Journeys Winter 2025

Journeys YOUR RACT MEMBER MAGAZINE // WINTER 2025

TOURING THE TAMAR Slow down to speed up The state’s smartest scrapyard Reuse revolution

contents.

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38

05 Welcome note A word from our Group CEO

06 Inbox

Our members share what’s on their minds

Lifestyle

10 What’s on

Your new to-do list

30 inside

Road test

12 Top 5

Sustainable cellar doors

14 A mile in the shoes of

A roadside patrol member of 45 years

Drive

We take the MG4 Essence 64 along the Tamar River in electric style

18 Auto news

on the cover

20 0–100 review

Crossing over the Batman Bridge Image: Prime Perspectives

Developments in the car world

Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain

22 In reverse

Rolls-Royce Phantom

24 Changemakers We acknowledge the ancient history of the traditional owners of Lutruwita, and their continuing connection to family, community, and the land, sea, and waterways.

We pay our deepest respects to those who have passed before us and acknowledge today’s Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and their enduring connection to this island.

We stand for a future that profoundly respects and acknowledges Aboriginal perspectives, culture, language and history.

Our branches are open Mon–Fri 9am to 5pm For customer service, call 13 27 22 For roadside assistance, call 13 11 11 anytime Visit ract.com.au Email journeys@ract.com.au

WINTER 2025

Tasmanian Auto Recyclers

Travel

38 Travel news

Explore our state

41 The pit stop Sorell

42 Take it slow

The joys of unhurried travel in Tasmania

48 Waste to worth

The tip shops and repair cafes giving new life to old things

Community

56 The latest

RACT community news

60 State growth

Efforts to eliminate road trauma

61 Changing gears Youth road safety program

62 Member rewards Savings available now

65 Puzzles

Crossword and quiz

66 Rear view

Snapshots of Tasmania

Have your say on social media

To unsubscribe from Journeys, visit ract.com.au/update

3

welcome.

ABOUT YOUR RACT PRESIDENT Alison Flakemore VICE PRESIDENT Pieter Kolkert BOARD Tony Coleman, Mark Grey, Alex McKenzie, Keryn Nylander, Jenny Richardson, Ian Gillespie

A word from our GCEO

RACT GROUP CEO Mark Mugnaioni JOURNEYS MANAGING EDITOR Leah Tierney

Fuel savings, youth safety, community change: how RACT is steering a safer, more connected and more sustainable future for Tasmania.

I am thrilled that we will be joining forces with two trusted Tasmanian-grown brands: Bennett’s Petroleum and Bonney Energy.

Building a partnership with two strong brands that closely align with our values is something I’m extremely proud of.

I want to thank RACT members for their patience and support as we have transitioned to these new fuel rewards arrangements, and to reassure you that this is only the beginning of the benefits we plan to deliver through this new partnership. You can find out how and where to redeem on our website.

We continue to develop the Youth Road Safety Program, a project that, with the support of the State Government, aims to develop a holistic approach to youth road safety between years 9 and 12. I was pleased to chair the first meeting of the program’s steering committee in April, which brings together leaders in road safety, education, community and government to help shape the direction of the program and guide this important work.

You can find out more about the program in the Changing gears article on page 61.

I would like to thank the more than 17,000 members who took part in our annual Member Survey earlier this year. Your feedback helps

us shape what we do, from improving our products and services to guiding our long-term planning.

In this edition of Journeys we look at how you can explore our island in winter, embracing the slower pace that the change in season brings. We also discover the world of tip shops and repair cafes and how they’re boosting sustainability and reducing landfill.

This will be the final printed edition of Journeys as we move to a digital-only version that will allow us to deliver the same great stories, tips and updates you’ve come to love, but in a more timely, accessible, engaging and environmentally friendly way. While we understand that some members will be disappointed that they will no longer receive a printed copy of the magazine, this decision is part of our broader commitment as a responsible corporate citizen to reducing our carbon footprint.

Thanks to those members who have joined us on our paperless journey so far. You can sign up for digital Journeys via the QR code in this edition, online through our self-service portal or by asking one of our team – either via phone or in branch.

Mark Mugnaioni // RACT Group CEO

Journeys is published for The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania

by Hardie Grant Media, Building 1, 658 Church Street, Richmond VIC 3121 hardiegrant.com Managing Director Rod Mooseek Senior Content Manager Mary Weaver Senior Designer Sue Morony Senior Account Directors Scott Elmslie Jennifer Hobson Senior Advertising Manager Kerri Spillane kerrispillane@hardiegrant.com Publishing Executive Shahirah Hambali Printer IVE Group Mailhouse D&D Mailing Services Distribution Australia Post Australia Post No. 100003899

PEFC Certified Paper from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources PEFC/21-31-119

pefcaustralia.org.au

Competition Ts&Cs at ract.com.au/competitions.

Opinions in Journeys may not be shared by The Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited, its related companies (together “RACT”) or their personnel.

Advertised products and services are the responsibility of the advertiser, not RACT. Information in Journeys does not constitute legal or professional advice.

Member benefits cannot be transferred, sold or redeemed for cash. No reproduction without permission of the copyright holder, RACT.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

5

inbox.

LETTERS

STYLE VERSUS SAFETY

The true cost

After reading recent discussions on LED headlights and modern car visibility, I’ve started to question whether car designers are prioritising style over safety. Some newer vehicles seem to have tiny or dim rear indicators and brake lights. Following a latemodel European car in the rain recently really brought this home.

Are there no minimum standards for size or brightness anymore?

As we head into another Tassie winter with its fog, rain, ice and long, dark nights, I’ve been thinking about the cost of keeping our cars safe versus the cost of not doing so.

