, kids activities, displays, food and beverages and much more. Find more on Facebook or eventbrite.

Today copy is World Refugee Day and the start of Refugee Week - raising awareness about the issues affecting refugees and celebrating the positive contributions refugees make to Australian society.

Wind your way up the back of kunanyi/ Mt Wellington for the Collinsvale Market, held on the last sunday of the month. While you’re there check out Collins Cap or Collins Bonnet bushwalks, if weather permits.

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Rug up for the Hobart Twilight Market ‘Sunday Series’ market with food, drinks, design and music at Long Beach, Sandy Bay.

For even more events in Hobart and further afield this month head to www.thehobartmagazine.com.au/juneevents

11 June Birds on Bruny is a weekend escape for female photography and wildlife enthusiasts. Awardwinning nature and wildlife photographer Coreena Vieth will guide participants through tutorials, photo shoots and other activities on Inala Private Conservation Reserve and other birding hotspots on Bruny Island. There will be opportunities to view and snap pics of all sorts of birds from raptors to the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalotes. More at hobartandbeyond.com.au

11-14 June Road trip to Scottsdale for the North East Tasmania Art and Craft Festival. For over 47 years the NEAC Festival has celebrated fine art and craft from across the state. Scottsdale Mechanics’ Hall, 11 King Street Scottsdale.

27 June Could there be a better trail-run setting than the spectacular Freycinet Peninsula? The 2021 Endorfun Freycinet Trail Run offers two options: a shorter 11km circuit via Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach, or the full 29km circuit taking in Mt Graham and Cooks Beach.

1 July Follow the scrumptious smells to Cakealicious: Launceston’s Great Winter Cake Battle. Some of Launceston’s favourite hospitality venues will put their best cake on the stand, and we’re invited to taste our way around town, then vote.

2 July

What’s better than a screening of the 1978 classic movie musical Grease? An interactive screening of Grease! It’s on in Burnie for one night only. Dress up in your best Grease/fifties outfit and have a go at winning some prizes.

Presented by North West Pride, all profits go towards creating social inclusion, events and support for the local LGBTIAQ+ community.

10 July Warm up with the Burnie Highland Pipe Dance at their Mid Winter Ceilidh. It’s like a bush dance, featuring Ian McLeod and his Ceilidh band, dance callers and local celtic musicians. Burnie Arts and Function Centre.

13 July The Irish take to the stage in Devonport with the international hit show A Taste of Ireland – The Irish Music & Dance Sensation.

Performers from the West End’s Lord of the Dance, Riverdance and Gaelforce Dance, alongside a treasure trove of Irish Dancing World Champions, will revamp classics like ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Tell Me Ma’.

Dress up for the Grease screening in Burnie.

Got an event coming up in Tassie?

Email us at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Background photo: Bathurst Harbour, by Jason Charles Hill.

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COVER FEATURE

HOW A COVID CHANGE OF COURSE LED STEPHANIE JACK TO HOBART Interview: Stephanie Williams Pics: Supplied

Stephanie Jack is a true triple threat in the performance world, returning to Hobart after living in Shanghai when COVID hit.

You’ve been described as an actor, a writer, and a vocalist, which has your heart? I want to say acting because that’s what I did my Masters in, and it’s probably the thing I delved the most into. But it’s a tough one because I enjoy all three. I also enjoy work that brings all three of those together.

How did you get into performing? It happened really organically. I was always putting on shows for my parents. I wasn’t one of those kids who specifically thought they were going to go into that as an adult. In a way it was part of what I did, but I actually wanted to do totally different things. I think at the time I wanted to be an archeologist. But then as I got older, I realised that whenever I wanted to be something else, it was more like I wanted to be the movie version of that! By 16 I was performing in everything I could at school while studying. My first degree was an undergrad degree at the University of Bristol (UK), a Bachelor of Drama, which allowed me to explore it more broadly. And then after that I went and studied acting.

And you did your Masters at Harvard? Yeah, I did my Masters at the - it’s a very long name - American Repertory Theatre/ Moscow Art Theatre School Institute for Advanced Theatre Training, at Harvard.

Stephanie and her mother Mei Jack in Singapore.

Happy in Hobart. Pic: Kishka Jensen.

Wow that is a mouthful. How does that work? It’s on hiatus at the moment, but it was a program that ran from the eighties through to a couple years ago. There’s a working theatre called the American Repertory Theatre that’s on the Harvard campus, and has productions that often transfer to Broadway. Around that theatre, there are rooms and classrooms and workshops where we train and some of the work we do ends up going on the main stage at the theatre, and learn from the people who are working on those shows, like Bryan Cranston was in a show when I was there. It’s a very cool experience to be right in a working theatre. And then also it’s just very cool to be on the Harvard campus and it means that you get to meet a ridiculous array of very talented people from so many different realms. You also do one semester in Moscow at the Moscow Arts Theater School, which again lends a totally different perspective, being trained

by Russian practitioners.

