Tamar Valley News April 2023

Exeter 3C Group celebrates 20 years

through the Holman Clinic, it’s surprising the amount of money we can raise on the day that we have our morning tea.’ Said Susan.

Lorraine added ‘When Prince William and Kate were married, we sent a special card from the group, signed it, and sent a photograph of our group and they acknowledged it, which we had framed. We acknowl edged Prince George when he was born, and Princess Charlotte and we received thanks for that. We didn’t expect that, and the postie got quite a kick out of deliv ering the mail!’

‘what happens in the group, stays in the group!’

All jokes aside though, this is more than just a group to make beautiful cards and the like, with one of the ladies sharing a heart-warming story about an inaugural member who truly cherished the group and looked forward to attending each

with, we can accommodate them if they just want to come along and see what’s happening.’

With the UK now holding the position, Ministry for Loneliness (it is reported that approximately 9 million Britons suffer from loneliness) no doubt groups like Exeter 3C are becoming

By Phillip Ragan

After a tip-off from a wellknown local, the Tamar Valley News visited the ladies at Exeter 3C Group at Exeter Uniting Church who were celebrating their 20-year anniversary on the day.

‘We are called Exeter 3C’s which stands for craft, company and conversation, but there’s a lot of coffee, chatting and laughter in between!’ Said long term member and talented artist Susan Reeve.

Exeter 3C Group are a craft group meeting at the Uniting Church in Exeter each Tuesday morning for crafts such as card making and working on unfinished crafts.

‘We do a lot of card making basically, mostly for personal use, families, friends etc…any excuse to make a nice card.’ Susan added.

Their 20-year anniversary is quite a milestone ‘we started with about 7 or 8 people and have grown over the years.’ Said club President

Lorraine added that any local ladies interested can ‘just turn up and they would be made to feel most welcome. The ladies will often bring a friend along to see if they would like to join the group.’

‘Over the years, even though we are only a small club, a past member got us having the biggest morning tea. A good few years ago we started raising funds for cancer.

Just this last year instead of doing it through the Cancer Council we’ve done it

The cards are homemade, made from the heart, and personalised accordingly.

But first and foremost, the group is about com munity and friendship. ‘We consider our friend ships to be long lasting, and we watch out for one another, if someone’s not here, perhaps give them a ring.’ Said Lorraine.

The ladies are great to have a laugh with too! When I told them I thought 3C Group was some kind of secret society the laughter began with Susan joking

visitors needed to bring their own art and craft equipment? ‘Not to start

from 10am at the Uniting Church in Exeter or call (03) 6394 4817.

Study highlights doubts over the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger

A team of international researchers has shed new light on the extinction of the Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, one of the most iconic and mysterious animals of the 20th century.

The study, led by University of Tasmania professor of environmental sustainability Barry Brook, used a comprehensive database of 1,237 observational records from Tasmania, dating from 1910 onwards, to map the species' decline and eventual

extinction.

“We found that the Thylacine's distribution shrank rapidly after a period when bounties were provided for animal skins across Tasmania (1888-1909), and that the most likely location of the last surviving subpopulation was in the south-western region,” Professor Brook said.

The team also estimated the most likely extinction date for the species, using uncertainty modelling and

sensitivity analysis.

“The results showed that extinction likely occurred within four decades after the last capture, so around the 1940s to 1970s.

“But we found, through further analysis, that extinction might have been as recent as the late 1980s to early 2000s, with a very small chance that it still persists in the remote south-western wilderness areas.”

Professor Brook said this

study provided the most comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the Thylacine's extinction to date.

“We used a novel approach to map the geographical pattern of its decline across Tasmania, and to estimate its extinction date after taking account of the many uncertainties.”

“Our findings not only shed new light on the fate of this iconic species, but also demonstrate a useful

method for conservation prioritisation and search efforts for other rare species of uncertain status."

Co-author Dr Stephen Sleightholme from the International Thylacine Specimen Database said the Thylacine was one of the most fascinating and enigmatic animals of modern times.

“It has captivated the public's imagination for decades and inspired many efforts to prove its ongoing existence.

Our study shows that there is still much to learn about its history and ecology.”

This research represents a step forward in Australia’s contribution to the international effort to protect the planet’s diverse and valuable ecosystems.

This research was published in Science of the Total Environment.

Lorraine Porter.

In March, the Beauty Point Seahorse Farm celebrated 25 years since its commencement in 1998.

It has weathered many challenges over this time and grown to be a well-known Tasmanian exporter and tourism product.

Originally called Seahorse Aquaculture, the business hoped to breed seahorses

Seahorse Farm Makes 25 Years! Featured Article

product was soon realized and Seahorse World was birthed, opening in late 2000 in a separate facility on the north end of Inspection Head Wharf.

However, the production farm continued to have problems and was sold to the Senior biologist Rachelle Hawkins and husband Craig in 2002.

Over the next few years, much work was done to improve efficiencies, breed new species and market globally including trips to international trade shows in Singapore and Japan.

the international CITES register as endangered species, Seahorse Australia requires Federal Government export approvals and are currently the only operational farm in Australia and one of few in the world.