How much does it cost to keep your tyres and brakes in good condition? And what’s the cost if you don’t?

How much to keep all your lights working and correctly adjusted? What’s the cost of a service or a third-party insurance policy compared to the cost of an accident?

Car ownership is a responsibility. A wet road, worn tyres or a faulty headlight can be all it takes for a serious and expensive incident. Yes, budgets are tight, but cutting corners on roadworthiness could cost a lot more than you think, not just for you, but for everyone you share the road with.

Stephen Boyle

Jennifer Dare, Newnham

CHOOSE THE RIGHT GEAR FOR YOUR RIDE MOTOCAP.COM.AU Untitled-2 1

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JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

17/01/2025 2:44:46 PM

Above the rules

Many drivers along the Tasman Highway between Launceston and St Helens seem to think double white lines don’t apply to them.

Whether it’s cutting corners or overtaking in winding areas – especially through The Sideling and the mountainous stretches east of Scottsdale – it happens way too often. Perhaps some unmarked police cars would be put to good use in these areas?

ZIP THROUGH FASTER

With winter approaching and low visibility during sunset and rainy days, I believe it’s time we made high-visibility shirts or jackets compulsory for cyclists. It’s a simple step that could save lives in the long run.

Last Friday I was leaving Hobart via the Bridgewater Bridge.

There was a long queue in the right-hand lane, while the left lane was largely empty. For the first time, I wondered, why can’t drivers just use both lanes and merge in an orderly zip fashion when they come together? Is there any official guidance on this?

Harvey Bird, Summerhill

Joanna de Burgh, South Hobart

Ian Robbins, Scottsdale

Photos: iStock

Hi-vis please

WRITE TO US

We’re keen to hear your thoughts on any motoring or travel-related topics, as well as auto questions.

Please keep them brief – we reserve the right to edit.

journeys@ract.com.au @ractofficial

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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Friday 20 June 2025 Proudly supported by RACT

BRAVE THE COLD. BRAVE THE CONVERSATION.

shortsday.com.au

10 / WHAT’S ON

lifestyle

12 / TOP 5 ECO WINERIES

14 / A MILE IN THE SHOES

Photo: Flickr

Dark Mofo Dark Mofo, led by new artistic director Chris Twite, is back and better than ever in 2025. In addition to its signature rituals Winter Feast, the Ogoh-Ogoh, Night Mass and the Nude Solstice Swim, the festival features new work from Paula Garcia and Carlos Martiel, the Australian premiere of a massive light installation from Nonotak and performances that can’t be seen anywhere else in Australia this year.

For more, visit darkmofo.net.au

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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what’s on.

Out and about this winter in Tasmania

GREAT GIGS FOR KIDS 9 AUG 2025

Peter and the Wolf & Other Stories

12-19 AUGUST 2025

SCIENCE FEST Australia’s most imaginative festival of science and culture returns 12-19 August with big ideas and mind-expanding experiences. “If you have an idea... of what a science festival is, it’s not that,” says festival founder and creative director, Dr Margo Adler. See the full program online. beakerstreet.com.au

Suitable for kids aged five to 12, the TSO performs symphonic fairytale adventures at Federation Concert Hall in Nipaluna/Hobart.

20 JULY 2025

Emma Memma, Dance Island Party ARIA award-winning children’s entertainer Emma Memma brings her brand-new show to Nipaluna/Hobart’s Theatre Royal in July.

27-30 AUGUST 2025

10 AUGUST 2025

Winter Challenge Kayak the East Coast waters, road cycle from beach to beach, mountain bike through forests and trail run along coastal terrain near Orford at this familyfriendly event, which also sports Australia’s Egg and Spoon Racing National Championships. winterchallengestas.com 10

JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH TO AUGUST

Based on the original story by J.K. Rowling, this high schoolfriendly adaptation

by Scotch Oakburn College premieres at Launceston’s Princess Theatre.

Southern Bluefin Carving Ceremony This event sees a whole tuna, freshly caught by Mures’ very own fishing vessel Selkie, expertly sliced by fisher Jock Mure. Then, enjoy a four-course tuna degustation paired with Pooley Wines. mures.com.au

Want to tell us about your event or product? Reach us on journeys@ract.com.au

Photos: Dave Lennon (Winter Challenge); William Doggett (Working Dogs); The Socialty (Christmas in July)

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child

lifestyle

12 + 26 JULY; 9 AUGUST 2025

Working Dogs, Truffles and Vines This all-day event goes behind the scenes at two of Tamar’s most prestigious producers, Pipers Brook Truffles and the House of Arras. Join Diego the kelpie on a truffle hunt, enjoy a truffle-accented lunch, then meet Flinders the border collie for a sparkling wine tasting.

12 JULY 2025

Christmas in July Play in real snow, drink real mulled wine and be merry at Ben Lomond Alpine Resort’s Christmas in July event, a spectacular winter celebration with live music, festive workshops, Christmas carols and a feast of local food vendors. benlomondalpineresort.com.au

27 JUNE-6 JULY 2025

Festival of Voices 24-27 JULY 2025

Devonport Jazz Festival Celebrating 24 years of unforgettable music, Devonport comes alive as jazz and blues spill into theatres, pubs, cafes and streets across the city. Big names, cosy gigs, surprise pop-ups and late-night jams bring four days of pure energy and rhythm. For the full program, head online. devonportjazz.com.au

Sing your heart out at Festival of Voices’ diverse choral performances, classes and events.

