The Launceston Lively Magazine August 2023

Launceston Lively Magazine Launch Event a Great Success

The Launceston Lively Magazine celebrated its first edition last month with a launch event in Launceston, welcoming representatives from local businesses, non-profit organisations, government, council and community leaders to celebrate this new opportunity to showcase the best stories Launceston has to offer.

Moving forward, Managing Director of Hyperlocal Media, Zac Lockhart, said that there are exciting plans in the works. “We’re so excited to be the local owners and publishers of this new Magazine” he said.

“Looking ahead, we have a lot of plans to really integrate this magazine into the Launceston community, with an emphasis on connecting the community, supporting and promoting local small busi-

nesses, and providing reliable and independent reporting on local events, stories and happenings.”

“Of course, we can’t do this without the support of our advertisers and our members” he added.

“We don’t receive any government funding or grants, and as a local magazine we don’t have the backing of a national publisher to inject large amounts of capital as we grow.”

There are many ways to get involved with the Launceston Lively Magazine, starting with reading our free print and digital editions. If you’re looking for additional benefits, then the Friends of Launceston Lively Magazine program offers an annual membership

for just $59, which provides you with a membership card, access to additional members-only content, and other benefits.

“We’re also partnering with local businesses to offer our members discounts when they present their membership card in-store, so that’s a really exciting opportunity to not only provide some savings to our members, but also to promote small local businesses to our members, and encourage them to shop local.” Added Zac.

For more information on how to get involved, visit launcestonlively.com.au or look at the back page of this magazine for more contact details.

Launceston’s Newest Youth and Community Centre – The Ark

By Ezra Davidson

Launceston’s newest youth facility has just launched in St Leonards. Following the purchase in August 2019 of what was known as Avalon, 9

Killafaddy Road, Launceston

City Mission developed a plan to create a home for services to children, young people and families.

“We had a vision for The Ark

to become this safe place for children and youth, because all kids deserve that. The Ark in the history of the Bible was a safe place, a safe haven,” said City Mission CEO, Stephen Brown, “And the dream is

Above: City Mission Leadership team at the Launch of The Ark. (Photo: Ezra Davidson)

coming to fruition.”

Unique in its design, The Ark is a large building with the room to cater for the masses. Since mid-July the Ark has accommodated City Mission programs for children, youth and adults; Inside Out for Kids, teaching emotional literacy to primary school students; The Mish, supporting teenagers emerging to adulthood, and Mission 2 a Future, supporting people to build pathways to education and employment, mentoring them to have the confidence to achieve their goals. It will also house City Mission’s Community Development team who support people in neighbouring communities.

“A lot of the issues we see in later life in people come down to stories about what happened between the ages

of 0 to 12. I think once they have safety, they can heal and grow, and that’s really what we’re hoping to help them with,” said Mr Brown.

The Ark represents a bigger, more holistic approach to supporting young people all the way from children to adulthood and those critical evolution points in the middle years.

The Ark Youth and Community Centre opened on Wednesday 26th July 2023.

“This Launceston City Mission Arts Centre is a testament to your commitment to support every child, regardless of background or circumstance. So, I now have the greatest pleasure to declare this Launceston City Mission, Art, Youth and Community Centre officially open.” Announced Her

Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania

The ARK is the culmination of concerted effort, collaboration, and a shared vision to uplift our community. The aim is to provide a safe refuge for healing and restoration while creating opportunities for learning, development, and transformation.

“The Ark will be a long-term asset for the people of this community as we work with children, young people and parents. We’re looking forward to the future with a flexibility, and the safe spaces, to respond to what the community needs.” said Stephen Brown.

Outdoor Living: How to Style the Perfect Space

It is no surprise that Australians love the great outdoors but for all you home bodies out there, the great outdoors may translate to something along the lines of pottering in the garden, having a BBQ, reading a book in the sun and entertaining on the deck or patio.

Let’s take a look at some key elements that will help create the perfect outdoor space!