In 2010, the Seahorse World tourism facility was purchased by the Hawkins, bringing the whole operation back under the same banner.

Year by year they have made improvements to the experience and have won 2 silver medals and a bronze at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards.

places you can see the extremely rare Tasmanian Spotted Handfish.

Seahorse World became part of the National Threatened Species Recovery Team for the Tasmanian Handfish in 2017 and was the first to successfully breed them in captivity, with some being released back to the wild soon after.

Seahorse World enjoys widespread support from the local community and employs 14 staff most of whom live in the local area.

to supply to the Traditional Chinese medicine market where there is a high demand for them and wild populations were being impacted.

Research and development was conducted for several years before it became apparent that costs of production reduced the feasibility of the proposal.

The company name was changed to Seahorse Australia and a small number of seahorses started to be sold to the local ornamental industry.

Many people were keen to see what was going on in the breeding program and 2 tours per day began to be held.

The potential for a tourism

Eventually these paid off and sales to aquarium wholesalers, public aquariums and universities around the world started to flow.

Seahorses are regularly sent to countries in Europe, Japan and South Korea but have also been sent to unexpected locations such as Guam and Brunei.

As seahorses are listed on

The experience showcases a real farm for seahorses and visitors are getting a behind-the-scenes look at a very different fish farming operation.

This is part of the unique charm of Seahorse World which also shows other bizarre creatures from the waters around Tasmania, including one of the only

Owner, Rachelle Hawkins, who has been with the business the whole 25 years says she is still captivated by the seahorses and enjoys the challenges that such a different sort of occupation entails. If you have not visited yet, why not join a tour and learn more about these incredible creatures in your own backyard.

Paying it forward: How you can help our local youth

with a man called Peter who participated in the ‘Pay It Forward’ program every year and shared this knowledge with his young neighbour, Jenny.

Like so many others, Jenny had a tough upbringing but was able to recognise assistance given to young people could turn her life around and now that she is older, she to donates $50 to pay it forward.

The next part of the story delves into a boy by the name of Patrick who has a pretty good home life except for the fact that his Granddad passed away which made him very sad.

Unsure of how to talk about his sadness, Patrick sometimes gets quite angry.

Patrick continuing through life where he gets a job as a social worker, providing emotional assistance to others in need.

“$50.00 allowed us to go into the school and change Patrick's life.” Narelle said.

“We weren’t the only answers, there’s lots of answers and lots more people have had their lives changed. Lives and communities can be changed through one simple act of giving that extends far beyond the initial act.”

General Manager of Client Services, Narelle Howell explains the campaign (PHOTO: Ezra Davidson)

By Ezra Davidson

City Mission launches its ‘Pay It Forward’ campaign for 2023 signalling the start of a two-month long campaign to raise funds for Inside Out 4 Kids and The Mish to help equip youth aged 4-25 with the day-today skills required to manage personal health and in turn maintain employment.

Whether it be social or systemic, City Mission is devoted to the youth and helping to create pathways through the difficulties so many face on a day-to-day basis.

While the unemployment rate slowly falls, youth unemployment remains high throughout Tasmania. For the last 12 months it averaged 10% while the National average for 15–24-year-olds was 7.4%.

Whilst young people are faced with many challenges when it comes to seeking employment, we need to get back to some basics.

One-on-one mentoring and

support is invaluable for those young people who need to build a range of non-vocational skills before training and employment options are even considered.

“The Mish provides targeted support for youth and young people to see their generation find hope, engagement and fulfilment.”

City Mission’s CEO Stephen Brown said

“In conjunction with local partnered organisations and professionals, including Headspace and Head to Health, we deliver programmes that strike a balance between therapy, development and living skills, flexible pathways for young people seeking to re-join learning and work pathways, the development of micro business skills and nonconfrontational social interaction.”

“We know we can create better awareness of the challenges our young people face and how City Mission programs Inside Out 4 Kids and The Mish provide

support to overcome these hurdles and help build clear pathways for them to realise their ambitions.”

Inside Out 4 kids, is an early intervention program building the emotional wellbeing for kids, “It provides 3 with a fourth programme under development, emotional literacy programmes for children with the aim of assisting them to develop healthy strategies to manage change, grief and loss and as I said, develop that literacy in emotional thinking.”

The City Mission plan to launch an online learning platform, to be made available to help those out of the reach of the Inside Out 4 Kids program.

Through this platform the City Mission hopes to train more of the key people in our schools, such as nurses, chaplains and teacher’s aids.

“To address the considerable unmet need in North and NW Tasmania and to expand support in Southern Tasmania. We also have un-

der development, an online learning platform and that will become available by the middle of this year.” Stephen continued, “This will enable ongoing updated content and improvements in the training programme.”

Dedicated to making a positive impact in the community, Launceston City Mission continue to seek funding for its ongoing efforts to continue running programs such as the Emotional Literacy Program which costs the City Mission approximately $50 per child to do.

General Manager of Client Services, Narelle Howell shared a story that showcased the tangible benefits of the 'Pay It Forward' campaign.

