The 2023 Exeter Show is set
regarded in the Tamar Valley as an unmissable event, and this year will be no different. After having to make the difficult decision to not hold the event for the previous two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic, The Exeter Show Society are now working hard to ensure the revitalisation of what is a beloved family event.
Admission to this year’s event will be charged at just $12 for adults, and $5 for children over 5 years old, making it one of the most affordable shows in existence, and once admission is paid there will be plenty of free entertainment to enjoy. Tickets will be available for purchase online in the leadup to the event, and while
tickets will be available at the gate, attendees are encouraged to buy online.
Unfortunately, show jumping will not be held this year, due to no one suitable being available to co-ordinate the event. While this is disappointing, the society hopes it can bring back show jumping for next years event.
“The door is always open for a committee to be formed to run the show jumping,” said Trevor Clark, President of The Exeter Show Society.
This year’s show will also feature a Scotch Egg Competition, with a prize to be awarded for the best Scotch Egg, in addition the Exeter
Show Car Meet will have a range of MG, Mack Trucks, Holdens & classic vintage cars on display.
For those wanting to experience an exhilarating adrenaline rush, this years sideshow alley is set to be the biggest one yet, with 2 new large rides set to be in attendance.
A wide range of entertainment, including a reptile rescue display, animal nursery and even a pet parade promises fun for the whole family, with plenty more attractions and attendees than we have room to mention here! Tamar Valley News will also be in attendance, offering a lasting memento of the day.
Vice President of The Exeter Show Society, Hilary Keeley also added that it’s time for the entrants into the Junior Home Industries to start preparing.
“Just a reminder for the kids to start growing their collection of vegetables and mixed fruit.”
“Don’t forget your recipes, and start taking your photos now.
For more details, visit the Exeter Show website www.exetershow.com. au and be sure to follow Tamar Valley News on Facebook as we give away FREE TICKETS over the coming weeks in the lead-up to the show!
and are free on Saturday 21st January, why not head down to Sidmouth Recreation Ground for the inaugural Sidmouth Ashes!
The ground, which is adjacent to the recently refurbished Sidmouth Hall, will host competitive cricket for the first time in many years.
Interested participants can either register their own team of cricketers or join a team on the day. Registration to play starts at 10:30am on the day and is just $5 per player with all money going towards future events and the upkeep of the hall.
There will be a car boot sale by the side of the oval with
a surcharge of $10 per car, bookings are essential to help with planning. You can BYO drinks or bring a picnic though soft drinks, tea and coffee will be provided.
There will be a sausage sizzle and local favourites ‘Hangry as’ will be at the venue with their great range of seafood options.
There are activities for the kids planned such as a lolly scramble and egg and spoon race, it should be a fun day for all involved! The event runs until around 3:30pm.
‘We are hoping to turn this into an annual event,’ said Lorraine Gardiner, long serving committee member of Sidmouth Hall. ‘It’s going
to be a fun day with soft balls used (no hard cricket balls) and a safe environment for all involved. Exactly how we configure the tournament still hasn’t been decided and will depend on numbers on the day, but the emphasis will be on community spirit, fun and a great day for all involved.’
What if you don’t have a cricket bat? This writer asked… ‘Still come!’ said Lorraine. ‘We will find you a cricket bat and a team if you don’t have one, just come down and enjoy what is hopefully going to be a great day.’ If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Lorraine on 0438 433 953.
The term legend gets thrown around quite often these days, a footballer plays in a premiership team and is automatically awarded ‘legend’ status! But as far as local legends go Trevor Clark of Exeter would surely fit that description!
Trevor was born just up the road in Beaconsfield in a time when locals didn’t have to travel into Launceston to birth a baby. Trevor has lived in Exeter ever since.
Ever passionate about the town he loves, Trev said ‘the town is a one stop shop for anything you want. Two fantastic local supermarkets, a post office, some good restaurants, cafes, an excellent hardware store and many other great local businesses.’
A keen and passionate sportsman, Trev played for Exeter Football Club for over 20 years, making his debut for the senior team aged just 15, he played about 600 games for the club and played in 3 senior premierships before serving on the committee until they sadly folded in 1992.
Trevor continued to stay involved in local football, participating in a variety of roles at nearby Bridgenorth Football Club for 9 years. He also volunteered his services to Exeter Cricket Club, Exeter Mini League and Launceston Junior Football Club. Meanwhile wife Sue, who Trevor married at St Matthias Anglican Church in Windemere in 1976, is still heavily involved at Exeter Golf Club where she has served in a variety of roles and is the present club captain.