Highlights include Christopher Kiver (USA) leading a Chamber Choir Workshop at the Hobart Town Hall, song-writing workshops and a chance to sing with the fabulous Velvetones. festivalofvoices.com ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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lifestyle

TOP five

SUSTAINABLE CELLAR DOORS

Lutruwita/Tasmania’s cool climate wines are world-class, but some go beyond great vintages. From biodynamic vines to off-grid estates, here are five exceptional cellar doors that champion eco-conscious practices, writes Nola James.

Derwent Valley-based Stefano Lubiana is Tasmania’s first and only certified biodynamic vineyard, meaning it follows traditional farming practices based on the lunar cycle and wines are made without synthetic treatments, additives or pesticides. Sadly, the on-site restaurant closed last year, but you can still sample fifth-generation winemaker Steve Lubiana’s refined, expressive pinot noirs at the Tuscaninspired cellar door. slw.com.au

2 Utzinger Wines Swiss-born winemaker Matthias Utzinger met his Tasmanian-raised wife, Lauren, while backpacking in Iran.

They planted certified-organic vines overlooking the Tamar River in 2016, with a lo-fi, appointment-only cellar door opening in 2024. You’re in expert hands here – Matthias and Lauren run their own tastings – with the option to add Swiss cheese pairings (naturally) to fumé blanc, chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir and the “Roter Satz” field blend, which has earned a cult following. utzingerwines.com

3 Small Wonder Wines Small Wonder is nestled in 20ha of native bushland on the western ridge of the Tamar. The brand is overseen by winemaker Ockie Myburgh (also chief winemaker at Josef Chromy), with its 12

JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

Singapore-based parent company investing heavily in the 1998-planted site, including organic conversion, lighter-weight packing and a switch to 100 per cent green energy. The cellar door offers wine tastings, cheese and charcuterie plates, plus twice-daily tours of the winemaking facilities. smallwonderwines.com.au

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4 Pooley Wines Multi-generational Coal River producer Pooley Wines has won Wine Tasmania’s VinØ Program Champion award for sustainable practices three times, and was the first Tasmanian vineyard to achieve independent environmental certification through Entwine Australia (the industry’s original voluntary environmental assurance scheme). A heritage-listed sandstone barn houses the tasting room, with a casual woodfired pizza and wine offering on the lawns. pooleywines.com.au

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5 Moores Hill This off-grid operation became Tasmania’s first 100 per cent solarpowered winery in 2017. Specialising in dry and sweet rieslings, with pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay in the mix, its wines are small batch and minimal intervention. The small cellar door, which was built from upcycled timber, offers wine flights and tasting platters best enjoyed on the deck, with a view of vines and hills. mooreshill.com.au

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Photos: supplied

1 Stefano Lubiana

1

Colour me happy

The all-electric jacksonvolkswagen.com.au

A mile in THE SHOES OF A

Roadside Patrol Member of 45 Years

When Jonathan Burley took on a roadside assistance role with the RACT as a fresh-faced 18-year-old in 1980, he couldn’t have anticipated the drama, the humanity and the changes that he’d see in the next four and half decades.

Words Sarah Aitken Photography Jasper Da Seymour

J

onathan, who has been based in Derby for nearly 40 years, has assisted countless motorists on the sides of some of the toughest roads in the state.

There was the time he made it into the paper when he rescued a driver who had locked their keys in the car. The hook was that he’d ridden past on horseback, not planning to do any roadside assisting but always ready all the same.

He’s also rescued animals locked in cars and, many times, humans who used GPS instead of common sense. He’s fixed everything from Winnebagos to wheelchairs.

“I’ve had beach recoveries with the tide coming in and we’ve had to extract them as quick as we could,” he says. “I’ve done a wheelchair. A guy had a flat tyre so I had to jack up the wheelchair while he was still sitting in it.”

He once took a frantic call from a person who realised their missing cat had been locked in the car for 24 hours.

“The cat got in there and then stood on the central locking knob in the console! They had been looking for the cat and then 24 hours later, it was there inside the car, so that was a pretty urgent one to get to.”

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JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

As with so many vital roles in rural areas, this is more than just a job. Jonathan prides himself on being able to keep stressed customers calm and in the past has even opened up his own home to those stranded.

“If it’s late in the afternoon and they want to be towed to Hobart, I’ve just said to them, ‘Look, sleep at our place, and I’ll leave early in the morning because I’ve done a long day’s work, I don’t want to drive overnight.’ So quite often we’ve had them sleep at our place while we get a bit of rest before I do their long tow to Hobart.”

This was more common before Derby experienced its huge boom over the past 15 years. Back then, it was almost impossible to find accommodation in the small town.

“Now people stay for a week with the bike tracks,” he says. “There’s just so much to do in Derby now that everything’s been opened up: the bike tracks, the lake, the tunnel, the floating sauna.”

Jonathan says he wouldn’t have been able to offer the help and hospitality over the years without the support of Kathleen, his wife of 42 years and mother to their six children.

lifestyle “Doing a breakdown service is a team effort,” he explains. “There’s no way you could keep going without somebody at home cooking the meals, getting the car ready, cleaning it out and washing it for when a member needs transport.”

A big part of the job is thinking on behalf of those too stressed to do so.

“It’s not always plain sailing. You’ve got to think for the person, because they’re out of their comfort zone. All of a sudden they’ve broken down in a place that they don’t know anything about, and they don’t know the distances, they don’t know what’s available. So you’ve got to nut it all out for them and work out their needs.

“We had a child the other day with diabetes, and his mum had to get him home because he had to have certain medication. And some people have got to get to an aeroplane – the plane’s leaving at eight o’clock, and they’ve broken down at four o’clock, and you’ve got to get them to the airport, and you’ve got to work it all out to get their hire car back as well.”