Her narrative underscored how this initiative can generate a positive ripple effect throughout the community, creating meaningful improvements in the lives of those involved.

The narrative commenced

“Patricks class just happened to have the Inside Out for Kids team come and do the Primary Emotional Literacy program with them for five weeks.

Patrick really enjoys it and starts to understand all the things he feels when he thinks about his grandad.” Narelle shared

“One of the most important things he learns is that it's important to talk about his feelings and how much it helps him when he does talk about those feelings in a safe place.”

The story concludes with

“Our Inside Out 4 Kids and The Mish services are not the entire solution for these young people in our community. We have many working together, but we aim to play our part in the connectors and integrated system of care in this community.” Said Stephen Brown.

For more information about the ‘Pay it forward’ Campaign, you can do so at: https://www.citymission.org.au/support-us/ donate-to-our-pay-it-forward-program

Remembering Vietnam - Lessons learned from War People of the Tamar

By Phillip Ragan

With ANZAC Day upon us, it seemed fitting to feature former Tasmanian Soldier, Michael Grey as our Person of the Tamar for April.

Michael Grey was born in Scottsdale in 1947, he grew up around Lake Leak, not too far from the Campbell Town area in the Northern Midlands and had a relatively normal, rural upbringing.

Mike was educated as a correspondent student, before finding his first job.

‘I started working on the land for Benham out in Avoca for 7 pounds 10 a week for a 44-hour week and I thought bugger this and so when I turned 17 I went off and joined the army.’ Said Mike.

His new position in the army took him to Kapooka near Wagga Wagga where he received basic training. It was quite a culture shock for the young man from Scottsdale.

‘At 17 I was thrown in with a lot of older blokes who were 22-25 years of age, a lot of them had gone off the rails and were given the option, go to court for stealing a car or whatever and you’ll probably get 18 months in jail or join the force.’

‘I went to the RAE school of engineering in Liverpool, Sydney and did all my core training there, I was hopeless at algebra and geometry, so they put me into explosives. There was a good part about that, you only made one mistake!’

At age 19 Mike was posted in transit to Vietnam and served on the front line for 13 months as part of 1 Field Squadron in support of Infantry and Armoured Cavalry.

Mike spoke of the many realities of life on the front line, one such story of a greeting he received from a young Vietnamese woman during a village search painted a visual picture of the situation.

‘I was told what she did was the most disrespectful thing possible in their culture,’ said Mike, ‘It meant you are not welcome here.’

That was one of the milder things Mike encountered, as a large portion of his time was working in the tunnel complexes and dealing with explosives on the front line in the dark jungle terrains where dodging bullets and avoiding deadly cobras were all part of daily life.

‘How I actually served for a short time was part of an American regiment,’ said Mike, ‘I did 219 days jungle time and became a corporal at age 20, in charge of a group where we served the battalions, we were working with the Americans in a sticky area. We did all the mines, booby traps, blowing up tunnels, that kind of thing.’

‘I became a tunnel rat,’ said Mike.

‘A lot of us put our heads together and if we found unarmed people underground

like women, kids or men that had no weapons we left them alone, we weren’t into body count.’

gether shoulder to shoulder, and you drank together.’

Mike returned from

Mike now considers himself a humanist and a pacifist and wanted to put on record his anti-war stance.

‘We should never have been in Vietnam’ said Mike ‘we were told that if we didn’t go the communists would take over but about 70% of them were Buddhists’ said Mike. ‘They weren’t communists, they just wanted their land back that’s all.’

‘I’ve been back twice and actually met with senior Viet Cong and had conversations with them.’

‘We should avoid wars at all costs,’ said Mike, ‘Yes we’ll defend our country, we’ll defend our borders and if we have to, defend our neighbours if they are attacked, but try to avoid all conflict.’ said

and internationally, as well as rubbing shoulders with many senior politicians and dignitaries, describing himself as a ‘convenient drinking buddy’ of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

‘My job was to look after the unions and protect them because they were rough times in those days.’

Mike has some strong views on wage increases, inflation, negative gearing, politics, and other social issues.

‘Liberals are squeezing Labour, Labour are squeezing the Liberals, it’s all about seats it’s not about social justice.’ added Mike.

Like many Diggers, Mike has had his fair share of demons over the years, attributing the breakdown of his first marriage to undiagnosed PTSD, his workload and ‘self-medication.’

action for about a month, and resulted in a stint in an American hospital, leading to a fleeting romance with a beautiful African American nurse!

Mike did often see light amid the darkness of life on the battlefield. Noting that adversity breaks down barriers.

‘I’ve been to America, and it doesn’t take you long to understand the class structure. In Vietnam it didn’t matter about your background or social status, you fought to-

‘I came back, took leave that was due to me, before returning to Queensland, doing exercises with various groups, working with some wonderful people,’ said Mike.

Stationed just north of Rockhampton, Mike continued to work on tactical training components, before working with engineers on a series of projects across the East Coast of Australia. Officially leaving the army with an honourable discharge at age 23.