Trevor served at Gravelly Beach fire brigade from
1983 until 2020 and was leading firefighter between 2000-2002. Trevor is the proud President of Exeter Show Society, a position he has held for the past 21 years, having originally joined the committee aged 18.
‘2023 is going to be a huge year for the show society,’ said Trevor, ‘the old building is going to be completely demolished and replaced by a brand-new state of the art building. This is a Federally approved project with a sizeable contribution from the State Government that is 4.5 years in the making.’
‘The design and build tender have been submitted and approved, the project has been costed and then re-costed and is ready to go, the last remaining obstacles are with Tas Water.’
‘Between the newly renovated community hub on Murray Street and the new Exeter showgrounds the region will have two outstanding facilities to call on for community events or in the event of any flood or fire disaster.’ Said Trevor.
In 2015 Trevor was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the community.
An Exeter man first and foremost! Trevor is extremely passionate about the region as a whole, when asked about the changes he’s seen over a number of decades he said ‘we’ve seen continual upgrades with the Highways been improved, we’ve seen more and more vineyards go in as there is near perfect climate here. The big hitters such as Brown Brothers and others invest heavily in the Tamar region for the quality of the grapes here and that can only be good for the local economy.’
‘Once upon a time we had apple orchards everywhere, from the banks of the Tamar River out as far as Frankford, vineyards have now replaced apple orchards as the main industry in the region and there are cherry orchards in Rowella and Legana.’
Trevor knows a fair bit about local farming, his first job straight out of school was in the apple industry with T.O.P where he worked a variety of roles for a period of around 7 years.
‘The area is going to keep booming,’ added Trevor, ‘with more and more subdivisions in Legana, which is a fantastic spot for any young family to settle with the extensions to the shopping centre and new school going in.’
Trevor also considers himself an ‘honorary Lion’ having worked with them on a number of community-based projects over the years, including volunteering at the popular Exeter markets.
If it’s happening in Exeter or the entire Tamar Valley for that matter, you can bet that Trevor is across it! His contribution to the region is immense, with no signs of slowing down yet! Trevor and wife Sue continue to run a 19-hectare beef enterprise just out of town.
Thanks for your contribution to the region Trevor, those countless hours you and Sue have poured into local community have not gone unnoticed. Here’s to many great years ahead still!
On 14 July 2022, the Tasmanian Government announced the 41 successful projects and programs being funded through the Premier’s Fund for Children and Young People.
The George Town Council acquired a grant funding of $44,000 towards the Creative George Town - Holiday/After School Program.
The Creative George
Town program will run for a year and offer free artistic activities to all children from 3 to 15 years in the George Town municipality and in collaboration with:
• Port Dalrymple Primary School
• Star of the Sea Catholic College
• South George Town Primary School
• George Town Community HUB and other community
spaces.
The program will focus on being inclusive and equitable and will provide children with the opportunity to engage in artistic activities to help and encourage them to express themselves in a safe, creative, and artistic manner.
The Creative George Town School Holiday Program will run from the 9th to 20th January.
West Tamar Council Mayor Christina Holmdahl was pleased to announce the winners of the Design Awards for 2022 as 325 Gravelly Beach Road, Gravelly Beach for ‘Best New Single Dwelling’, 63 New World Avenue, Trevallyn also for ‘Best New Single Dwelling’, and 34 New Ecclestone Road, Riverside for ‘Best Multiple Dwelling Development’.
The winners received a Tasmanian hand-crafted specialty timber peg by Brad Latham, presented at the Council Workshop Morning Tea to owners Ken and Debbie Rogers, designer Plans to Build and builder (and previous landowner) Thomas Van Oosterom from 325 Gravelly Beach Road, Gravelly Beach; owners Jonathan Pople and Hayley Wrankmore, designer Gillian van
der Schans and builder Tim Hawkins (Form Projects) from 63 New World Ave, Trevallyn; and owners Van Johnstone Developments, designer Design to Live and builder Bohdi van Dyk (Ablest Homes) from 34 New Ecclestone Road, Riverside.
“It is a privilege to be able to view so many examples of great design in our munic-
ipality, and their projects are a credit to the owners, designers and builders who think outside the box to create such architecturally appealing homes,” Mayor Christina Holmdahl said.
“We have been formally recognising outstanding design in the West Tamar through the Design Awards since 2016 and continue to encourage design in a
positive way outside of the formal planning and building approval process.”
Nominations were sought from Council staff and Councillors, and judged by a three-person panel comprising of Mayor Christina Holmdahl, Councillor Richard Ireland and Statutory Planner Tiffany Heys.