You started a YouTube series in China in 2019 called Mixed Up. What was the impetus for that? I’m still creating it, but production on it has slowed down a lot because I’ve been busy with other projects. Just before I moved to China, I’d been living in London, I’d gone through a break up. And it was one of those moments where I thought, “okay, well, now what?”

My mum is Singaporean Chinese. I hadn’t lived in China and it was a bucket list thing. My grandfather came from China and all of my ancestors on that side. It just happened to be the perfect time, so I moved to Shanghai to learn Mandarin and also to take Kung Fu classes. I started Mixed Up to document what I was doing. And then as I stayed longer in China, I started to

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move away from documenting my life, and more into the interviews with people who I was meeting, like for instance, the representation of Asian men on screen, or talking to Asian men about their experience using dating apps, or their experience dating in China versus dating in America and things like that. It broadened and I continued making it when I came back here, interviewing Chinese people who were living in Hobart. When I was growing up in Bendigo (which wasn’t very racially diverse in the 1990s!)

I went to Singapore with my mother every year to visit her family, which kept me connected to Asian culture and customs.

And might be part of the reason I ended up wanting to explore my roots further by living in Asia and making Mixed Up, and now Mixed Feelings, my new show.

I follow a fashion commentary account Diet Prada and they call out fashion brands who inappropriately use cultural references. Recently one notable post was about Miss Singapore, Bernadette Ong. She wore a look inspired by the Singaporean flag that had the words “stop Asian hate” appliqued on the back of it. As someone who identifies as being Australian Singaporean Chinese how does that make you feel that people are supporting a campaign to stop Asian hate? I think it’s incredible Bernadette Ong is using her platform to bring awareness to the Stop Asian Hate movement. Bold actions like this are important in sparking necessary, well-overdue conversations. I love that she harnessed fashion in order to make a statement - the red and white cape, inspired by the Singaporean flag, is an incredibly empowering image, and also acts as a reminder of how much we all still need to do to address anti-Asian racism.

delve into my mixed race identity as a Singaporean Chinese/Anglo-Australian woman, and look at the intersections between my life and the lives of my mother, grandmother and great grandmother. It will also incorporate kung fu-inspired movement, songs in Mandarin and Fuzhou dialect, and hopefully the guzheng (Chinese harp), which I have just started learning.

How has COVID played out for you? I was in Shanghai when COVID started.

It was really strange. There just wasn’t much clear information on what anyone should really do until I actually left. I left China when there were no restrictions on coming back here. But I didn’t expect to be gone for long. I actually thought I’d just come back for the rest of the summer because this was late January.

And why Hobart? My parents have lived here for about 10 years. When I moved overseas at 18, they had just started living here. Hobart’s been the place that I’ve come back to on summer holidays or any time when I didn’t know what to do with my life. I’d be back in Hobart, figuring it out.

You and your partner, musician Blaise Garza are about to launch a music duo called Workplace Romance. Did you meet at work? Ha, yes we did meet at work. We both perform at Faro at Mona,

and both started when they were doing themed weeks...Blaise is half Mexican and it was Mexican week. I was dressed in a cowboy hat and this gold Brocade suit, and he was dressed as a Mariachi.

The name also refers to the fact that we both feel very lucky to be working in fields that we love so much. In a sense, it’s also that romance of just being able to work as creative people. Blaise has been touring with the Violent Femmes since he was 15. He’s a saxophonist and also plays keys, trombone, clarinet, flute, harmonica, and is now learning a Chinese instrument called the erhu. He is from San Diego and has been based in Hobart since 2015. We have our first gig as Workplace Romance in July as part of Friday Nights Live at Moonah Arts Centre (more details will be released on their website soon.)

You have recently been awarded a Regional Arts Fund Fellowship. What does that mean for you? It’s very exciting. The project is something that’s very close to my heart. Mixed Feelings is a new project, currently in development, funded by the Regional Arts Fund Fellowship and an Arts Tasmania grant.

It’s a one woman theatre show that will 27

There’s a wide range of feasts and festivals on the menu this winter. From the arts to music, wine to whisky, food cooked over an open fire to oysters shucked fresh from the shell.

Whatever your taste, there’s a blazing torch waiting to light it up in the dark. Find out all the ways it’s our Off Season at discovertasmania.com.au/off-season

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DARK MOFO

FESTIVAL OF VOICES

Experience the full-strength spirit of the Off Season with flames, lights, beats and feasts.

Celebrate the power of voice and community.

Sing around bonfires, join workshops and hear live performances. 30 June-11 July.

Hobart. 16-22 June.

HUON VALLEY MID-WINTER FESTIVAL

TASMANIAN WHISKY WEEK

Dress up pagan-style, wassail through the apple orchards and feast around fires with hot cider.

Willie Smith’s Apple Shed. 16-17 July.

Taste our island’s renowned liquid gold at venues ranging from intimate bars to grand historic houses. 9-15 August.