His next step was to move back to Tasmania, finding employment with Savage River Mines, near the West Coast where he worked for 6 years as an operator on various machinery whilst becoming head shop steward for the Federated Engine Drivers’ and Firemen’s Association (FEDFA) who later amalgamated with the CFMEU.

At around age 30 Mike, a proud union man himself, found himself working fulltime as a union organiser and later on as a union secretary for the FEDFA, a position that saw him based in Launceston but involving large amounts of travel across Australia

‘I married my first wife in 1971 we stayed together for 24 years, I think my working and drinking probably drove her mad, but my wife now, we’ve been together nearly 30 years.’

‘I self-treated myself for PTSD for 30 years not knowing I had it and my way of treating myself was to work about 70-90 hours a week and drink. In 2017 I was coming back from Vietnam, and I said to my wife, Jo that’s it, I’m off the turps.’

‘I’m getting better.’

Mike finished his career working for the Forest Industry Council (FIC), this role took him down south

where he worked in Hobart.

‘I basically did quality assurance, going around and convincing people to look at the tree and figure out what they were going to do with it before they chopped it down, actually trying to get some better recovery out of forests.’

Mike now lives in Winkleigh with wife Joanne. ‘We needed a warmer area, we were living at Allens Rivulet, which is just behind Margate, and I got sick of seeing wombats walking across the lawn covered in snow, they looked more like polar bears!’ Mike is still an active part

of the military and veteran community here in Northern Tasmania.

‘I’ve been a member of the RSL for many years and now I’m a member of the TPI Association.’

‘I go to the Dawn Service at Exeter, the grandson goes with me sometimes, his Great Grandfather, believe it or not was also in the military, and so my grandson wears his medals and I take him along to the Dawn Service.’

To conclude the article, I asked Mike if he had any final thoughts on the coming ANZAC Day events

and if he felt we were doing enough for those brave men and woman who had served our country in battle.

‘I see myself as being lucky.’

‘I’ve come back, I’ve had a fairly good life, but I think of those that never returned and those that returned minus limbs or mental incapacity. If you look at the first World War there wasn’t even a proper Department of Veterans Affairs system, there was no such thing as PTSD, they were shellshocked and all that, then you look at the people who were sacrificed, so many civilians suffered during the wars.’

On behalf of many grateful Australians, we express our sincere gratitude to Mike, and to the many other defence personal who have served and continue to serve our great country with such courage.

If this story has raised any concerns for your mental health, you can call lifeline on 13 11 14, or current serving defence force members, veterans and their families can call Open Arms for free counselling and support on 1800 011 046.

Launceston summer events season pays dividends

Northern Tasmania has been a hive of activity in the first two months of 2023, with the Tasmanian Hospitality Association’s Hotel Occupancy Report for January showing 88.45 per cent of rooms in the region were booked.

Launceston Mayor Danny

Gibson said Northern Tasmania's visitor economy was booming.

"Launceston has been absolutely buzzing in the first few months of 2023," Mayor Gibson said.

"It's been an incredibly positive start to the year,

with amazing cultural and sporting events, wonderful tourism attractions and accommodation offerings, along with food, wine, and everything our region has to offer.

"We've had popular events like Mona Foma, Festivale, and the Launceston Cup,

as well as A League soccer, AFL, and Big Bash cricket. "The City of Launceston is a significant supporter of both small and large-scale events in our region, annually investing more than $600,000 across more than 60 separate events in our municipality.

"In addition to that, the Council also threw its support behind a regional push for Launceston to be designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

"These funding streams add to the social, cultural and economic activity of Launceston, drawing visitors in

from across our State and across the globe.

"It's wonderful to see so many visitors prioritising Northern Tasmania as their destination of choice in 2023."

Contractor appointed for new Legana Primary School

Vos Construction and Joinery has been appointed to deliver the new Legana Primary School, with building works expected to commence at the end of this month.

Minister for Education, Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said the Rockliff Liberal Government was delivering on its 2018 election commitment to build a new Legana Primary School.

“Legana is one of the fastest growing regions in the State and this new, state-ofthe-art school will support the community,” Minister Jaensch said.

“Extensive community and stakeholder consultation has helped shape development

of the new primary school, which will accommodate up to 350 students and include outdoor learning areas, multi-purpose hall, and an onsite oral health clinic.

“The Rockliff Liberal Government is investing in our learners, creating jobs and growing our economy.”

The school was designed by Tasmanian architects Cumulus Studio in collaboration with the project team, and the West Tamar Council.

The intake area for the new primary school includes Legana and Grindelwald.

“The new school is expected to open its doors to students for the first time in 2025 and

is part of the Government’s record investment in new education infrastructure in the West Tamar region, which also includes an $11 million redevelopment of Exeter High School,” Minister Jaensch said.

“After extensive consultation of the site master plan, our community has been eager to see construction of the new Legana Primary School and associated recreation space get underway.” Said West Tamar Mayor, Christina Holmdahl

“The site is highly visible on the West Tamar Highway, and we look forward to seeing it transform over the coming months.”