1. Furniture

Depending on the size of your outdoor space there are potentially endless options for

outdoor furniture.

Outdoor dining tables come in fixed and extendable lengths. Extendable dining tables have made a recent come back and provide excellent versatility. Perfect for larger gathering (think Christmas, birthdays and holidays) but small enough to not take up loads of room when the extension is not being used.

Outdoor bean bags are a great flexible piece that can be easily moved around to other outdoor areas. They are available in a wide range of bright colour and interesting

shapes and can really add the fun factor. Perfect for informal additional seating and beloved by kids and teenagers.

Individual lounge chairs or compact two seater lounges are fantastic for small spaces. Folding chairs are also a great option for tight or multipurpose areas. Opt for lounges that have comfortable cushioning and that are shaped for comfort.

Swinging chairs are a wonderful option for added relaxation and can be overhead fixed or free standing. They can

be a single chair or swinging lounge for two or more people. Add patterned cushions and pops of colour to create interest and coziness.

Handy Hint:

When selecting furniture ensure that it is designed to withstand the elements and you are prepared to keep up the required maintenance (if any).

2. Rugs

Outdoor rugs have really come into their own in recent years with clever materials being used that can withstand prolonged exposure to harsh outdoor environments. An

outdoor rug will really define the space you are creating and can add beautiful texture, pattern and colour.

3. Lighting

Add the wow factor with outdoor lighting! It creates a mood, elegance and provides safety. You want to add lighting not only to your immediate outdoor area but also its surrounds. Why not string festoon or fairy lights from your fence or scatter lanterns around the edge of the deck or patio. Light some candles for tabletops. Solar lights are the perfect set and forget lighting solution and can help illuminate pathways or define

other outdoor features.

4. Plants

It sounds obvious, but potted plants are a great way to create an inviting space. Think of things like beautiful potted lemon trees, dwarf conifers or masses of small bright flowers to really lift your outdoor space. And if you maybe don’t posses one of those green thumbs, artificial plants have come a long way in terms of realistic appearances and availability.

Happy styling!

Gabrielle

About the Author: Gabrielle Towns is a Launceston based Interior Designer with over 10 years’ experience. She works closely with both residential and commercial clients to create beautiful, considered spaces. A lover of all things art, architecture and design, Gabrielle has extensive experience across project management, client communication and interior finish selections.

Adoreu baby: A Safe Space for Those Who Have Lost Their Baby

By Leila Yarrow

On the 12th of July, adoreu baby had a launch presenting a collaboration between the owners, Amanda Reilly & Jasmine Shepherd, and Emily Judd. A heart-tugging and beautiful display was presented, filled with various products for those who lost a baby. Being one of the first baby stores in Launceston, adoreu baby wanted to not only cater to all mothers and parents, but also

offer a safe space.

It started when Emily Judd, having gone through the heartbreaking experience of her son’s death, went searching for books and baby products for those who had lost a baby. Needing to explain to her 3.5-year-old daughter what had happened to her brother she was expecting, she had to make do with an online-bought sibling loss book that took months to

arrive. Needing to process her grief and find solace, she went searching for a baby loss journal - only to find nothing.

It took some time, but she did find that beautiful keepsakes and gifts existed, but none were stocked in retail stores. Emily took it upon herself to go and ask local baby stores if they would consider stocking baby loss resources and gifts in their shop. When she had asked adoreu baby, they were

eager to embark on this positive change to their store.

“It was important for us to be including those families that have suffered bereavements that have still had babies that they can feel like they can walk into essentially, what is a baby store but feel like they’re not excluded from purchasing or looking around for their baby who was here but is no longer with us.” Amanda Reilly, co-owner of adoreu baby, said. Stocking the baby loss items is not just about offering a service to bereaved families, it’s also about making them feel comfortable and feel apart of a community.

Emily spoke about inclusion and representation, “It means a lot actually, because it means that parents who have lost a baby are included in baby stores. You know you’re represented. They’re still included. When your baby dies, a lot of things immediately change and you’re still a parent”

“It’s really nice to be able to have a special gift range installed so that people can still come in and buy a beautiful gift for a little baby who didn’t get to come home.”