Judges were looking for de-
signs which have the capacity to stimulate, engage and delight its occupants, visitors and passers-by, as well as considering the extent of innovation, invention and the originality of the designs, alongside a range of other selection criteria.
Two joint winners of ‘Best New Single Dwelling’ were presented in 2022 as they could not be separated.
Crime Stoppers Tasmania and Motorola Solutions have teamed up to design an online portal that makes it easier and faster for the public to report information about crime and criminals.
The new technology means Tasmanians can easily attach media files such as photos and video captured on smartphones, greatly increasing the level of quality of information provided anonymously to Police.
The new system includes improved information processing within back-end systems to streamline information sharing to Police
in a logical user sequence on the portal, supported by useful prompts.
Crime Stoppers Tasmania Chair, Mr David Daniels OAM, said the portal enables his organisation and the wider community to provide greater value and support to Tasmania Police, and more broadly law enforcement. “It’s a major advance for Crime Stoppers Tasmania.”
“Our purpose is to support policing by providing valuable information that assists investigations and makes the job easier and more effective for police officers,”
Mr Daniels said. “Now, with Motorola Solutions’ technology we are taking the next step to make it even easier for the community to play their part in creating a safer Tasmania.”
Motorola Solutions managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Con Balaskas, said providing Crime Stoppers Tasmania and the state’s emergency services with better technology is essential to building a safe, secure and prosperous Tasmania for the future.
“Crime Stoppers Tasmania is empowering the public to report safety incidents
and threats whenever they occur and our new online portal helps citizens to play a greater role in protecting their communities,” Mr. Balaskas said.
Crime Stoppers Tasmania CEO David Higgins said the new system removed obstacles that at times prevent reporting, such as fear, apprehension, or embarrassment. “When providing information about events they see in their communities, the Tasmanian public now has a highly effective, comfortable and secure way to share what they see.”
“As always, the public
can report information without the need to leave their details. However, it is important to know that by providing your details when reporting via Crime Stoppers it gives police the opportunity to clarify points with you to assist in furthering their investigation,” he said.
The information provided to police from the community is invaluable to fighting crime, it helps our law enforcement be intelligence driven and proactive in their response, which in turn improves the efficiency and effectiveness of our law enforcement. Every bit
of information helps and the Crime Stoppers portal makes it easier to tell us.
Crime Stoppers Tasmania receives over 6,500 reports a year, or about 18 reports a day. In recent times we have seen over 80% of reports being submitted online and with this improved portal we anticipate the number of reports will increase more.
Anyone who has information about crime or suspicious activity is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on crimestopperstas.com. au or 1800 333 000. In an emergency contact 000.
Local news without the paywall.
By Zac Lockhart
Both locals to the Tamar Valley Region, friends and business partners James Gray and Toby Strochnetter have teamed up to open The Makers Depot – a shop dedicated to selling and promoting locally made arts and crafts, plus so much more.
With everything from timber coffee tables to fragrances, candles to soap, and even handmade timber money boxes, there really is something for everyone, and it’s all made locally. Naturally their range isn’t just limited to these items alone, and
what’s even better is that as items are sold, new ones are brought in, constantly expanding the range and rotating through hundreds of locally made products from the Tamar Valley and across Tasmania.
The Tamar Valley Region is bubbling with local makers, with James and Toby saying their driving force to open The Makers Depot was to support local makers, helping them to showcase and sell their products in a dedicated shopfront.
Having a shop dedicated to local makers is a huge boost to the local economy, allow-
ing local makers to increase their sales and exposure and compete with larger chains who are often owned by national or international companies.
“When you support [The Makers Depot] you’re not just supporting us, all the makers are business owners who have an ABN, so this is their income and you’re supporting them and their families too.” Said Toby.
In addition to supporting locals to sell their products, The Makers Depot also hire locals for the shop, boosting local employment.
With the store opening just before Christmas, the Makers Depot was already proving itself as Launceston’s premier handmade gift destination for those wanting to buy a unique and heartfelt gift.
“We’ve had lots of great comments about the shop, and the products.” Said Toby.
“People have been saying it’s great to see Tassie Made products.” Added James.
When asked what their favourite products were, James didn’t need time to think before mentioning the
locally made timber tables.
“I love the way the resin really enhances the timber. They’re one of the most unique products we have.”
For Toby, the choice was overwhelming.
“I keep selling all my favourite products because I lead every customer to them. Right now it’s the money boxes, I think they’re super cool because they’re Tasmanian made, but importantly they reuse old post boxes to make them which promotes reusing and recycling which I think is also super important.”