For appointments call 63314168

Phil Armstrong & Emma Carpenter

Aerial photo of Legana (PHOTO: Zac Lockhart)

A snapshot of everyday Australia: Melbern Automotive Featured Article

By Phillip Ragan

Phil Armstrong and Emma Carpenter

first became business partners when they became co-owners of MotoTrans Tasmania, a motorbike transport business that delivers motorbikes around Tasmania and interstate, saving customers time and money travelling back and forth over the Bass Straight to buy and sell motorbikes.

They took over Melbern Automotive in July 2022 together, where they continue to also run MotoTrans.

Emma is the brains of the business whose interest is in the business management side of things.

Formerly an administration and disability support worker, Emma

enjoys owning her own business for the flexibility that it brings and strives to put customers first.

Emma drives down the Bass Hwy from her home in Devonport each morning and doesn’t mind the drive either. ’A bit sick of the roadworks,’ she said ‘But I don’t mind it, especially driving home! I just put the radio on and try not to think too much about work!’ Said Emma ‘they’re a great bunch to work with here.’ Emma added. ‘It’s a good place to work.’

I asked Emma what sets them apart? Before she could answer a customer chimed in ‘Better service, they do what they say they’ll do, on time and charge a very reasonable price.’

Phil has been a mechanic for 38 years

and has a particular interest in Volkswagens, which Melbern Automotive specialises in (Melbern Automotive was formerly Volks Imports). Phil's father also worked as a Volkswagen mechanic and the whole Armstrong family has a strong love of veedubs. Some career highlights for Phil has been building his brothers Kombi T2 Ute and repowering it with a V6 Commodore engine, also working on the many 'Herbies' of Tasmania and currently restoring a '72 Beetle Ute.

Phil’s daughter Laura recalls one of his stories of when he and best mate Andrew were younger involving a Beetle and demolition derby! ‘When he was younger, when he was first a mechanic, he thought he’d enter his beat-up Beetle into a

demolition derby! He thought he’d have an advantage that the motor was in the back and not the front, it did not have an advantage, it was still a Beetle!’ said Laura.

I decided to ask the man himself ‘there was a demo derby in Latrobe and there was a thousand bucks prize money on the line, 35 years ago that was a lot of money, and we were busting to get there! All we had was the Beetle and we thought that’s alright it’s got an engine in the back that might be a good bonus for us that they might not be able to run into it, so we gave it a run! All was going well till a big Valiant clipped us on the side, tipped us over and we ended up on the roof and that was the end of it!’

Phil and his son, Jacob,

raced at Motorkhana and various dirt track racing for a bit of fun, he no longer races but didn’t rule out a return in some capacity one day. ‘I’ve got four grandson's now, so you never know.’ He said.

Phil says many Volkswagen customers and enthusiasts come from the Tamar Valley region where Phil himself lives.

Born and raised in Launceston, Phil moved out to the West Tamar about 30 years ago, spending 10 years at Deviot and the last 20 years or so at Legana.

He would be one of a number of our readers who lives in the Tamar Valley and makes the easy commute into Launceston for work.

Phil and Emma have assembled a tight-knit team of dedicated workers who clearly love what they do.

Mechanic Tony Van Donselaar was personally sought out when Phil and Emma took over the business for his 44 years of experience in the trade.

Phil has watched 17-year-old first year apprentice mechanic Jaryd Cute grow up, as his father Andrew and Phil have been best mates since childhood and were racing teammates back in the day.

Emma and Phil are proud of the team they've assembled and are already well on the way towards establishing an honest and

reliable business with a long-term vision at their Launceston workshop. Melbern Automotive offers automotive solutions to all makes and models and are able to service new cars without breaking warranty.

Whether it’s a regular car service, standard mechanical repairs, advanced diagnosis, Volkswagon Parts, 4WD and Light Commercial service and repair, (including diesels) or air conditioning servicing please consider Melbern Auto in Invermay and if you are a senior or student just present your card for a 10% discount.

There’s something awesome about seeing a workplace function like a well-oiled machine, with Emma fielding enquiries and accommodating customers in the front office, Phil and Tony passionately and diligently working on customer’s vehicles with the same care and intensity that they would apply if working on their own vehicle and young Jaryd a picture of enthusiasm going about his first year apprenticeship duties, it’s hard not to admire such a dedicated team.

For all vehicle service and repairs enquiries, please call the friendly team at Melbern Auto on (03) 6334 3200 or just drop into 4 Montagu Street, Invermay during business hours (Monday-Friday) for an obligation free chat and quote.

Little Penguins have a big impact on rural community

a protected space in which to raise their young without fear of predation.

This not only helps to keep individual birds and their offspring safe, but it also supports the long-term survival of entire colonies.

The Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service and the local tour operator have supported the project.

By Kristy Williams

In a heart-warming effort to protect the Little Penguins at Low Head, students from three George Town schools have joined forces with the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony to provide these flightless birds with safe nesting boxes.

This community-wide project was coordinated by the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony, which was formed in response to a devastating series of dog attacks that claimed the lives of over 100 penguins. With the aim of safeguarding these precious birds and

their habitats, this initiative highlights the importance of coming together as a community to preserve and protect our wildlife.