Research in the area has shown that acknowledgement

of their baby, their parenthood, and their traumatic grief is extremely important and may affect their lives for years and years.

“If people don’t know how to acknowledge that baby, it just leaves that bereaved family feeling even more isolated. So, by having these things in store now, if people know of someone who’s lost a baby or a child, they can come into the store and lovingly pick something and get some help to do so, because most people don’t know what to do. But adoreu baby is now offering that service, they can help somebody pick a meaningful gift.” Emily Judd voiced.

This is not only a great opportunity for bereaved families to find a meaningful keepsake, but for those who have loved ones who want to support them.

“Like Emily said, as a community, we’re not good at talking about death and dying generally, but when you’re talking about the death of a child, people very much distance themselves from discussing it, and ultimately there is still a person there. There is a little human that’s being born” Amanda stated, “ they just didn’t make it to live a life, so

they’re still a baby that people want to celebrate.”

A topic that’s rarely brought up and seen more-so as an irrational anxiety for expectant parents is devastatingly common. Nobody expects the loss of their baby that they’ve planned a whole childhood for, and it seems as though the lack of representation becomes apparent as soon as you’re in that situation. However, with the start of this collaboration, we all hope that more baby stores follow suite. This reality exists in the world and it’s so important that expectant parents feel as though they have a safe space in case a loss occurs, as well as the bereaved families feeling supported.

If you have been affected by pregnancy loss, stillbirth or anything else in this story, support is available:

• Red Nose Grief and Loss

(Formerly SIDS and Kids):

1300 308 307

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• BeyondBlue: 1300 224 636

• Suicide Call Back Service:

1300 659 467

Future of Local Government Review Community feedback hearings are on soon.

Community hearings for the Future of Local Government Review are fast approaching. Nine public hearings are scheduled to be held this August, where both councils and community members will be presenting the Local Government Board with their ideas for the future of local government in Tasmania. Community sessions will be held at the following locations:

• Tamar Valley • Windsor Community Centre, 1 Windsor Dr, Riverside • Friday 11 August 2023 Council sessions will also be held on these days, which community members can also register to attend. Hearings will be livestreamed where possible. If you wish to attend a hearing, you must register your interest prior.

To find out more about the hearings and to register, visit engage.futurelocal.tas.gov.au/community-hearing-registration

Local Info

Bookings open for Myrtle Park camp grounds

The hall will be available for bookings, while day-use areas such as the tennis courts and the café, will also reopen.

Overnight camping fees at the site are $21 per campsite or $26 for a campsite with fire pit.

The City of Launceston has opened bookings for the Myrtle Park Camping Ground for the summer season ahead, with the popular park set to open to campers from Friday, September 1, through until Friday, May 31, 2024.

Bookings for camp sites are

now open through the Launceston Visitor Information Centre and online via the City of Launceston website at launceston.tas.gov.au/MyrtlePark

Thirty campsites will be available to the public, with 15 sites boasting river frontage.

Your Local Marketing & Media Experts

Fees are inclusive of two adults, while children 15 years of age and under stay free of charge when accompanied by an adult.

Extra adults incur a $5 per night charge and sites can accommodate a maximum of ten people.

Our marketing & media solutions help you connect with your audience.

Visit hyperlocalmedia.com.au

Meet Launceston’s New Mayor: A Candid Conversation with Matthew Garwood

By Zac Lockhart

In a candid conversation, we sat down with Launceston’s new mayor, Matthew Garwood, to get a glimpse into his life, his vision for the city, and his journey into politics.

Many people in Launceston know you mostly for your music, and as a radio personality. When you strip that away, who is Matthew Garwood?

“I always do try and be really upfront with who I am, and I try to let that shine through. From my personality traits to

speaking about my sort of upbringings, but if I was to be at home on a Sunday afternoon with no one else around, it’s Matt in his Oodie. He’s watching the football, or bingeing the Office for the 12th time, I really am actually quite a quiet person.”