Situated in a cosy shop at 109 George Street in Launceston, they are already looking at expanding their display at the rear of the shop, adding more products from local makers.
You can find out more by finding them on Facebook or dropping by the shop.
Local Makers who are interested in having their products added for sale in The Makers Depot are also encouraged to bring some of their products in to show the team, or to get in touch through their Facebook page.
A lack of funding has meant the George Town Neighbourhood House’s shed reflooring project was put on hold.
The TasPorts’ Community Grant Program was able to provide the funds to get the project back up and running.
With the renovations now complete, George Town Neighbourhood House Community Support Officer Jessica Berger said the area provided participants with an extra space that felt like home and was not just a shed.
“Many of our programs are run out of the shed because it can accommodate large groups, but for many participants, the space was impractical,” she said.
Jessica said the George Town Neighbourhood House was a sanctuary for many locals facing disadvantage, and the resurfacing of the shed had ensured many social programs could continue running.
“We offer services and support in an array of areas including welfare support, emergency relief, the facilitation of lawyers, psychologists and councillors along with a number of social programs including bingo, movie afternoons and children-specific activities,” she said.
The Community Grant
Program has also provided $5,000 to construct a greenhouse at the Low Head Community Garden to allow produce to be grown year-round by garden volunteers.
Thanks to the community of volunteers, this is now complete, with the finished product featuring “beautiful stained-glass windows” donated by a local resident.
Kathy and Joan, from Low Head Community Garden, said the completed greenhouse had made a fantastic
addition to the garden.
“It has become the feature piece of the extended garden and already houses a significant number of seedlings and will be an ongoing and essential part of the garden for all involved,” they said.
TasPorts’ Group Executive Kate Dean said the organisation had a long and proud history of supporting community initiatives across Tasmania.
“TasPorts recognises the importance of establishing and
maintaining strong, effective links with port communities, and our Community Grant Program enables us to strengthen these relationships,” Ms Dean said.
“I encourage all eligible organisations to consider applying for the next round, opening on 1 February 2023, with $50,000 of funding available.”
TasPorts launched its Community Grant Program in early 2022, offering grants up to $5,000 to support local projects, events and
initiatives that benefit local communities surrounding Tasmanian commercial and community ports.
Across the first three grant
rounds of 2022, TasPorts has awarded $100,000 in funding and $30,000 of inkind support to 22 organisations to support a variety of projects across Tasmania.
An ANZAC round clash against Adelaide and the return of prodigal son Alastair Clarkson - albeit in charge of the Kangaroos - are the highlights of Hawthorn’s 2023 AFL home-and-away roster matches in Launceston, announced by the AFL in early December 2022.
Hawthorn will play four matches at University of Tasmania Stadium next season after signing a oneyear contract extension with the State Government last month to play games in Tasmania in 2023.
It is the 22nd year the Hawks have called Launceston their home-away-fromhome since first partnering
with the Tasmanian Government in 2001.
Hawthorn will play its first Launceston game in round 3 on Saturday, April 1 against North Melbourne, with the game due to start at 1.45pm.
After leaving the Hawks at the end of the 2021 season, Clarkson signed a five-year deal with North Melbourne at the end of the last season.
Clarkson was at the helm of Hawthorn for 17 years, leading the club to flags in 2008 and the famous threepeat of 2013-15.
For the third year in a row, the Hawks will host an
ANZAC Round game in Launceston in round six on Sunday, April 23 against Adelaide, with kick-off at 1.10pm.
They will return in round 10 - again on a Sunday at 1.10pm to host the West Coast Eagles, before their final Launceston game in round 22 against the high-flying Western Bulldogs.
The date and time for that match will be announced later in the season.
City of Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson said he was thrilled to see the Hawks playing on in Launceston next year.
“It’s simply incredible that Hawthorn have been calling Launceston their second home for 22 years and with a number of players moving on after last year, it will certainly be exciting to see a young, fresh Hawks team taking to the field in 2023,” Mayor Gibson said.
“I’m certainly looking forward to the first game on April 1 against the Kangaroos with Alastair Clarkson at the helm - there’s no doubt there will be a lot of people watching on to see how the former Hawthorn coach performs against his old team.”
Mayor Gibson said AFL
matches generate an extra $30 million a year into the local economy, with the majority of that flowing through the city’s hotels and restaurants.
“Having such an incredible and prosperous economic driver assisting our economy during the winter months is something I know that our city and its business owners very much welcome and appreciate every single year,” Mayor Gibson said.