Jonathan says technology has changed the way he responds to call-outs. He used to be able to fix 90 per cent of mechanical issues on the side of the road, but due to increasingly electronic car systems, he’s now only able to fix about 10 per cent on site, requiring towing for the others.

Then there’s the GPS… Jonathan has lots of stories of GPS directions sending people down entirely wrong roads. Like the time a tourist drove down a road that had been shut for about 20 years and planted out with pine trees.

“He’d broken the bull bar, smashed the left-hand front window trying to get between the trees, and then got it stuck on a bit of a stump. I said, ‘Where are you?’ and he said, ‘Well, I don’t really know, but I’ve got the coordinates.’

“So I had to go to the fire station at Weldborough – because I’m in the fire brigade too – to lend their maps of the area, and I put all the coordinates on it, worked out exactly where it was, and I had to cut down 13 trees to get the vehicle out.”

Sometimes Jonathan just has to have a quiet chuckle, like when he was called to help a husband and wife who’d locked themselves out of their caravan in the dark at Myrtle Park at Easter.

“He was in his jocks and T-shirt, he had to sit in the car with the heater going; he was too embarrassed to get out of the car. I know him actually, he was from out this way!”

Next year marks 40 years of Jonathan’s service in Derby, and he thinks that might be the right time to hang up the tools. He’ll leave some big shoes – and riding boots – to fill.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

15

The Solar & Battery Experts

drive

18/ AUTO NEWS

20/ 0-100: ISUZU MU-X X-TERRAIN

22/ IN REVERSE: ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 24/ CHANGE MAKER 30/ ROAD TEST

Photo: supplied

All abuzz Volkswagen’s first electric vehicle in Australia is a funky van-cum-people-mover that channels the iconic Kombi. Available with two different wheelbases and in three variants, the ID Buzz Pro comes in five- or sevenseat configurations, while the ID Buzz Cargo is a three-seat commercial vehicle on the same extended wheelbase as the seven-seater. All are based on Volkswagen’s modular MEB electric car platform, which delivers even front and rear weight distribution, short overhangs, a low centre of gravity and the latest in electric vehicle underpinnings. For now, all three variants feature a single rear-mounted motor driving the rear wheels. Later this year Volkswagen will launch the more luxurious dual-motor all-wheel drive ID Buzz GTX. The single motor is good for outputs of 210kW/560Nm on the passenger variants; the Cargo delivers the same 210kW but a slightly lower 550Nm.

The Pro SWB and Cargo get a 84kWh lithium-ion battery enabling a WLTP range of 422km and 431km respectively, while the Pro LWB gets a larger 91kWh battery for a range of 452km. Recommended retail pricing starts at $79,990 for the Cargo, $87,990 for the Pro SWB and $91,290 for the LWB. Up front are nicely bolstered seats with armrests, and the roomy second row has aircraft-style flip-out tables on the seat backs. The large 12.9-inch touchscreen display is easy to navigate with USB-C charging ports and wireless phone charging, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The driving experience is quiet and comfortable, with excellent visibility and effortless performance. Hippies may miss the dak-dak-dak soundtrack of the old Kombi’s flat-four engine, but this new generation is far cleaner and truer to the flowerpower ethos than its ICE predecessors ever were.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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auto news.

The latest developments in the car world

Magnificent seven One of Australia’s biggest, burliest and most capable 4WD wagons, the Nissan Patrol, recently chalked up its 250,000th Australian delivery, marking an incredible milestone in the model’s 64-year Australian journey.

The current V8-powered Y62 Patrol landed here way back in 2013 but continues to provide staunch opposition to its far-fresher rival: the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, which launched in late 2021.

Despite its advancing years, last year’s tally of 8293 sales was the

Y62’s best yet and the best Patrol performance since 2004. The results will encourage Nissan Australia that the all-new seventh-generation Y63 Patrol, due in late 2026 or early 2027, will carry the fight even deeper into LandCruiser country.

Already on sale in the Middle East, the new Patrol boasts unmissable road presence and a raft of new technologies, including a twin turbocharged 3.5-litre petrol V6, derived from the Nissan GT-R sports car, and developing a muscular 317kW/700Nm. That’s 7

per cent more power and 25 per cent more torque than the current model’s 5.6-litre petrol V8 (298kW/560Nm), and the V6 is also 24 per cent more fuel efficient than the V8.

The Y63 promises to be smoother and more responsive too, thanks to a new nine-speed automatic transmission boasting six different drive modes, plus adaptive air suspension and new e-damper technology that should ensure plush on-road ride comfort and enhanced all-terrain capability.

CHANGE GEAR - VOLUNTEER! CTST is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers door-todoor transport statewide; as well as home maintenence and social support in Devonport, powered by our volunteer workforce of over 350 Tasmanians! We support people to live well, maintain their independence and connect with their community.

Community Transport Services Tasmania

MERSEY COMMUNITY CARE ASSOCIATION INC.

Join our team today at ctst.org.au/volunteer 18

JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

drive

Photos: supplied

THAT’S HEAVY

Tired of having sand kicked in its face by locally re-engineered full-size American pick-ups like the RAM and its own F-150, Ford Australia is taking the load-hauling fight to its rivals by introducing a new heavy-duty variant of its best-selling Ranger ute.