During the interview, Matthew described a unique self-perception, referring to himself as an introverted extrovert. He explained that in public settings, he projects a strong sense of confidence and extroversion, while internally, he retains a genuine shyness and quiet nature. He attributed this aspect

to the opportunities he’s encountered, which have helped shape his distinct persona. Despite his outward projection, Matthew emphasized his inherent humility and quiet disposition, finding comfort both within his home environment and in diverse settings like operas, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift concerts, and even Slipknot concerts.

If you had to pick 3 words to describe yourself, what would those be?

“It’s always a tough question to self-evaluate yourself in words, so I would like to think

that I am quite a thoughtful person and being thoughtful not just in the way of thinking of others and their feelings, and how to approach the situations but just in general, how to approach life. I’d like to put a lot of thought into it so thoughtful.”

Matthew also describes himself as being humble.

“Not just humble through experiences that I’ve had, but humble in a way that I feel that people can approach me. Without using the word approachable, but humble in that general sense if someone come up, have a general conversation regardless of what my experiences or my titles or my role is, humble in the way that I approach people and myself.”

A third characteristic Matthew identifies with is a sense of humour. He finds amusement in various aspects, such as his own appearance and his ability to find himself amusing even when he’s the only one laughing. He acknowledges that while his role demands maturity, he still maintains a playful and light-hearted side, occasionally embracing a hint of immaturity.

Coming in as mayor, what are your priorities and what are your plans?

“Great questions that have come up ever since even deputy mayor and then acting mayor and now so the first priority, it has to be as simple as refocus. Refocusing the Council back to people, back to the Community because for the last couple of months, to be really honest, there has been individual focuses on campaigning, on running, on put-

ting the hand up and thinking what do I want to do if I get in the position, or what do I want to do as a candidate.”

“Now for me that that candidate time, the election time is over, it’s about refocusing, focusing on the community again. That’s number one, in terms of the big visionary mayoral kind of campaigning, I do think that we get a little caught up in big picture questions, we see through the media and we see through campaigns people talking about homelessness, they talk about traffic, they talk about vision as a whole, but I think it gets a bit lost in that contrast.” Within a mere two months, Matthew immersed himself in discussions with various mayors about reforms and LGAT (Local Government Association Tasmania) changes concerning the Presidency. Engaging in these conversations allowed him to raise questions and converse with fellow mayors, leading to a particularly impactful insight from a mayor in the southern region.

“One that really resonated with me was from down south where the mayor was saying that their vision is a vision of connectedness. I would like to think that I’ve resonated with that, and I would like to see a connected Council.”

“That connection as a vision that comes through infrastructure, it comes through transport, it comes through a connected vision around arts, culture and recreation. That’s my overall vision or mantra or vision statement is a connected council through all of those and then through that vision comes the subheadings of, well, how do we get con-

nected through infrastructure and transport? Well, we start to look at our public transport systems. We look at traffic calming and ensuring that people on bikes, on footpaths, on scooters feel safe.”

“We’re connected through our Cultural advisory committee going well, this is where we see our strengths artistically. We have such an incredible arts and culture based community. We’re connected through our food and our wine through our city of gastronomy so that’s my overall vision.”

However, Matthew maintains a pragmatic perspective, recognizing that the mayor holds one of twelve positions within the Council. While the mayor’s ambitious vision may take shape, its realization hinges on the collaborative efforts of the Council members alongside the community. This understanding underscores the significance of community engagement, translating the vision from mere words into meaningful action. Matthew emphasizes the need to establish a strong connection with the community, ensuring that this connection is rooted in the community’s desires.

This involves discerning the community’s priorities, whether they involve altering the Launceston flag or addressing matters of importance to the community. Matthew underscores the importance of aligning their vision with the trajectory of the city, ensuring a harmonious direction that resonates with the community’s aspirations.