JUNCTION ARTS FESTIVAL

GREAT EASTERN WINE WEEK

Tap into artistic talent, bright ideas and community spirit while feasting on local produce.

Launceston. 1-5 September.

Meet the winemakers, growers and producers at 40 wine and food events along the beautiful east coast. 3-13 September.

discovertasmania.com.au/off-season 29

COMMUNITY

NEW COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFERING CANCER RESPITE Interview: Stephanie Williams Jay Chapman’s own journey through a cancer diagnosis and treatment was the catalyst for her to start Homely Retreats. It’s a growing Hobart not-for-profit providing a much needed service that fills a gap in respite services available to cancer patients and their families.

How did Homely Retreats come about? On December 16 2014, I was suddenly diagnosed with Lymphoma (a form of blood cancer). As a wife and mother of two young boys (aged 4 and 12), our world fell into chaos overnight. The following day I began an intense regime of chemotherapy which meant I was admitted to hospital for 6 days every 21 days for the next 6 months.

I missed my family so much and in between hospital stays, my husband (Dan) and I struggled to keep up the bills due to loss of income, the volume of specialist appointments, and day to day chores - even school drop off and pick up became a logistical nightmare.

Dan became the only source of income for our family and the only adult well enough to perform the household duties.

Life was really tough and I could feel our family dividing as we moved into a full on ‘coping’ stage. Fortunately

by June 2015, I was given the ‘all clear’ and I began a long road to recovery. As I reflected on our family experience, I thought about what could have improved? I remembered when I began researching cancer support services and was met by voices on the end 30

of the phone telling me that there was no respite available in Tasmania and a 3-5 year waiting list for services in Victoria and NSW. I was devastated. I thought ‘I could be dead by then.’ I decided that there needed to be a service that provided an experience where families could rest and reconnect.

So what did you do? In 2018 Homely Retreats was founded as a registered not-for-profit organisation and immediately began offering a complimentary weekend break to eligible Tasmanian families.

The only eligibility criteria is that a parent is undergoing (or has undergone in the past 12 months) treatment for a cancer diagnosis whilst caring for dependents under the age of 18 years. In the two and a half years of service, Homely Retreats has positively impacted the lives of over 140 Tasmanians.

How does it work? We’re regularly in contact with staff at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Cancer Council Tasmania and The Leukaemia Foundation to educate staff about our services, who refer patients.

Our service has a very simple application process because we understand that families are typically stressed, tired and in need of a break. Clients apply through our website www. homelyretreats.com.au and once applications are verified, we work with the client what the family needs and would enjoy.

You started Homely Retreats because there was nothing like it during your own journey - is this something the Tasmanian Health Service should be offering? Homely Retreats is currently exclusively the only source of respite for Tasmanians affected by cancer. There is a sparse range of respite services across other mainland states, but as mentioned the waiting lists can be up to 5 years. Families applying for respite need support now - they are applying because they need help. I believe the government could be offering a stronger mental health/family counselling support system for the families that we assist. I recall enquiring about counselling and was informed that I would need to seek help privately.

What are the benefits to families? We provide HOPE and time to reconnect the family to their greatest asset at this time...each other!

Families who use our services always send a lovely message remarking how grateful they are that our service exists and how they used their weekend break as something to look forward to - a glimmer of hope. Giving the gift of family time - allowing families to take a break from the stress of their current situation to rest, reconnect and enjoy their time together making everlasting family memories - hence our hashtag bumper sticker #FAMILYTIMEMATTERS

Where does your funding come from? Homely Retreats is a publicly funded not-forprofit organisation. Our servicing capacity is increasing by 23% each year, but the rate of applications is increasing by around 30%, meaning we currently have 27 families on our waiting list. The average cost of sending a family for a weekend of respite is $550.

We apply for any available government grants and host a range of annual fundraisers as well - a major fundraiser raffle, our school’s Community Fundraiser Day (schools across the state dress in blue and raise funds), and sell a small range of merchandise on our website. We are extremely grateful for the support of the community which allows us to continue to offer our respite services in Tasmania.

How can readers help? The amazing Purdie family have recently purchased Abs By The Bay accommodation at Taranna on the Tasman Peninsula and have partnered with Homely Retreats. This has given us the opportunity to offer families extended periods of respite due to the heavily reduced costs. To keep our costs down and allow us to assist as many families as possible, we’re always seeking accommodation that is suitable for families as well as petrol, food and experiences. Contact us at info@homelyretreats. com.au or www.homelyretreats.com.au

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31

BOOKS

PSYCHOLOGIST STEVE BIDDULPH: A NEW WAY OF USING YOUR MIND Interview: Stephanie Williams Tasmanian author and psychologist Steve Biddulph has sold over three million books and is now celebrating the release of his latest book, Fully Human, a distillation of his 40 years as a therapist.

You’ve had great success with Raising Boys and Raising Girls. What can readers expect from Fully Human?