Dubbed the Ranger Super Duty, the new workhorse is due in early 2026 and will boast greater load-hauling and towing capacity than the regular Ranger and 4WD dual-cab rivals, including the Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max. Ford says the Super Duty has been developed to deliver the higher levels of Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM), Gross Combination Mass (GCM), towing capacity and off-road capability required by the likes of farmers, miners, forestry workers and emergency service operators. This translates to a 4500kg braked towing capacity, 4500kg GVM and 8000kg GCM, easily exceeding the specifications of the most workhorse-oriented variant in the current line-up, the Ranger XL, with its 3500kg maximum braked towing capacity, 3230kg GVM and 6350kg GCM. Ford has been slowly releasing information on the new model, including teaser images, but no pricing. The company has revealed the new ute will feature a heavy-duty eight-stud wheel pattern similar to that used on the US-market F-250 Super Duty, along with 18-inch steel wheels and 33-inch all-terrain tyres.

The Ranger Super Duty has been developed

by Ford’s IMG product development team based in Australia and will be manufactured in Thailand for sale in markets around the world.

ON A CHARGE BYD changes the game with new battery technology that will see EVs recharge in around the same time it takes to refuel a combustion-powered car.

Chinese car maker BYD says its new Super e-Platform can charge at speeds of up to 1000kW using its own ultra-fast DC chargers, 4000 of which it is currently rolling out across China. When connected to these “flash-charging stations”, BYD’s latest lithium-ion-phosphate Blade Battery can add up to 400km of range in about five minutes. BYD founder Wang Chuanfu declared the technology would “fundamentally solve users’ charging anxiety”. The fastest DC charging speed currently available in Australia is 350kW, with the Electric Vehicle Council reporting there were 379 ultra-fast chargers (100kW+) dotted around the country in 2024, including six in Tasmania. BYD’s new Super e-Platform will underpin two new models due to be released in China later this year, but there’s no word on when or if the technology will make its way Down Under. Despite this, the world’s biggest electric car maker continues to make strong inroads into the local market, with the company recently passing the 40,000 sales milestone less than three years after its launch, including a record-breaking month in February driven by strong uptake of its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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drive

0–100 review

Isuzu’s tough-touring MU-X scores its biggest update yet, with bold styling, smart tech and a new top-spec X-Terrain.

Story Harry Weller

S

oon after achieving a new annual record in 2024, Isuzu Ute Australia (IUA) has released the biggest update to its MU-X SUV since the current generation launched in 2021.

Last year, the MU-X was the country’s second-best-selling large SUV behind the Ford Everest, so it’s clearly still finding the mark with Aussie consumers. But with the arrival of the new Prado in Toyota showrooms, Isuzu clearly felt it needed to step up its game with a range of cosmetic, equipment, multimedia and chassis upgrades.

The big news in the revamped lineup is the introduction of a new top-of-theline variant, the X-Terrain, which builds on the highly specified LS-T and adds further cosmetic enhancements to ensure it stands out from the crowd. The X-Terrain moniker has previously been seen on the closely related D-Max ute, but this is the first time it’s been offered on the wagon. In addition to range-wide updates to the MU-X’s headlights and tail lights, the X-Terrain adds gloss-black accents on the wheel arches, lower body skirts and grille, with the grille itself featuring a specific design that further differentiates the new grade. Other X-Terrain touches include unique gloss-black 20-inch alloy wheels and

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JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

THE SPECS MAKE/MODEL: Isuzu MU-X X-Terrain BODY STYLE: Five-door 4WD wagon RETAIL PRICE: $74,400 (RRP) SEATING: 7 FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8.3L/100km (220g/km, CO2) ANCAP SAFETY RATING: 5 Star (2022) ENGINE: 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel (140kW/450Nm) TRANSMISSION: Six-speed automatic DRIVE TYPE: Part-time dual-range four-wheel drive KERB WEIGHT: 2195kg TOWING CAPACITY: 750kg (unbraked)/3500kg (braked) 0-100KM/H: N/A

For more visit: isuzuute.com.au

red ‘XT’ badges on the front guards, grille and tailgate, plus an exclusive Slate Grey metallic paint colour in addition to three other finishes.

Inside, the X-Terrain does a passable impersonation of a luxury car with its pleated leather-accented upholstery, red stitch accents and red ambient lighting, plus an updated 7.0inch digital multi-information display (MID) and new 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with separate tuning and volume control dials. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are now standard, but there’s no wireless phone charger.

The X-Terrain remains the real deal off-road, with excellent approach and departure angles, good ground clearance, high- and low-range gearing, an upgraded Rough Terrain Mode and rear-locking differential.

What hasn’t changed with this update, but which perhaps should have, is the Powertrain, which remains Isuzu’s trusty 3.0-litre fourcylinder turbodiesel. Despite the enduring appeal of this big four-pot, due in no small part to its reputation for reliability and durability, the engine feels lethargic when compared to the crisp responsiveness of the 2.0-litre fourcylinder bi-turbo diesel powering its key rival, the Ford Everest. The Isuzu engine musters 140kW/450Nm, which is adequate compared to the Ford’s 154kW/500Nm, but the MU-X’s six-speed gearbox pales against the Everest’s sophisticated 10-speed unit.

Fans will argue that this conservative approach to the mechanical package is part of Isuzu’s appeal, but the MU-X simply can’t match the effortless drivability of the Ford’s combo, which is a shame as the rest of the package is excellent.

Photos: supplied

X marks the spot

in reverse

MODEL

ENGINE

CLAIM TO FAME

Rolls-Royce Phantom

7.7-litre pushrod-OHV in-line six-cylinder (the engine was described by Rolls-Royce as having “sufficient” power)

Iconic British luxury car brand Rolls-Royce celebrates the 100th anniversary of its most famous nameplate, the Phantom, in 2025. Through eight generations, the Phantom has remained the pinnacle model in the marque’s portfolio, offering drivers and passengers a supremely satisfying automotive experience.