Read the extended interview online at launcestonlively. com.au

Local florists lead the way in sustainability

By Zac Lockhart

The floristry industry has been around for many years, and while there are always changes and innovation in any industry over the years, such as the implementation of online ordering which is now common among florists, a Launceston based florist is now leading the way for the industry, demonstrating small changes that can be made in a bid to be sustainable and ethical in business.

We interviewed Tom Miller, owner and business development manager of Florage Tasmania to find out more. “We’ve owned the business for just over a year, Florage have been around for quite a while,

and since we’ve owned it, we’ve transformed it, I guess, to what it is today.”

“Our main point of difference with the other florists in town is we do take a very eco-friendly approach. So what that means is we source as many of our flowers as we can from local growers, so flowers are getting grown within about [approximately] a 75 kilometre radius of Lonnie.”

“At this time of year, that’s a little bit harder, of course” added Tom, “so we have to get a few through the wholesalers, though we do try to get only flowers from Australia.”

What many might not know as common knowledge, is that

a large portion of the flowers sold in Australia are actually grown oversees, and imported in by wholesalers to be distributed to florists around the country at large flower markets.

In addition to supporting local, the team at Florage are also leading the way in environment sustainability.

“We don’t want to send out any single use plastics out into the world”

“Our flowers will only come as a bouquet or in a glass vase. Often you see flowers for sale, they’re wrapped in cellophane plastic, they’ve got a synthetic ribbon tied around them, they have balloons attached, etc. so

we don’t do any of that.”

“Our mantra is very much recycle, upcycle, reuse or compost.” Added Tom.

Rather than using plastic cellophane to wrap their flowers, Florage use a mix of recycled brown paper, pieces of hessian and dampened cloth to keep the flowers fresh throughout the delivery process.

As well as flowers, the team also sell hampers filled with local gifts, including Tamar Valley Wine, artisan self-care products, candles, and a range of other hand-picked items. As an extra draw card, they also offer the ability to build your own hamper from the items in-store, and are working to expand this option to their online store.

Tom and Andre, owners of

Florage have owned the business for a little over a year now, and are self described as ‘corporate refugees’ having both come from high level careers looking for something different.

“We’ve spent the last 10 years living in Asia in Hong Kong. Very different lives.”

“I was working for an international bank, so corporate banking, and Andre is a designer by trade, so architect, interior designer and had spent 20 odd years working in luxury retail, working for brands like Gucci and Chanel at a fairly senior level.”

“Then we got stuck in Hong Kong with COVID, where it’s all locked down and we couldn’t leave.”

“Obviously it was difficult to

get home to our families, etc., so we figured it was time for us to do our own thing, and we landed on florist, really based on Andrew’s creative background and his ability to put together a bunch of flowers.”

“We had the opportunity to purchase a business, as opposed to starting from scratch.”

“So we had a few different places on our hit list, but we were looking at Tasmania, and the first business that that we were really interested in that came up for sale was this one [Florage]”.

Read the extended version of this article online at launcestonlively.com.au

Florage is located at 7 Hobart Road, South Launceston.

Local Info

Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival 2023

the judges’ shortlisted entrants from this year’s Short Film Competition. Plus, go beyond the screen with engaging post-screening Q&A sessions, and have the time of your life at BOFA’s world-famous Red Carpet Opening Night Party.

Get ready for an impressive film experience at the Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival (BOFA) 2023! Tasmania’s premier film festival is set to return for a jam-packed long weekend from September 1-3.

This year, BOFA is proud to

showcase the mesmerizing world of animated films on the silver screen, catering to both big kid anime fans and the little ones who adore animated stories.

Immerse yourself in a diverse selection of films as you watch

Proudly supported by the City of Launceston, BOFA continues to thrive and bring topnotch cinematic experiences to audiences.