The Hawks had a busy pre-season, adding five new faces in Cam Mackenzie, Josh Weddle, Jack O’Sullivan, Henry Hustwaite and Bailey Macdonald following the recent national draft.
Academy graduate Josh Bennetts joined the club during the rooking draft, joining Port Adelaide’s Karl Amon, Fremantle’s Lloyd Meek and Geelong’s Cooper Stevens during the AFL trade period.
Jack Gunston, Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara trade period, while Jackson Callow, Connor Downie, Kyle Hartigan, Daniel Howe, Tom Phillips and Jack Saunders were not offered new contracts.
Dual premiership ruckman Ben McEvoy and triple premiership player Liam Shiels both retired.
One of the region’s best loved country roadhouses, Sidmouth General Store recently changed hands with Joseph D’Costa and wife Rose purchasing the business from the Barker Family, who successfully ran the business for around 17 years.
Joseph and Rose, bought the business after working in a similar environment on Tasmania’s East Coast for a number of years, working in beautiful Coles Bay and the increasingly busy tourist hot-spot, St Helens. After much searching and delib-
eration, the couple and their young family made the decision to call the West Tamar home. ‘The area is absolutely beautiful and offers the best of both worlds,’ said Rose, ‘a country lifestyle but with all the conveniences of city life given it’s close proximity to Launceston.’
Sensitive to unnecessary change just for the sake of it, Joseph and Rose wanted to ensure customers that Sidmouth General Store will continue to trade as business per usual albeit with extended trading hours and a few tweaks here and there.
A good example of that philosophy is the coffee! A new
modernised coffee machine will soon be added however the popular ‘truckers’ coffee’ will still be on hand for those early morning workers with no such luxury as time to stop for very long, whose office is usually the road to and from Bell Bay!
Both breakfast and evening menus will be extended, additions include fresh omelettes, cheese and tomatoes toasties, tuna paddy, fish n chips, pizza and a Friday night curry special, phone orders are most welcome or indoor seating is available for those who have a little spare time to stick around and enjoy an old-fashioned country roadhouse.
Fuel will now be provided by Tas Petroleum, which should, according to Joseph, offer ‘more competitive rates’ for customers. New lights have been installed inside the store with more subtle refurbishments on the way with an emphasis on retaining the store’s country charm.
Much loved local staff members Joanne and Dawn who have served at the store for a number of years under the previous owners, will stay on and are joined by super friendly newcomer Ainsley, also from the East Coast, and locals Daisy, Eva, Rebeca and River.
Local suppliers are well represented in the store, with local brands such as Prah Cider Apple Juice prominent and local pastry chef Margaret providing her range of customised cakes for all occasions. Flowers, potatoes, and firewood are all locally sourced and there are opportunities for local farmers and producers or even those with a hobby business to approach the store about stocking their product, ‘they are most welcome to contact us,’ said Joseph.
It was a busy Friday afternoon, when I popped in to write this article and the phone orders were flying
in, the kitchen buzzing with activity as that old familiar smell of fish n chips filled the air. Customers were constant, some with time to stay and chat for a while, perhaps enjoy their meal instore, others just in and out to pick-up a meal, grab some fuel or stock up on supplies. Either way, it was plain to see that their custom was valued, the service fantastic and the food cooked with love by people who care, the same as it’s always been at Sidmouth General Store.
Across Highland (7) 9
Jimi , short-lived rock guitarist (7) 10
Hands off! (3,2) 11
World's largest mammal (4,5) 12 Based (9) 13
Nobel-winning Irish poet and dramatist (5) 15
Dual Olympic gold-winning cyclist (6,5) 16
Rearrange (5) 20
Today is the tomorrow you worried about (9) 22
Rugby commentator and seven times captain of the Kangaroos (3,6) 24
Common computer code (1,1,1,1,1) 26
Possibly ... (5,2) 27
Formally installed (5,2) 28
(Turn
Practically in one's face (2,5) 1
Sacred Hindu text (6) 2
Lisa is one, and so is Jessica (8) 3
NT sinkhole (5,5) 4
Grand (4) 5
No matter what (6) 6
Persist (3,5) 7
Outlay (7) 8
Run a commercial operation (2,8) 14
Move around (3,5) 16
Machine controller (8) 17 Revenge (7) 18
Ray sins badly, living in the Middle East (7) 19
Shots (6) 21 Respectable (6) 23 Gum or plum? (4) 25
Why did the can crusher quit his job? Because it was soda pressing.