Centenary jubilee

R

olls-Royce first earned the accolade of ‘the best car in the world’ with the 40/50 HP, universally known as the Silver Ghost, launched in 1906. The key to its reputation was Henry Royce’s principle of constant improvement to its underlying engineering, which he conducted on an almost chassis-by-chassis basis.

By 1921, Royce realised the Silver Ghost’s design was nearing a point where further development would compromise either smoothness or reliability, so he began work on its replacement.

The new model was announced via an advertisement in England’s The Times newspaper, on 2 May 1925, marking what would be the first recorded use of the Phantom moniker.

The name was likely coined by RollsRoyce’s Commercial Managing Director, Claude Johnson, who recognised the sales benefits of naming products with inspiring titles such as Phantom, Wraith and Ghost.

At the time, Rolls-Royce supplied only the rolling chassis, with the form, styling and appointment of the car itself in

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the hands of independent coachbuilders who created bespoke bodywork to the owner’s specification.

Rolls-Royce offered the new Phantom in long-wheelbase form, suitable for formal saloon and limousine designs, and with a shorter wheelbase ideal for owner-driven cars with closed, open and ‘sportier’ coachwork.

The car’s generous proportions enabled owners to specify almost any detail or indulgence they wished. Some asked for concealable writing desks, others requested dedicated spaces to stow golf clubs, still others wanted a secret compartment in which to carry diamonds.

The original Phantom remained in production for four years before being replaced in 1929 by the Phantom II, which boasted numerous engineering and design improvements. That commitment to continuous improvement has remained at the very heart of the Rolls-Royce Phantom story ever since.

Today’s aluminium spaceframe-based Phantom VIII is so remarkably luxurious and technically advanced when compared

to the original that it seems as if from another planet. Among its many notable features is The Gallery – an uninterrupted swathe of glass that runs the full width of the fascia, behind which the owner (or client, as Rolls-Royce prefers) can display a commissioned work of art or design.

As technically impressive as the current 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12powered Phantom is, its essential purpose remains the same: to be the grandest, most impressive and most effortless car available, from the world’s grandest and most impressive car maker.

Story Harry Weller

Photos: Supplied

One hundred years ago, Rolls-Royce launched the first vehicle to bear what would become the most evocative and enduring nameplate in its history: Phantom.

ETTRICK ROCKS - KING ISLAND NOT JUST A DESTINATION, IT’S AN EXPERIENCE!

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Offer applies to bookings between 1/5/25 to 31/08/2025.

ETTRICK ROCKS LUXURY RETREATS

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At an auto recycling yard in Rocherlea, old-school service meets state-of-theart ingenuity to deliver first-in-class environmental outcomes for scrap cars.

Riley Wilson stops by for a visit. Photography Jasper Da Seymour

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change makers

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In an otherwise unassuming industrial pocket of Launceston, massive change is being implemented through gear boxes, axles and engines. Across four warehouses, 800-plus cars and 2.8 hectares of land, Tasmanian Auto Recyclers (TAR) is redefining waste and rewriting the narrative around recycled car parts.

“Some people would say, ‘Slow down’, but I say, ‘No, no slowing down.’ We want to keep doing it better and better,” says managing director Chris Cordiner, a former auctioneer.

The Rocherlea facility welcomes 20-odd written-off cars per week. In covered sheds, 1150 sparkling combustion engines are stacked four shelves high, awaiting their chance to roar back to life – on average, five each day. Other outbuildings house rows of doors, accessories and bright yellow shock absorbers.

Each day, six or seven cars enter the hangar and go through ‘inventory’, where they’re meticulously examined by two dedicated team members, including Scotty Smith, who has been with the business since 2008. The pair catalogues and photographs parts for a digital database that services the in-house sales team. Here, the duo decides – based on demand, fed back from the sales team – if a car needs to be taken apart then, or placed in the yard for deconstruction at a later date.

“We’re very thorough,” Scotty says. “It’s all at our fingertips.”

If that car – one day, a LandCruiser 70s series and a Triton GLX; another a Volkswagen Polo or Hyundai i30 – shows up as in short supply, it’s transferred to ‘depollute’, where the car is cleaned and processed to remove oils, A/C gases and fuels. The TAR team of 22 employees rarely buy petrol or diesel, instead filtering that which is collected to power on-site machines and fuel their own cars. Oil is sent to a local hothouse (the scented, vibrant results of which are delivered back on occasion as bunches of red roses) and coolant is sent to Burnie for reuse.

Parts are then removed, photographed and logged, joining 115,000 other parts on hand at any time. Like in an IKEA warehouse (if it was peppered with oiled footprints and rogue bolts), every item has a designated barcoded shelf location.

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“You see a smashed car roll in and then you see all these beautiful, wellpresented parts go out. It does make you feel good about what you’re doing.”

Photo:

From written-off cars to useful parts, TAR is rethinking auto waste.

When a customer calls in search of a spare part, the team can search the database, check each part’s comprehensive notes, confirm its availability, pick it from the shelves and prepare it for dispatch within 30 minutes.

Every item is photographed and logged on eBay by enthusiastic 20-year-old warehouser Trent McDonald, who is also responsible for picking up any inconsistencies or scratches that might have slipped through during handling.

Parcels are dispatched to destinations as far-flung as Cowra and Port Macquarie in New South Wales and Yarrawonga in the Northern Territory. TAR has sent the odd piece to New Zealand, but given freight costs, requests from Azerbaijan and South Africa are unserviceable for now.

With 300-plus calls a day and more requests still via social media, website widgets and direct message, alongside 80 to 90 orders per day, ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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personable customer service and efficiency are paramount to the team.