Steve Gordon, Chair of the Friends group, welcomed the involvement of the students. “The Group raised the necessary funds, we had local businesses help us purchase the materials and cut them to shape, then the students were invited to construct the nest boxes.” he said.

“There were more than 50 students in three schools that built the nest boxes, and all were so enthusiastic

to be involved and contribute,” he added. Nest boxes have become an increasingly important tool in the effort to protect penguins and their habitats around the world.

The nest boxes are so important for penguins because they provide a safe haven from predators with many penguin species being vulnerable to attack from predators such as dogs and feral cats which can decimate entire colonies of birds.

By providing nest boxes, researchers and conservationists can give penguins

“We’ve seen widespread community interest in the project, and the nest boxes are drawing in the next generation in the community to protect the penguins.” Mr Gordon noted.

Convenor of BirdLife Tasmania, has been involved in the Group’s efforts since the first public meeting.

“BirdLife Tasmania has undertaken surveys and mapped the colony, and worked closely with the FOLHPC since 2018.

They’re a remarkable and dedicated group from the local community that are committed to protecting the colony after the dog attacks.”

Dr Woehler said.

“Surveys have shown that the penguins have adopted the nest boxes almost immediately, using them for breeding and moulting.”

Dr Woehler added. “It’s a remarkable success story for

other coastal communities throughout Tasmania.”

During a recent nest box check at the end of January, it was discovered that 47 boxes were empty, signalling the conclusion of the breeding season.

At the same time, only 9 boxes remained occupied, with 4 adults and 10 large chicks who were preparing to leave the colony.

Moult feathers were also present around the colony which indicated that the annual moult, when penguins must replace all their feathers whilst still ashore had begun.

Asthma Australia's Asthma Discovery Survey

Everyone experiences asthma differently. Tell Asthma Australia your story

Asthma Australia wants to know what life is like for Tasmanians experiencing breathing problems and asthma, in the 2023 Tasmanian Asthma Discovery Survey.

Everyone experiences asthma differently. What works in managing your asthma? What challenges do you face? How could your quality of life be improved? We want to learn more about

personal journeys with asthma in Tasmania.

“If you have asthma or breathing problems, care for someone who does, or work in this space, we are interested in hearing from you,” says Asthma Australia project coordinator Jess Tyler.

“There are many ways you can take part and make your voice heard. We’re running a quick and easy online

survey, or you can register for one of our community forums. Alternatively, you can simply send us a text or email or even book a call for us to call you back so that the cost is on us.”

To take part in the survey visit www.asthma.org.au/ tasdiscovery, call or text

0474 654 555 or email jtyler@asthma.org.au

Dr Eric Woehler OAM,

Little Penguin nests in comfort (PHOTO: Supplied)

Monday, Wednesday

Crossword

They obey one's will (9) 2

Preference (5) 3

Pope is to upset another performer (8) 4 Beyond what is usual (5) 5 Unimportant person (6) 6

They're uplifting (9) 7 Church singers (5) 8

Former Richmond centre halfforward (5,4) 13

Vast amount (3) 14

Rugby's "The Back-up man" (5,4) 16

Yelled (8) 17

Footwarmer (6) 20

Up (5) 22

Dull yellowish brown (5) 23

Scent (5) 24

Answers

(Turn page upside down)

Patient: “Where exactly are you taking me, doctor?”

Jokes Support Local!

Doctor: “To the morgue.”

Patient: “What? But I’m not dead yet!”

Doctor: “And we’re not there yet.”

If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.”

The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, “Which do you want, son?” The boy takes the quarters and leaves.

“What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!”

Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream parlor.

son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?”

E: lalaland22@bigpond.com

8 30am -

Tasmanian devil whiskers hold the key to protecting these super-scavengers

By Anna C. Lewis - PhD Candidate, UNSW Sydney, Tracey Rogers - Professor Evolution & Ecology, UNSW Sydney

Despite the damage humans cause to the planet, in some cases wildlife can benefit from the presence of people. The Tasmanian devil, for example, frequently feeds on roadkill left by humans.

But our new research suggests (https://www. nature.com/articles/s41598023-30490-6) this apparent benefit can come at a cost.

We compared the diets of Tasmanian devil populations living in three types of habitat, by examining their whiskers.

We found in many cases, Tasmanian devils may be mostly eating foods inadvertently provided by humans. Accessing this food changed the behaviours of Tasmanian devils – and potentially put them in harm’s way.

Our findings are especially important given the risks to Tasmanian devils posed by an aggressive facial

tumour disease. If we’re to protect this endangered species, we must conserve environments untouched by humans.

What are Tasmanian devils eating?

The Tasmanian devil is the biggest carnivorous marsupial in the world.

It used to be found on mainland Australia but now wild populations are only found in Tasmania.

Tasmanian devils rarely hunt prey. But they’re highly

effective scavengers, thanks to their sharp sense of smell, bone-crushing jaws and energy-efficient movement.

Animals that scavenge for food are “opportunistic feeders” – in other words, they eat whatever they happen to find. This usually means scavengers have a varied diet.