How is buying Christmas presents like a job? Because you do all the hard work and a fat guy in a suit gets all the credit.
A thief threatens a man and says “give me all your money.” The gentleman, shocked by the sudden attack says “you can’t do this to me, I’m a Senator!” The Thief laughs and replies “In that case, give me all MY money!”
What’s the difference between a guitar and a fish? You can tune a guitar, but you can’t tuna fish.
What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.
Did you hear about the man who started making breakfast at midnight on December 31st? He wanted to make a New Years toast.
Why do ducks have feathers? To cover their butt quacks.
What do sprinters eat before a race? Nothing - they fast.
Samuel Johnson once famously said ‘A man tired of London is a man tired of life.’ (Words to that effect) An adaption of that quote might be ‘A man uninspired by Low Head is a man uninspired by life!’
Low Head on a fine day is a place to behold. Situated at the top of the Tamar, it is a place of seemingly perpetual beauty. It could be Rural France, North Yorkshire, or a Coastal Scandinavia but it’s a treasure that is uniquely Tasmanian.
There is a fascinating contrast as you continue to drive just 5km North from the industrial port town of George Town. The greenery becomes more vivid, as the remarkable architecture of the houses and buildings lends itself to something from a bygone era.
Low Head Peninsular begins ‘north of North Road’ explains Sarah Hickling from Low Head Tourist Park. Sarah and husband Paul moved their young family to the area from leafy Northeast Melbourne in June 2014. They purchased the business in August that year and have not looked back since, adding to their family, and proudly declaring Low Head their adopted home.
Sarah reported a bumper season in 2019 with record numbers of visitors, before the storms of the COVID pandemic hit. With border
closures, a ban on non-essential travel and 2 months of no customers Low Head Tourist Park experienced great challenges, but thankfully rode the storms to bounce back even stronger.
‘After 2 long solitary months we were allowed to reopen and since then we have been gradually building our business back to pre-COVID occupancy levels thanks to the opening of the new Mountain Bike Trails, new and existing industries in and around Bell Bay and the construction boom that is occurring around Low Head and George Town, plus an Australia wide boom in caravan and RV sales which has resulted in us working to expand our park to allow for the additional demand. We have called Low Head home now for the past eight years and this summer will be our ninth season as managers.’ Said Sarah.
As you continue your journey north past the Middle Channel lighthouse, you will reach Lagoon Point which can be accessed from the south via Old Coast Road or just a little further on at Lagoon Beach Road. It is a beautiful beach with a very nice picnic area and good amenities.
Just minutes away is the majestic East Beach with raging tides and spectacular views. Again, there are good amenities provided including an excellent new barbeque area. In other parts of the world a beach of this beauty would likely
be packed with tourists and locals alike, remarkably, on a winter’s day especially, chances are you will have it to yourself.
The main business up this way is East Beach Tourist Park on Gunn Parade, set on picturesque beachfront over 22 acres which offers spacious cabins, powered sites and fully self-contained sites. The site offers an ideal place for camping with private access to the beach.
Allan and Stacey purchased the business in August 2019 and soon after COVID hit, which obviously presented many challenges. However, the business proved very robust, and survived thanks to an increase in State-wide tourists and finding a niche in the market providing longer term accommodation to travellers (Grey nomads!) who, without some kind of a fixed address, may otherwise have found themselves getting kicked out of the State! Chaotic times indeed, but Stacey was happy to announce that the East Beach tourist park has now bounced back stronger than ever and is in great shape, taking to social media just before Christmas to report that the park was fully booked out and no longer able to accept any more visitors!
Low Head features Australia’s oldest Pilot Station, which was built in 1806. This whole area is a fantastic place to visit and surely one of the best maritime attractions in the whole
of Australia. Set amid pristine, well-kept parklands and delightful cottages, the station features a superb museum, an excellent café and plenty of interesting artefacts and sculptures.
There is the most beautiful old White Church across the road which is now a private residence. Services were held there for well over a century. There is a delightful photograph in the museum of happy congregants spilling out onto the street after a service, an iconic and heart-warming image.
There are penguin tours each night at sunset and plenty of places to just slow down, take a photograph or two and enjoy the incredible views!
The pinnacle of Low Head though, as you make your way to the very tip of the peninsular, is the outstanding Low Head Lighthouse. Set in well-kept grounds, it boasts wonderful views of the Bass Straight. The third oldest lighthouse in Tasmania, it was established in 1833 and has a fascinating history which is freely presented on the well-maintained signs. The views across the Bass Straight are truly spectacular and the lighthouse is brilliantly preserved amid quaint surroundings and serene landscape.