People tell me that my books are very clear and easy to read. And they have stories that sneak up on you and make you cry. This one has more personal stories as I wanted people to know that suffering is part of everyone’s life and it’s okay and we can still laugh and love and be joyful.

There are two big ideas in the book. The first is “supersense” which is the wild animal part of us that helps us know if we are safe, and making the right choices, and helps us read and connect with the other lives around us. It is part of our brain that only talks to us through our gut - literally gut feelings. We can sense in our bodies when something is right or wrong, and the big breakthrough is this part is talking to us all the time. The book teaches you to listen to it every minute you are alive. Your life changes the second you realise this, you have a compass.

It’s not always right, but it’s always got something to tell you.

The second is that we can move through our own mind more freely if we know the architecture of the mind - that it’s like a four storey mansion. Many people only live on one floor! They think the accommodation is crap! So we teach you to move up and down constantly - through body, emotion, thought, and the rooftop garden of your mansion which is out of your own skin - the sense of spirit.

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Who is this book aiming to help? This was a book I always wanted to write because I had worked with people in some of the worst situations in the world - who had somehow travelled to not just a normal life, but to something even better.

They were remarkable and special, they had learned “to open their hearts in hell”.

Andie, the young mum at the start of the book, who was a part time GP, survived trauma and it made her a really remarkable practitioner whose patients just loved her. And many others had this too - post traumatic growth, which broke them open so they could help others.

I was worried that still today millions of parents around the world struggle, and yet our kids depend on us being reasonably happy and calm and steady. So the mental health of adults really matters. Yet almost everyone has trauma and damage from their childhood. I wanted to help grown ups to use their minds better so they could feel really well and alive. The ideas can be taught to a five year old, but can help the most damaged adult. I know because I have done both.

How long have you been working on Fully Human? What was the catalyst?

I think for the forty years since I first sat down with someone in trouble in a counselling room, this book was writing itself. But the Covid crisis gave me the time and freedom to get it all down! And a canoeing accident that I write about in the book made me realise I was getting old and had better not waste time.

In the book you discuss your Asperger’s diagnosis. How has that affected your life and work? How old were you when you made the discovery? Nobody knew about ”the spectrum” in my young life.

I was diagnosed at about age 55! A bit late really! I was a lost teenager and was rescued by youth workers. They steered me towards psychology. I have always had to explain things before I could function around people. But in the end that makes you very good at it. Marrying my wife Shaaron was the best help ever, she is very, very emotionally aware. I am still nervous and shy by nature, though on a stage the inner performer comes alive. I have been a “stand-up psychologist” for many years. You can do group therapy with 500 people at a time, crying and laughing at the same time. We Aspies tend to act on things. I built the SIEVX Memorial in Canberra, involving over 1,000 young artists, to remember the lost refugees on that boat. It felt like there was no choice. Like Greta Thunberg, I get activated about the big things.

I’d be interested to know where you feel psychology and mental health support is in Tasmania right now? Could the Tasmanian government be doing more? Could they be doing LESS? I am not the best person to ask, but you only have to read the newspapers. I tend to see the burnt out and despairing practitioners who started out caring and ended up barely surviving. Look after the health staff better and let them do their jobs.

Right: Steve’s late sister Christine, seen with her husband on Tidal River Beach, is pivotal to the message of the book. “There are many ways to be fully human”. Below: Steve at the Wilmot Community Centre, Western Sydney. Left: Steve by a lovely river.

can handle the intensity of our pain, whose care and love matches the intensity we were harmed with.

Is the success of your previous books daunting when you release a new book into the world? Nah! You just hope you can be of more help. It’s not about you, after all.

What do you do after you release a book? Lots of interviews!

Ha Ha! What does your day to day life look like? What do you enjoy doing? I love being out under big skies, and being with family.

And anything involving water.

You have incredible Australians such as Rosie Batty saying this book is enormously helpful - how does that make you feel? The fact that Rosie, after all she has come through and has given to others, found the book a help, was the best news I have had this year.

There’s a section in the book that discusses “messed up men”. The anecdote you use about a fellow student is particularly strong. My friend taking his life was, and remains, a mystery. But it set me on a course of finding out how to keep men alive. The importance of touch and gentleness is one missing piece. Being able to go to the second floor, and feel.

You discuss how common trauma is and the effect it has on long term health. How can we better understand trauma in our lives? Every event we go through generates emotions which are meant to help us through. If things happen too fast, we end up storing emotions for later. If we were raised not to understand or “ride along” through our emotions, we might just gather more and more. But our body is designed to let feelings through and let them go. Sometimes that needs someone on the outside who

What do you enjoy doing in Hobart? I love to swim in Frederick Henry Bay, or kayak when it’s cold. It’s very quiet usually and you can feel it’s the edge of the wild. Sometimes there are dolphins. I also love going out on the Lady Nelson whose crew are friends.

When you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious, what are your personal strategies? I feel this way about 20 times a day.