But our previous research found Tasmanian devils have remarkably restricted diets.

To find out why, we examined Tasmanian devil

whiskers. A single whisker can provide a window into the animal’s past.

We used a technique called “stable isotope analysis”, which enabled us to measure nitrogen and carbon incorporated into the devil’s whiskers as it grows.

We matched the chemical composition of the whiskers with potential food items, to determine what the devil ate weeks or months ago.

Then we looked at how this varied between individuals living in different habitats.

The technique has been used to describe the diets of early humans and extinct species.

It’s also been used to study the migration patterns of wide-ranging birds and marine mammals.

And the results?

We found devil populations in highly disturbed landscapes, such as cleared farmland, fed on just one type of food - mediumsized mammals such as the Tasmanian pademelon.

Red Rocket Framing

The author releases a Tasmanian devil into the wild after sampling for diet analysis. Ariana Ananda, Author provided

This is perhaps unsurprising. Pademelons are very common in farming areas, and often end up as roadkill. So Tasmanian devils have little reason to scavenge for any other types of food.

We also examined the diets of devils in eucalypt forest which had been logged and regenerated.

These animals also had relatively restricted diets.

The result suggests these forests may not have had time to develop mature features such as tree hollows to shelter bird life, a process which can take up to 140 years.

However, the results were different for devil populations in old-growth rainforest habitats which have never been logged.

There, devil diets were diverse. Larger devils tended to eat mammals such as Tasmanian pademelons and brushtail possums, and smaller devils consumed birds such as green rosellas. These populations may offer insight into what devil foraging behaviour was like before European settlement.

Saving wild landscapes

You might think reliable

access to food inadvertently provided by humans would benefit Tasmanian devils. But in fact, it can come with hidden dangers.

The presence of roadkill poses risks to devils; they can be attracted to roads and become roadkill themselves. In 2021, more than 100 devils were reportedly killed by motorists on just one stretch of road in northwest Tasmania.

And if members of the same species are interacting around a smaller number of carcasses – or in the case of roadkill, the largest and most desirable carcasses – this could encourage the spread of devil facial

tumour disease.

Over the past 25 years the disease – an aggressive, transmittable parasitic cancer is – has caused Tasmania’s devil population to fall by 68%. And this year the disease was detected for the first time in Tasmania’s north-west, from the same population as many devils in our study.

A vaccine distributed by edible baits is being developed. But in the meantime, a more diverse diet could reduce a devil’s risk of transmitting the disease to others, or catching it.

Only in old-growth rainforests did devils have a diverse

diet that lived up to their reputation as opportunists.

The results suggest conserving these wild landscapes is vital to protecting Tasmanian devils.

One million additional homes and businesses to become eligible

A million more households and businesses will get the opportunity to choose faster and more reliable broadband as the rollout of full fibre to the premises continues across the country.

nbn and the Australian Government have released the latest suburbs and towns where additional premises will become eligible to get fibre connected to their house or business by ordering an eligible wholesale speed tier1 - with up to 58 per cent located in regional areas and the rest in metro areas.

These upgrades are part of the nbn fibre upgrade program - which was boosted by the Australian Government’s recent announcement of an additional $2.4 billion investment.

Full fibre connection to the nbn® network offers cus-

tomers access to the higher speed tiers, which delivers a better, more reliable internet experience for homes and businesses.

The enhancements to the nbn® network to deliver faster speeds and more data reflect and support business and societal changes over the last two years.

According to Venture research commissioned by nbn, online health consultations have increased by 147 per cent, online secondary educational engagement has grown by 114 per cent and a third of people who can work from home now expect to continue working from home at least one day a week.

The company is also supporting growing demands from Australian businesses for faster speeds and more data.

Research indicates that 40 per cent of businesses are using video conferencing, cloud storage or cloudbased software.

Other benefits of higher speeds include:

• Faster uploads and downloads for homes and businesses;

• Faster game upgrades;

• Faster streaming – making it easier to work from home, and a more enjoyable movie experience.

The benefits are even greater for larger households with many high bandwidth devices being used at the same time.

More speed is better for when the whole family is streaming online at the same time – working from home, gaming, and watching movies.

nbn is on track to enable up to 10 million premises, or up to 90 per cent of homes and businesses across Australia to access nbn Home Ultrafast, offering wholesale download speeds of 500 Mbps to close to 1 Gbps, by the end of 2025.

To trigger an upgrade, customers at eligible premises2 need to place an order with a retailer which is based on one of nbn’s three highest residential wholesale speed tiers.

To find out if you’re eligible for an upgrade register at NBN Australia.

Kathrine Dyer, Chief Operating Officer at nbn, said: “The announcement is good news for customers living and working in more than one million homes and businesses across Australia because they will soon be able to access the fastest

residential speeds available on the nbn network.”

“We are unlocking social and economic benefits across Australia by pushing fibre deeper into communities. Fibre is inherently more capable of delivering faster upload and download speeds, is generally more reliable than copper connections and reduces our ongoing maintenance and operating costs.”