“It’s about doing it old-school, but doing it really, really, really well,” says Chris of the person-centric approach. “We don’t ever want to go back to that wrecking yard mentality of the old bloke that says, ‘Oh, I’ll check and call you back later.’ We know what’s there, and we can sell it.”

Loose metal is separated into recycling bins – alloy here, steel there – and usable tyres are stacked out front. Only once all possible parts are repurposed does a car’s carcass travel, via forklift, over a shared boundary to Recycal’s 15-acre Rocherlea scrap-metal processing facility.

In the unseasonably warm autumn sun, Chris shields his eyes as he points to a green 4.5-cubicmetre wheelie bin.

“That’s the only waste that leaves here, because everything else gets used one way or another,” he says. “If we can get a car here and pull a perfectly good engine out and reuse it, it’s just a truly fantastic environmental outcome.”

Parts are cleaned as they’re prepared, eliminating unnecessary future handling, and engines are strapped onto custom timber palettes handmade

by Self Help Workplace, a social enterprise disability employer in Youngtown. Accessories are packed in recycled boxes and protected with shredded paperwork. A mirror might depart in a Lego box donated by Chris’ kids or an old beer box emptied after Friday knock-off.

“It’s a bit hard on the branding but I’ll wear that, because I think that if they’re getting a box from us and it’s a Boag’s Draught box, well, that’s alright,” says Chris. “It’s very Tasmanian and it’s another box that we didn’t have to make.”

Purpose is felt on a personal level too, with TAR recently earning the APM Employment Services 2025 Outstanding Achievement Award for 24-yearold Nicholas Ungerhofer and 2025 Employer of 28

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the Year. Employees’ ages range from 20 to 69, with retention consistently solid for the industry and some employees proudly racking up decades of service. On site, there’s a keen and evident eagerness – from mechanics to packers – to build something better every day.

“When you see someone who’s never had a job and they come into a business like this and they start to be surrounded by people who come to work, work hard and take a lot of pride in what they do, it really becomes quite contagious,” Chris says. “I feel like if these [young] people get a start and get going, then they’re away. It’s something we take pride in. We want to see people develop.”

It’s all the more reason to not slow down, he says. “We’re taking something that’s deemed waste and we’re turning it into a really saleable product and, at the same time, delivering this tremendously positive environmental outcome from something that was essentially considered no good,” he says.

“You see a smashed car roll in and then you see all these beautiful, well-presented parts go out. It does make you feel good about what you’re doing.”

A HIDDEN GEM ON THE COAST BETWEEN LAUNCESTON AND DEVONPORT 15% off for RACT members – details at www.tenfiftybakers.com.au Multi-day guided walk packages also available – perfect for individuals or groups of moderate fitness level

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drive

ROAD test We put the MG4 Essence 64 to the test, weaving through Tasmania’s Kanamaluka/Tamar River – from misty wetlands to scenic Beauty Point – in electric style.

Words Andrew Bain Photos Prime Perspectives

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T THE SPECS PRICING from $42,990 BODY STYLE Hatch SEATING 5 seats BATTERY CAPACITY 64kWh RANGE 435km TRANSMISSION Automatic DRIVE TYPE Rear-wheel drive MAX POWER 150kW MAX TORQUE 250Nm 0-100KM/H 7.2 seconds

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The wide and slow Kanamaluka/Tamar is a river with few meanders, but to drive a lap around it makes for a meandering day filled with pleasures.

And on a cold, still morning in Rosevears, with the water like glass, it feels entirely appropriate that I’m driving it in the near silence of an electric vehicle.

My car is a jet-black MG4 Essence 64, a car introduced into Australia in 2023 and one of the country’s cheapest entry-level EVs, though as I swing off the West Tamar Highway onto the slaloming curves of this minor riverside road through Rosevears, it feels anything but cut-rate.

The experience of driving the MG4 is different from the very moment I open the door, an action that effectively switches on the car. Download the MG iSMART app and you can start things even earlier, remotely turning on features such as the air-conditioning or, on a cold winter day, the driver’s seat heating.

Once inside, I need only turn a dial that hovers above the deep centre console to ‘Drive’ and I am away, weaving out of Launceston and crossing the West Tamar Bridge almost at the point where the South Esk and North Esk rivers merge to become Kanamaluka/Tamar.

The hills around are draped in mist, but in just a few minutes there’s a chance to get acquainted with my faithful companion for the day – the river – at the Tamar Island Wetlands, where a 1.5km boardwalk, one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks, loops out to an island in the middle of the waterway. If time is pressing, there’s a shorter stroll to the circular Wetlands visitor centre, overlooking a reed-surrounded lagoon where, this morning, a trio of black swans adds elegance to the scene as rain dapples the surface of the water.

On Kanamaluka/Tamar’s west bank, the scenic way isn’t the direct way. I’ve chosen the most riverside of routes: this road through Rosevears and a second diversion through Gravelly Beach.

They’re fun roads on which to settle into the MG4’s driving ways. Though the skies are heavy, the car is light on the road, punting quickly to 60km/h and beyond around each bend. As a rear-wheel drive with 50:50 weight distribution, the car is agile, wriggling comfortably through curves and corners.

drive

Clockwise from top left

Daytripping in the MG4; Beauty Point wharf; the leafy river surrounds; adjusting the settings; refueling en route; the 10.25” infotainment screen.

The Essence 64 is the second-from-top model in the MG4’s four tiers, adding, among other features, a rear spoiler to give it a sporty, though not showy, appearance. This isn’t a car you’d instantly identify as an EV – it’s more Corolla than Polestar in look. And with 435km to a battery charge, there’s no range anxiety on a drive like this one around Kanamaluka/ Tamar, especially with charging stations dotted around the river.