I follow what is in the book. I go down into my body and “ask” it what it’s experiencing. Sometimes it gives a little shudder, or a deep sigh, or seems to want me to sit still a bit. It seems to sort itself out and then I can go on. Take care of the wild creature inside you, it knows more than you do, about what you need.

You’ll find Steve’s book at all good bookstores. Published by Macmillan.

33

DINING OUT

Tom McHugo’s: Good Wine, Good Veggies Words and pictures: James Marten

When I was younger, the things I looked for in a pub were somewhere with a comfy bar stool, cheap drinks, a social crowd and a few hot chips. As I’ve aged (hopefully gracefully), my pub ‘wishlist’ has too. With two kids now accompanying my pub visits, bar stools are impractical, my penchant for cheap drinks has morphed into wanting just one or two really good glasses of wine or beer, and while I still need hot chips (for the kids), I prefer something a bit more interesting on the menu. After visiting a few times both with my family and with friends, it seems Tom McHugo’s (87 Macquarie Street, Hobart) hits a few things on that wish list quite nicely.

The drinks list sets the tone for me - genuine effort has gone into the list here. It’s ever changing and always interesting. On my latest visit one of my favourite wine labels, Ochota Barrels Fugazi ($14), is being poured by the glass, so I snapped that up.

Pub menus usually follow a pattern...a few entrees, burgers, schnitties, steak and proteins, fried stuff, maybe a few options like pasta, a pie or a roast. Tom McHugo’s is a little different.

This menu is for sharing and exploring. To start, you need to try the cheese breads ($8) at least once, and they’re best enjoyed hot, straight off the pass. And we can’t go past garlic bread ($7), which is textbook delicious.

The chicken schnitzel and chips ($15) is generous and you can add a sauce like green peppercorn or cafe de Paris butter ($2).

It’s a good base to build a meal around and can be easily shared by two little kids. The chicken sandwich ($14) is enjoyed by my six year old, albeit with schnitty subbed in instead of the usual black pepper chicken. He loved it. The confit chicken maryland is served with lentils, leek cream and delicata squash ($26) and the Littlewood lamb mince and black pepper pie with mushy 34

peas and gravy ($18) is enjoyed by two of our party, who both rave about the ‘lambiness’ of the meat.

But it’s the vegetables, which are sourced directly from local growers, where chef and co-owner Tom Westacott shines.

Roast pumpkin is served with vadouvan butter ($14), which is delicious smeared on the schnitzel. Vadouvan is a French version of curry powder, salty and spiced. Artichoke, chard and cheddar come together under a gratin topping ($12) and sauteed greens with tomatillo ($6) also have a hint of Indian spice and disappear quickly. The leaf salad with mustard dressing ($5) is essential ordering.

It’s cliched, but save room for dessert. The brewer’s malt pie with malt cream ($10) should never be taken off the menu and the fried apple pie ($12) is samosa-like, filled with pureed apple.

Tom McHugo’s is open for dine-in and takeaway from Tuesday to Saturday, 11.30am-9pm. Book ahead, or try your luck with a walk in.

A schnitty bargain.

Obsessed with Brewer’s malt pie.

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ARTS

A NEW VOICE AT DARK MOFO: MAKING SPACE FOR ABORIGINAL REPRESENTATION Interview: Sarah Aitkin

Pic: Sarah Maunder

Tasmanian Aboriginal artist Caleb Nichols-Mansell has had a huge first half of the year. In March, he opened Tasmania’s first dedicated palawa arts and cultural hub – Blackspace Creative in pataway/Burnie.

A month later he took on the role of cultural advisor with Dark Mofo. He spoke to Sarah Aitken on the eve of the festival’s post-Covid return.

Tell us about your role with Dark Mofo?

I’ve been engaged to provide cultural advice and assistance in the programming and delivery of the festival this year.

This is in light of the recent controversy associated with the programming of a now-cancelled artwork calling for the blood of First Nations people by Santiago Sierra. I think it is also important to note that whilst I am providing cultural advice and represent the Tasmanian Aboriginal community; it does not mean that I speak on behalf of every community member.

We have respected community artists who are established in their careers who won’t engage with the festival but we equally have respected, established community artists who have chosen to engage. This process is about building relationships and improving access for our community to these opportunities should they wish to engage. As the work progresses, the role will evolve but I see my work with Dark Mofo continuing for a while to come.

Why is it important to have Aboriginal artists involved in a festival like this?

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I think it’s not only important to have Aboriginal artists and arts workers in Dark Mofo but all major festivals, events, and arts activities. I truly believe that that is what the arts and cultural sector has been lacking for so long – not because the talent didn’t exist but because the opportunities weren’t there or obstacles were often in the way. There is a cultural shift currently happening within the arts and cultural sector and this needs to be attributed to those community artists and arts workers who worked hard and have paved the path that I and other emerging artists are now beginning to walk.