“So far, we have identified the suburbs and towns across Australia where customers living and working in around 3 million premises currently served by nbn Fibre to the Node will be able to access full fibre upgrades by the end of 2025. In just six years data use has tripled on the nbn network – and that exponential growth is expected to continue as customer demands increase to meet

new technology.”

Suburbs and towns where an additional 1,000,000 homes and businesses will be eligible for full fibre:

Tasmania: Berriedale, Burnie, Chigwell*, Claremont*, Devonport*, Evandale*, Grindelwald*, Hawley Beach*, Huonville, Latrobe, Longford*, Margate*, New Norfolk, Park Grove*, Penguin, Perth, Port Sorell*, Scamander*, Ulverstone, West Ulverstone.

*Indicates identification of additional footprint in suburbs and towns previously announced in NBN Co’s series of footprint announcements comprising the original 2 million FTTN to FTTP Fibre Connect upgrade program.

Tales of the Tamar

GEORGE TOWN - A Mecca for Seaweed Collectors

Thisisasummaryofatopic presentedbyDesWootton atameetingoftheGeorge Town & District Historical Society.

Early explorers collected botanical specimens on their journeys. By the early 19th century collection and preservation techniques had been established and networks of botanists and collectors around the British Empire sent specimens and drawings back to Kew Gardens and the British Museum in London.

Lt Col William Paterson, in charge of the first European settlement in northern Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1804, was a keen botanist and avid collector. He developed a botanical garden at York Town and sent specimens back to Sir Joseph Banks in England.

In the mid 1800s the Tamar

estuary was one of the major collecting spots in Australia for both seaweed and plant species. Specimens were generally more superior and large collections were sent to museums and herbariums in Australia, Ireland, England, Sweden, even to exhibitions in Paris. Botanical drawings and paintings were also a feature of the collectors’ hobby and groups of local collectors were based at The Grove,MarionVilla and TheRectory

Some collectors focussed on seaweed, classified as algae.

William Henry Harvey, an Irish botanist, algologist and artist visited George Town in 1855 and wrote the Algae section in Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker’s 930 page Flora Tasmaniae, published in 1860. There are more than 300 entries from George Town and the Tamar River in the Algae section alone.

Hooker, the Director of Kew Botanic Gardens, dedicated Flora Tasmaniae to Ronald Campbell Gunn (1808-1881) and William Archer who were probably the most prolific collectors in Tasmania of all types of flora, including algae, from the Tamar Estuary.

Ferdinand Mueller was government botanist of Victoria 1853-96 and he sent thousands of specimens to Kew Gardens. His George Town collectors included the following:

Revd John Fereday was minster at George Town from 1846-1871 and also a keen photographer. His wife Susan collected and painted both seaweeds and plant species and an album of her watercolours is held in the National Library of Australia in Sydney. Their youngest daughter Elizabeth also collected.

Emma Oakden, daughter of merchant Phillip Oakden whose vessel PhillipOakden was wrecked on Hebe Reef, is credited with 259 specimens.

Sophia Goodwin, daughter of Wm Lushington Goodwin, journalist/owner of the Cornwall Chronicle lived with her family at The Grove.

Charlotte Dumaresq, wife of surveyor Edward of Mount Ireh, Pateena, lived in Cimitiere St, George Town. Her daughter Sarah Ann Fogg, a renown artist, contributed 12 watercolours of native Tasmanian flora to the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Flora Mary Campbell was the most prolific collector for Mueller and other institutions with 183 specimens. Daughter of Port Fairy colonist, whaler, trader, and first Harbour Master of Port

of Melbourne, Capt. Alex Campbell and Ann, nee Coulson of Dilston.

Jemima Frances Irvine, wife of Charles was an artist and conchologist who collected at George Town, The Heads, River Tamar.

Eliza Cox, daughter of James and Eliza Cox of Clarendon and Marion Villa, married Revd John C. Dixon, curate of Windermere in 1877, a landscape and wildflower artist.

Mrs Palmer was a friend of Eliza Cox and collected at George Town, Windmill Point, Point Effingham, Sea Weed Point, Marion Villa

Miss Connell had a family connection to Cox family of Marion Villa

Charles Shum Henty, who represented George Town as MHA from 1856-1862

and died at George Town in 1864 also collected.

Today, on a walk along local beaches you will find many different types of seaweeds washed up. Extensive sponge gardens and soft corals, particularly around York Cove, and the biodiversity of marine life around the estuary entrance are a magnet for serious underwater divers and photographers.

Prefer to read online?

GEORGE TOWN & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC.

Meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of the month, starting at 7.30 pm with most meetings held at The Grove in Elizabeth St and are open to the public

The next meeting will be held on MONDAY, 17th APRIL at the The Grove.

Speaker: Ann Batt

Topic: The Cameron and Gardner families of Newnham.

FOR UPDATES SEE: George Town & District Historical Society Facebook Page. www.facebook.com/George-Town-and-District-Historical-Society-1375090549395357/ Email info@gtdhs.com or Phone 6382 4412.

Left: Nematoma Feredayae

Middle: Revd John Fereday

Right: Artist, Susan Fereday