Low Head is a place of phenomenal history and views, really worth a visit!
There are a number of events taking place across both sides of the Tamar Valley this Australia Day. West Tamar Council’s annual Australia Day Awards and citizenship ceremony takes place at Tailrace Centre from 7:45am-10am with all invited (subject to booking) and a free breakfast included.
The event offers a chance to welcome new citizens to the region and also recognise members of our community who have made outstanding
contributions.
A little later on over at Riverside Swim Centre, there is a free splash in the pool event, again hosted by West Tamar Council with music, games, giveaways and waterslides set to make for an entertaining afternoon from 12pm-4pm.
Beaconsfield Tennis Club are hosting an Australia Day BBQ from 11am as they celebrate the reopening of the newly resurfaced courts at their Shaw Street facility, there will be an exhibition match with free use of the
court so if tennis is your sport be sure to attend!
Just up the road at Rowella Hall, a free community BBQ has been arranged with games, entertainment, live music, and a licenced bar. This kicks off a little later in the day at 5pm.
Not to be outdone, George Town Council will also host its civic ceremony from 8:30am on the day with an invitation to all residents to attend as newest citizens to the region make the Australian Citizenship pledge of commitment and Australia
Day awards such as citizen of the year, young citizen of the year and community event of the year are presented. The event is held at the George Town Memorial Centre and includes a free breakfast.
There are bound to be many more Australia Day events, both official and not so official throughout the Valley on Australia Day 2023, feel free to let the community know via our Facebook page, or even post a picture or comment of your favourite Australia day activities!
2023 promises to be an exciting year for the NTFA premier division club George Town Football Club with the playing surface and drainage system undergoing a complete refurbishment in time for the clubs first home game at Blue Gum Park in season 2023.
After famously winning the u21 Premiership in a Covid hit 2020 season, George Town Football Club have kicked on with the rebuild, winning 9 senior games last year with a young list and making finals for the first time in the Senior woman’s competition. The working relationship with the nearby
junior club also appears to be working well, with the u18’s having another strong season, coached by Jason Shepard, George Town went as far as a preliminary final last year.
Club President, Lynette Burt and the committee are doing a great job driving the club forward as they continue to build a strong culture at George Town Football Club.
Lynette said, ‘we are focussed on keeping football alive in George Town, we continue to provide opportunities for local participation and keep on building that pathway for junior footballers in the region.
The club has retained most of the players from last year with an excellent group of local coaches. The new ground has been seeded and will be ready for our first home game in 2023.’
The club is also grateful for local industry, business and government support with Lynette adding ‘George Town Football Club are very fortunate to have the ongoing commitment of the local industry and business partners and support of the George Town Council. The committee work hard to attract funding through grants available and align all improvements with our Strategic Plan, something we are proud of.’
The senior men’s team in season 2023 will be coached again by Adam Zanevra and Joal Coad while the women’s team will once again be coached by the popular Dave Marshall and prominent female coach Jodie Clifford, who continue to focus on a positive team culture and the enjoyment of playing football each week.
Jarrod Bailey will coach the reserves team hoping to have a consistent line up each week while the u18’s will take on a slight change of direction and will be guided by senior players Darcy Layh, Dylan Clayton and Zac Cooke, with the club quick to put on record
their gratitude for the work Jason Shepard has put in. The club has been proactive with player recruitment for season 2023, recently announcing that gun forward Chev Deacon will return to the club after 2 seasons at Scottsdale. Adam Etchell joins from Grand finalists Rocherlea while 2 x senior fairest and best, Jack Hulse returns after a year living in Victoria.
Pre-season training began in November with great numbers reported.
George Town Football Club are one of the best supported sporting clubs in the region, a great old fashioned country football club with
a rich history, famously playing in 9 senior grade grand finals between 2001 and 2009 and winning 8 of them! An incredible effort at any level of sport. The club fell on some hard times for a while there, but is certainly trending upwards again now, they have a great group of loyal supporters and sponsors who have stuck with the club through thick and thin.
Expect George Town to play finals in all grades in 2023 with an NTFA senior men’s Premiership a real possibility over the next few years.
During the nineteenth century the streets around Regent Square were select places for living. If the cottages and mansions that once outlined the Square in Elizabeth, Cimitiere and Anne Streets could talk, their stories would be very interesting. Not least of them is “Ben Hyrons’ Cottage”, named after a man who spent little time in the town, but made a huge mark on the place in that short time.