How did you feel when the Sierra flag project was announced? Initially, I was concerned. I was concerned for my Elders and those in our community who are still deeply traumatised by the intergenerational effects of invasion and the dispossession of our people, families and loved ones. I was concerned for the festival and for the Tasmanian community more broadly as I knew that the fall-out from this would be quite large and the clean-up could potentially squash any plans of a festival going ahead this year – which was needed – after last year’s was cancelled due to COVID. We cannot deny the benefit that Dark Mofo brings not only to Hobart but the broader Tasmanian economy through the visitors, money and engagement bought by the draw of the festival and what it has become.

And how did you feel when it was removed from the program? Honestly, relieved. I felt relief because it was the only way we were going to be able to move forward and we had to because the truth is, the festival isn’t going anywhere and nor are our community or First Nations artists more broadly. In order to affect change, we had to work together to find a solution in moving forward and past this and it is for that exact reason I engaged with Leigh Carmichael and his team.

How do you feel Tasmania is going in terms of Aboriginal representation in the arts industry? I feel at present we’re really representing in terms of the arts and cultural sector amplifying our voices, practices and connections. Personally, I just hope this appetite and support for our community artists and art workers is sustained over the long term. For centuries, literally going back to the invasion of our state, our community artists and arts workers have been advocating for the inclusion and recognition of our arts and cultural practices and it’s only now, nearly 200 years later that this appreciation and inclusion is being realised.

Congratulations on the opening of Blackspace Creative Arts and Cultural Hub. Tell us about the journey to here.

Journey is definitely the word. We started out as an online sales and showcase space which then grew to the physical space as a result of a partnership between Business North-West and Renew Initiatives Australia. Under this partnership we have access to this physical space for a period of one year, rent free. After this time, to secure the space we need to secure further funding.

What do you love about Tasmania?

My connections to this sacred Country, the fact my Old People walked this land for thousands upon thousands of years before it was invaded and colonised. Our isolation from the broader world and how this influences our ways of being and living; for better and for worse. It makes us unique, a bit quirky and maybe even a little odd but I love this state and the people who call it home. Not always and not always at the same time, but whenever I travel my heart and Spirit yearns for home.

You can visit Blackspace Creative Arts and Cultural Hub at Shop 7, 28-32 Wilson Street in Burnie or online at www.blackspacecreative.com.au

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PSYCHOLOGY

THE POWER OF YOUR OWN VOICE Words: Annia Baron I was 19 when my dad died. After some months passed, I put on a CD he had made and hearing his voice again, I fell apart. The sound of him singing did something to me and to this day, when I play his songs, it creates an experience more powerful than looking at pictures of his face.

Sound is integral to our sense of self and how we interpret and experience life, emotions, and relationships. We get to enjoy the tranquil sound of birds, soothing sounds of the ocean, music and laughter, and the voices of those we love and care about. But the one voice that remains most significant to our wellbeing is the one we hear the most – our own. And funnily enough, not many of us like the sound of our own voice. Why is that?

Our beautiful brains evolved to prioritise safety for survival and reproduction. Back in the day, threats were predominately wild beasts and things that could kill us. Today, physical threats to our safety are few, but psychological threats to our ego, self-identity and sense of belonging are plenty. At any sign of ‘danger’ our limbic system prioritises necessary biophysiological changes, including increased heart rate, rapid breathing and an elevation in cortisol and adrenaline. Cognitively, our thinking changes and our inner dialogue as a default, becomes more negative. These days though, what we hear isn’t “Quick, run from the lion chasing you!” but rather “So much is changing lately.” “I feel like a failure.” “Why do I always overthink everything?”

Because our brains are wired to be on alert for threats over positive stimuli, in essence, over the life span, we accumulate a whole lot more negative inner talk. If all our thoughts were recorded and turned into a Spotify playlist, the ratio of songs about self-doubt or self-depreciation would be greater than tracks which cultivate our sense of self-worth and belief. Add into the mix all the usual daily life stresses, pressures and comparison to others, no wonder we don’t like the sound of our own voice –generally, it’s been saying a lot of unpleasant things!

But merely replacing negative thoughts with positive words is not the answer. If your brain isn’t comfortable hearing you speak lovingly towards yourself in the first place, it’s not going to believe the content of what you’re saying, especially when your limbic system is triggered. To cut through the old unnecessary chatter, we need to hear ourselves speaking meaningful truths during times of meaningful change.

One way to do this is to think of situations in which you tend to revert to unhelpful or unwanted behaviours (e.g., avoidance, 38

distraction, relying on bad habits, seeking a quick fix, acting in misalignment with your values etc). Whip out your phone and press the record button. Imagine being your future self - the one that has achieved your goals and acts in a way that makes you feel good about yourself. Envisage yourself as the you who has already overcome bad habits. Or if it helps, think of what a loved one would say to you in those moments. Speak from that place.

Say what’s in your heart. For you, it may sound like a toughlove, kick-up-the-butt pep talk or perhaps it will sound more like a compassionate, courage-creating reminder. You may feel silly.