For festival updates and ticketing visit breath-offresh-air.com.au/

Your ad here

launcestonlively.com.au/advertise

Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA™)

courses are designed to teach the everyday Australian the skills required to provide first aid to an individual who may be developing a mental health problem, or is in crisis. BOOK

2 Day Mental Health First Aid Course

This 2 Day course covers Depression, Anxiety, Psychosis and Substance Use Problems, as well as Mental Health First Aid for crisis situations, including Suicidal thoughts and behaviours, panic attacks, traumatic events, Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Severe Psychotic States, Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use, and aggressive behaviours.

Cost: $250 - Includes 3-Year Accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider, and all learning materials provided.

Courses are held each month at The Launceston Conference Centre, with free on-site parking and a café located onsite.

Become an Accredited Mental Health First Aider!

mentalhealthlearningaustralia.com/courses

Local Info

The Ongoing Challenge for Train Operators

work sites and should only ever be accessed by trained staff and personnel. Members of the public should never enter a working railyard as a matter of safety. You wouldn’t walk your dog or go for a run in a building site, don’t do it in a rail yard. There is no such thing as a safe shortcut through the rail corridor,” she said.

Amidst the ever-changing landscape of rail travel, the nation’s train operators face a daunting reality—embracing the unpredictable with unwavering determination, knowing they cannot veer off their course to evade the unforeseen. As the 7th of August marks the start of the 18th annual National Rail Safety Week, it brings into sharp focus the unyielding importance of safety on and around the railways. The message from TasRail is simple yet clear, when it comes to railway tracks and trains, we should all put safety first.

“Night and day, 24/7, our people work to deliver millions of tonnes of commodities across our State, providing a safe and reliable transport alternative to road. For the most part, our people work in heavy industrial workplaces, or drive locomotives that can’t swerve and take up to 1000 metres to stop under emergency brake,” TasRail CEO Steven Dietrich said. “As a result, keeping members of the public and our team members safe is one of TasRail’s most important priorities – we want everyone to go home safe and well every day.” TasRail reports that nationally,

there on average seven fatalities per month and around 1,880 level crossing trespass near hits annually. Mr Dietrich said that TasRail continued to reach out to educate the Tasmanian public about rail safety via a variety of platforms, including online, radio, and community and school group visits.

“We need heavy and light vehicle drivers to understand that these are road rules, not rail rules, that we are asking them to follow,” he said.

“Just as importantly, we need people – pedestrians, cyclists, fisherman, photographers, runners, school children, dogwalkers, you name it – to remember that our rail corridor and infrastructure, especially bridges and our yards, are no place for members of the public.”

In 2022-23 TasRail reported a 5 per cent increase in trespass incidents around the State.

TasRail Risk and Compliance Lead Corrie Summers said that disappointingly this figure had been steadily on the rise since 2020.

“Rail yards are 24/7 industrial

In recent times, the team has noticed increased risk-taking across all ages, especially worrisome is youths using bridges recreationally or getting distracted by mobiles. School visits reveal few students grasp the lasting impact of these choices. Parents are urged to discuss this important matter. Ms Summers emphasised that while many thousands of Tasmanians interact with the railway daily, the majority without incident, any level crossing incident had the very real potential to cause serious harm or loss of life.

“A decision to ignore the signs and signals at railway crossings could have far-reaching effects – to motorists and pedestrians, their families, locomotive drivers and rail staff and the broader community. Fatalities, incidents and near hits on the network can cause severe and lasting trauma to the rail employees involved, and most of these incidents can be avoided.”

For further information about rail industry initiatives during National Rail Safety Week go to https://tracksafefoundation. com.au/event/rail-safety-week/

Recipe of the month: Oat Bars

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15-20 mins

Makes 8-10

Ingredients:

1 cup Rolled Oats

1 cup Mixed Fruit

½ cup Raw Sugar

½ cup or 115g Butter

1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup

½ cup Coconut

1 Egg

¼ cup Plain Flour

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 180oc and grease a lamington tray (30.2 x 20 x 3 cm approx.)

2. Combine oats, mixed fruit, sifted flour, sugar & coconut in a bowl and stir to combine.

3. Add melted butter, golden syrup and egg to the dry ingredients until mixture clings together. Add cinnamon and stir through.