Ben Hyrons was born in 1795 in Worcestershire, England. He trained as a shoemaker, but was arrested for having counterfeit coins and was sentenced to transportation. He arrived as ‘Benjamin Hines’ on the Lord Melville in Hobart Town in December 1818.
He was employed in his trade and then assigned to shoemaker James Blay who had shops in both Hobart Town and New Norfolk. By 1827 Ben had his Ticket of Leave and set up his own business in Liverpool Street. As well as being a boot and shoe maker he was also a general trader and soon
established a second shop in New Norfolk.
In 1831 he was granted a conditional pardon. This allowed him to hold a liquor licence. He moved to Launceston, where he purchased the “Spread Eagle Hotel” in Brisbane Street. It was the first of a long list of hotels he would operate in Launceston over the next 40 years.
Along with his hotels, Ben also operated a number of coach services, using his hotels as departure points for the coaches with stables for the horses.
His first coach service was to Perth, which was later extended to Longford. He and his son operated that service for more than 20 years. In 1833 he began a coach service to Hobart, competing for many years against the existing operator, Mrs. Cox. He introduced larger and more comfortable coaches and reduced prices in an attempt to undercut the opposition. He drove the coaches himself, and was often criticised for his ‘furious driving’ and sometimes ended up in court. He successfully operated
the service until 1848 when he lost the mail contract to Page’s coaches.
In the 1840s Ben took to horse racing. He set up his hotel as a refreshment place for the racing set. His horse “Saladin” competed in the Launceston races, winning the Galloway Stakes in 1843. He also took the horse to the Hobart races, but met with no success there. Another of his Launceston ventures was the Olympic Theatre, again part of his hotel. He organized the artists and directed the entertainment himself.
Ben managed several hotels between the 1830s and 1850s. Each hotel that he purchased became the Launceston depot for his coaches. He never kept the inns for long, regularly selling up, even announcing he was leaving the colony, only to re-appear as the licensee of another hotel a few months later. That would become the departure point for a revival of his coaching run, with new and better coaches and another tilt for the mail contract.
In 1853 Ben auctioned off
his coaches, horses and his household effects and moved to George Town. He purchased a house in Wellington Street and a farm east of George Town which he named “Nine Mile Springs”. In 1854 he purchased the paddle steamer Governor Wynyard from Melbourne, and brought her to the Tamar to operate a passenger and cargo service between Launceston and George Town.
In 1855 he built, the “Freemason’s Hotel,” which was opposite the present-day George Town Hospital in Anne Street. He joined the committee as Treasurer to manage the annual George Town Regatta. He also purchased a house in Wellington Street and a block on the corner of Cimitiere and Anne Streets.
It looked as if Ben was set for a lucrative time in George Town, but such was not to be. Every week he advertised in the newspapers, encouraging the people of Launceston to take a day trip in his paddle steamer to George Town and dine at his hotel before returning. However, the Governor Wynyard was not suitable
for the run. Its engine was inefficient and not strong enough to operate against the tide. It was frequently breaking down.
The real problem was that the small steam-driven boats were not economic. The cost of coal and the need for a large crew meant they could not compete with the sailing ketches, which carried cargo at a much lower cost. There were not enough passengers to make this part of the service profitable and the larger and faster Launceston to Melbourne steamers also stopped at George Town for passengers.
Even the hotel caused him difficulties with the authorities. As he already held a licence to sell liquor at his hotel, he was refused a licence for the Governor Wynyard. He was also accused of selling alcohol on Sundays.
In 1857 he packed up and moved again. He put all of his George Town properties up for sale. He claimed to be making a voyage back to England, but instead he purchased another hotel in
Launceston and operated it for a number of years. He did not completely abandon George Town. He kept the block in Anne Street and built a cottage there. He retired to George Town in 1870 and died in 1873.
It is ironic that Ben should be remembered more by his cottage than by his achievements. His restless spirit never brought fame or riches from his many enterprises. Yet, he set a standard for hospitality in his many hotels for forty years. He was a major pioneer of the coaching industry, and was responsible for making public transport affordable and comfortable.
By the late 1870s improved versions of steamships would be making daily trips between George Town and Launceston. On summer weekends and public holidays hundreds of visitors would be visiting George Town for the day. His ambitions for the little seaside village had been just twenty years too early.
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.
The next meeting will be held on MONDAY, 16th JANUARY. At the Low Head Pilot Station Museum. (Location may change due to COVID-19 - see Facebook for updates).
Des Wootton will speak about the Brig Henry, which operated between VDL and the mainland 1836 – 1848.
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.