Your mind may tell you this is ridiculous. Do it anyway. Then, importantly, play it back. Play it often. Soon your brain will start to connect more authentically to the words you’re saying because your own voice, speaking in this new way, will no longer feel foreign to your auditory cortex. It will begin to sound like a song you want to listen to.

Every now and then, I still play my dad’s music. I smile. Listening to him sing is a reminder of the power we have in using our voice to better ourselves and the lives of those we love. Honour your own mindset playlist. Be selective with what voice you choose to hear.

If you’d like more information about mindset coaching, visit www.remindyourself.com or contact Annia, Clinical Psychologist & Mindset Coach on 0402 448 278 Our brains are hardwired for music.

But where does the power of music come from? Professor Daniel Levitin synthesizes psychology, music, and neuroscience in his book ‘This is Your Brain on Music’. He explores a cascade of activity, from the eardrum to cells deep inside the brain that regulate emotion set off whenever we hear music and explores how composers exploit the way our brains make sense of the world, how our musical preferences begin to form before we are born, and how musical expertise is built.

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TRAVEL ON THE ISLAND

Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival.

EMBRACE THE COLD AT THESE TASSIE WINTER EVENTS Words: Stephanie Williams Pics: Tourism Tasmania This month, with Dark Mofo on and interstate visitors wandering the streets, it might not seem so quiet, but now is the time to mark some events and weekends in your calendar to keep you going through the rest of the ‘off season’.

In years past, winter was the time I’d pack my little family up and jump on the ferry in search of the sun. And while this year isn’t as dire as last in a travel sense, there is still uncertainty in the air. A backyard holiday is still where we’re at. And we’re just lucky we have an awesome backyard.

And before you say you’ve seen it all, sometimes all it takes is an event to see a destination in a new light. Most of us have been to the Huon Valley before, but have you been when the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival is on in July? I haven’t. Get out your face paint, don some leaves in your hair and get ready to shoot the breeze around the bonfire.

On our doorstep in Hobart the Festival of Voices kicks off at the end of this month (more bonfire action!) and Tasmanian Whisky Week from 9 - 15 August, featuring distilleries from across the island. The Tasmanian Wine Festival, Winter Edition is being held this year over the weekend of the 7 - 8 August in Hobart’s Goods Shed celebrating the beautiful reds Tasmanian vineyards have to offer. Love science? The Beaker Street Festival returns from 6 - 8 August. There’s the Festival Hub at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery featuring fascinating talks by world-leading scientists, live music in the underground Speakeasy bar, a Sci Art Crawl around Hobart, scientist-led tours and small-group talks and dinners with scientists.

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Festival of Voices at Devil’s Corner.

Feel like a road trip further afield? Book your accommodation now for the Junction Arts Festival in Launceston from 1 - 5 August or the Great Eastern Wine Week from 3 - 13 September when vineyards, wine producers and makers, experiences, restaurants and cafes come together to showcase the beautiful coastal wine. If you’re more into food, the Tassie Scallop Fiesta is back this year on 1 August in Bridport. And if music is your thing, venues large and small across Devonport are transformed into performance spaces for the Devonport Jazz Festival from 22 - 25 July.

This year set aside some time to celebrate winter and embrace it. Rug up in your finest puffer and head out to one or many of these events and fill up that cup...or wine glass.

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TRAVEL ON THE ISLAND

SOUTH WEST WILDERNESS Words and pictures: Amanda Double After initial postponement due to wild weather, the sun is shining and the aerial views unsurpassable when we finally depart from Cambridge airport near Hobart, with Par-Avion.

This half-day tour is giving me my first taste of the wild beauty of the South West, one of the most remote and ruggedly untamed regions of the world, accessible only by foot, boat or light plane. As we fly over the sparkling coastline, our pilot points out Bruny Island, the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Recherche Bay and Cockle Creek, before we round South East Cape, Tasmania’s southernmost point, on our way to Melaleuca in the South West National Park. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, this is one of only three temperate wilderness areas left in the southern hemisphere.

Following the original Aboriginal inhabitants of the land, this pristine region has been largely uninhabited save for a few hardy characters who have attained the status of legend, such as the King family who mined tin here for decades. The inimitable Charles Denison (Deny) King, naturalist and “King of the Wilderness”, lived here for over 50 years from 1936 (with a brief break during the war), and his ashes are said to have been scattered here following his death in 1991. My father met Deny and his wife Margaret in January 1956 while bushwalking in the South West. The whole party enjoyed a yarn with them and Dad wrote gratefully later: “Mrs King invited us all inside that afternoon, and we watched her bake meat pies and fresh bread and scones for our tea, the smell unbelievably mouth-watering to half-starved bushwalkers!”

The next morning Deny ferried them all in his yacht across Port Davy inlet, the only payment he would accept being help loading his ketch with much-needed firewood from an island on the way. Dad 42

captured footage of Deny with the Bell and Howell “Sportster” 8mm movie camera he was carrying to film the walk.