4. Pour the contents into the tray and evenly spread the

mixture across the entire tray and bake in an oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. The time may vary depending on ovens.

5. Cut into bars while hot and remove from the tray when cold.

Trivial Tales

Feeling ‘blue’...

Have you ever wondered where this saying comes from?

We mostly associate feeling ‘blue’ with feelings of sadness, unhappiness or being down in the dumps.

In actual fact, the origin of this phrase is believed to have come from an old naval custom once used by sailing ships.

Early usage of the term feeling ‘blue’, is believed to have been derived from the symbolic custom of a sailing ship who had lost her captain or one of her officers during the last voyage, flying a blue flag or painting a blue band along its hull upon returning to its home port.

Jokes

I visited my friend at his new house. He told me to make myself at home, So I threw him out. I hate having visitors.

I just received my doctor’s test results and I’m quite upset... Turns out I’m not going to be a doctor...

What’s worse than biting into an apple and discovering a worm?

Biting into an apple and discovering half a worm.

Why do people tell actors to break a leg?

Every play has a cast...

Photo Competition

PHOTOGRAPHER: Leeola Hepher

For a chance to have your photo featured in the Launceston Lively Magazine, and win a $250 print voucher to spend at Launceston Camera House, simply send in your best photo of Launceston or surrounds by visiting launcestonlively.com. au/photo-competition

*Terms & Conditions apply. Visit the website for details.

Our monthly photo competition is made possible thanks to the support of Launceston Camera House.

Follow these steps to enter*

PHOTO: Sunset on the Silos Jetty

Above: A map of the planned works and key locations throughout Launceston and the Tamar Valley. (Supplied by TasWater)

Preparations to start on one of Launceston’s most significant sewer projects

TasWater is gearing up to commence one of Launceston’s most significant sewer projects with the construction of a new pipeline in the heart of the city that will improve the health of kanamaluka/ Tamar estuary and the environment that surrounds it. General Manager Project Delivery Tony Willmott said after years of planning, TasWater was excited to get started and deliver this significant project for Launceston.

“This is a transformative pipeline project for the city’s combined sewer and stormwater network,” Tony said.

“It is one of the largest projects of its type in Tasmania and, once complete, it will increase our capacity to transfer sewage and stormwater and significantly reduce the frequency and volume of overflow events,” he said.

As part of the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (TERHAP), TasWater will be constructing and installing around three kilometres of new pipeline between our Margaret Street Sewage Pump Station, located near Kings Park, to our Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant in Invermay.

These pipes will be installed predominately in the estuary and will be laid up to 40 metres under the riverbed. Site establishment works will begin in the next couple of weeks to prepare for the commencement of main project works.

In preparation for these major works, we will begin levelling the grassed mound and removing several established and newer plantings at Kings Park (Paterson Street frontage), including two large cedar trees and two medium gum trees.

“We’ve designed this project to minimise our footprint on the local environment, which has helped reduce the number of trees we need to remove and lessen impacts on Kings Park,” Tony said.

“We’re working closely with the City of Launceston to

finalise the project’s revegetation/landscape designs for this area of Kings Park, and we will also work with the council and regional catchment authorities to identify potential “high value” timber reuse opportunities.”

During site establishment works, Launceston residents and visitors can expect to see an increase in work crews and machinery in the Kings Park area. There will also be some medium-level noise associated with these works.

Next month, TasWater will hold a community information drop-in session and encourage residents to come along to speak with our project team. Details will be advertised in local media and via social media channels.

TERHAP is an initiative of the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce (TEMT) and the Launceston City Deal, to improve the health of kanamaluka/Tamar estuary.

A total of $129.2 million is being invested by the Australian Government, Tasmanian Government, TasWater and City of Launceston under the Launceston City Deal to implement the key actions in the plan.

TasWater is currently delivering a planned 10-year, $1.84 billion capital investment program for completion in financial year 2025-26.

kanamaluka/Tamar

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