Exactly three years after my father’s death, he’s in my thoughts as I land at the Melaleuca airstrip constructed by Deny not long after that 1956 visit. Along with the other visitors, I briefly explore the Nissen-style huts built by Deny and others and the surrounding buttongrass and paperbarks, before we board a boat awaiting us in the lagoon. As we slowly make our way from Melaleuca Inlet to Bathurst Harbour, the mountains and forests are reflected mirror-like in the still waters, enchanting us all - including an enthusiastic amateur photographer from Queensland who says she made this same trip the previous year and has already vowed to return again.

Part of the Port Davey Marine Reserve, this pristine estuary is the largest in southern Australia. The waters are also renowned for their dark brown stain, created by dark tannin freshwater overlaying the clear saltwater. Christobel Mattingley records in her 2001 biography of Deny King that he once mischievously told a rather objectionable British visitor that the water was so brown because they’d been chucking tea leaves into it. “When she remarked it was brown everywhere, Deny answered they’d been doing it for years.” We make our way to Clayton’s Corner, where we disembark to explore the home of fisherman Clyde Clayton and his wife Win (Deny’s sister), who lived here from 1962-1976 after moving from a less-sheltered site in Port Davey. The cottage is now managed by the Parks and Wildlife Service, and it’s a delightful place in which to eat the tasty lunch that has been pre-prepared for us by a Hobart café. Loving little touches that

made this house a home survive: photos, the Huon Pine laundry tub, some of Win’s beloved rhododendrons outside. And a handmade sign on the wall: “Thanks for dropping anchor”. We walk up Clyde’s Hill to look out over Bathurst Harbour from the summit, with spectacular views of the Celery Top Islands, Mount Rugby and the rugged Arthurs in the distance.

After heading back in the boat to Melaleuca, we set out on the Needwonnee Walk, a gentle, interpretive boardwalk experience created by Aboriginal Rangers, artists and community members to recognise the original inhabitants of this land, the Old People. Sadly there is no time today to visit the Deny King Heritage Museum or the hide where it is sometimes possible to glimpse the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, which breeds only around Melaleuca.

The weather is still perfect on our return to Hobart, with no mist to obscure our views of Port Davey and the mountains.

The pilot flies us over the gloriously snow-topped Western Arthur range, so close we are spellbound by revelatory deep mountain lakes and gushing waterfalls. When the little plane finally touches down, we break into spontaneous applause.

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HISTORY

CATALINA FLYING BOATS IN INLAND VICTORIA Words and pictures: Peter Carey

If you’re exploring the Mallee region in Northern Victoria, Lake Boga is worthy of a visit. It’s a 9.4 square kilometre fresh water endorheic lake, adjacent to a town of the same name, 325 kilometres north west of Melbourne or 142 kilometres from Echuca via the Murray Valley Highway, and a popular recreational locale for all things water sport.

For those interested in our military history, particularly the Pacific War; Lake Boga once served as the base for both the maintenance of the Catalina flying boats, and for covert military communication. Its inland location was strategically safer than coastal locations which were more vulnerable to Japanese air attacks such as that which Darwin suffered in 1942.

GMC truck series which he typically drove as part of his role in Borneo. As a crucial communication point, the original communication bunker beside the main building has been set up as it would have been, complete with mannequins dressed with military attire, guaranteed to launch one into the environment, typical of busy military communication operations. The bunker was built in 1942 and eventually shutting down in 1947, it pays a very deserving tribute to the men and women who operated it.

Although some of the aircraft had to be represented by scale models, by far the most impressive exhibit would be full sized original Catalina PBY5 A24.30 which was rescued from scrap, painstakingly restored and now takes pride of place in the centre of the main display area. As its recovery and restoration was the original catalyst for establishing the museum in the first place, it obviously stands as the dominant aircraft exhibit.

The Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum, popularly branded as “The Home Of The Catalina”, sits in the parkland on the shores of the lake. It is, from my experience, one of the most impressive facilities dedicated to an important part of our military history, rivalled only by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the RAAF Museum in Point Cook. Originally the brainchild of members of The Lions Club of Lake Boga, the idea started back in the early 1980’s and took about 14 years to bring the facility to its current form, before finally opening in 1997.

Visits start with a short documentary in a small theatrette, featuring a vast array of newsreel footage of the 1940’s, after which one is free to roam the large display room; a testament to the hard work of volunteers who painstakingly devoted many hours to the restoration to some 500 plus different military artifacts, including land vehicles.

I couldn’t help imagine how my late father George, an RAAF corporal of the Pacific War would have enjoyed the nostalgic fascination, had he been around to see this vast array of restored road vehicles; particularly the classic American Jeep or the 46

For swimming, camping, yachting, water skiing, or fishing; it’s an ideal spot. If walking is your preference, Lake Boga has a 4.5 kilometre paved track around its perimeter. For longer stays, the nearby Lake Boga Caravan Park is pet friendly and suited to family style accommodation.

Surf Not Salmon paddle out at Clifton Beach by Zoe Burton.

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