By the time I reach Exeter, it’s time for coffee. I pull in at The Cabin, a cafe with rustic, farmhouse styling, and a vehicle charging station directly across the road. We refuel together – caffeine for me, electricity for the MG4. It’s like a brunch date with a car.

River turns to earth as the drive stretches on to Beaconsfield, a town founded on mining with a tall mine header still rising above the old gold mine and the Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre.

Inside the museum, displays include a fascinating exhibition on the 2006 mine collapse that briefly turned Beaconsfield into an international headline.

Along the river’s west bank, this drive ultimately leads to beauty – literally, in the form of Beauty Point, where I turn onto the wharf. Here, platypuses and seahorses swim about in side-by-side sheds, hanging out together over the river at Platypus House and Seahorse World. Looking north from the wharf’s end, Kanamaluka/Tamar squeezes through one of its narrowest points, beginning its final approach to Bass Strait.

Doubling back towards Exeter, the drive banks, crossing the river from west to east beneath the wiry supports of Batman Bridge. When built in the 1960s, this was Australia’s first cable-stayed bridge, and its 200m span is an indication of the river’s impressive width. ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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On the east bank, where the hills seem to crowd the river even tighter, I continue the drive downstream, passing through George Town and almost into Bass Strait at Low Head. The so-called Heavy Metal Penguins, a pair of brutalist penguin sculptures, remind me that this is penguin country.

Take the evening penguin-viewing tour and the birds can almost step on your toes, but in the daylight I continue the final few hundred metres to Low Head Lighthouse.

Parking the MG4 outside the gate, I wander up to this Bass Strait night light, which pegs Tasmania into place at the point where Kanamaluka/Tamar meets the sea. The river is ending, but my day’s drive is effectively only half over as I turn back towards Launceston.

Sights and stops are fewer and further between on this side of the river, but that creates a chance to open up the throttle and enjoy the MG4’s ride back towards Launceston.

The car has four driving modes, from Snow to Sport, that I can casually flick between with my thumb. In the quiet, natural setting around the river, the Eco mode has somehow felt right all day, but I now push it up to Sport. On the 10.25-inch infotainment display, I can tap into battery data and even local weather details (and, more clumsily, control the air-con and heating – dials here would be simpler and better), while the compact digital cluster display behind the steering wheel has information from speed to tyre pressures.

I stop for a late lunch in Hillwood Berries where, in winter, the berries live on as jams, vinegars and toppings, and then make a final detour into Windermere. Commanding the best view in this riverside town is St Matthias’ Anglican Church, one of the oldest Anglican churches in the state. Atop a small rise, it looks down onto the boat ramp and across the river to Rosevears, where I stood just a few hours before. I’m returning to Launceston, but this view back in time – to my early morning in Rosevears – feels like the suitable closing of the loop on this day around Kanamaluka/Tamar.

COMPARABLES

CUPRA Born

Priced from $49,990

• Driving range; stylish appearance • Infotainment display functionality

GWM Ora

Priced from $35,990

• Price; roomy for its size • Love-it-or-hate-it appearance; no Android Auto connectivity

Clockwise from top left

Scan the QR code or visit ract.com.au/ membership/journeys to see this Road Test brought to life on video.

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Taking a break in Tamar Island Wetlands; crossing the Batman Bridge; the sleek digital dash.

Feed Your Soul.

Escape To Nature.

Corinna Wilderness Village is your must visit Tasmanian destination. Set amongst one of the oldest temperate rainforests in the world, you’ll rediscover yourself in nature.

Nourish your soul and book your authentic wilderness experience today.

www.corinna.com.au

ges a t t o sy C Col

q Local Cuisine Hidden Gem

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41 / PIT STOP: SORELL 42 / TAKE IT SLOW

48 / FROM WASTE TO WORTH

Photo: supplied

Key to it all Luxury Hobart hotel The Tasman, number 49 on the World’s 50 Best Hotels list, has launched The Keys, a selection of signature guest-only experiences. Craft your own scent from locally harvested botanicals and distil it into a candle with The Tasman’s “scent sommelier”, take a guided wellness walk on Kunyani/Mt Wellington or chase adrenaline as you traverse private mountain-bike trails by the River Derwent (followed by a luxe lunch).

For more visit thetasmanhobart.com

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travel news.

Explore our state with Nola James

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

FÁILTE (WELCOME), OIRTHIR Scottish couple Jillian McInnes and Bob Piechniczek long dreamed of moving to Tasmania, so when the site for their Marion Bay restaurant Oirthir (pronounced orr-heid) came up, they jumped on it. The duo brings French techniques sharpened in Michelin-starred restaurants to a nine-dish degustation menu that, yes, features haggis. “We live right by the oyster farm, so we collect them every morning,” Bob says, while line-caught mackerel is in the kitchen within an hour of leaving Port Arthur waters. Open for long lunches Sat-Mon and lighter dinners Fri and Sat (fortnightly); bookings essential. oirthir.com

GUIDED PALAWA TALES This winter, join proud palawa man Jye Crosswell for Tunapri Patuyala, a 1.5hour walk on Country highlighting the natural and cultural wonders of northwest Lutruwita. Based around Patuyala/ Boat Harbour Beach, participants will get hands-on with a cultural craft activity (a rough translation for the Palawa word tunapri is “to understand”). Mon, Wed and Fri until 31 Aug; $35-$55 per person. tunaprisciencenatureculture. rezdy.com.

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Photos: supplied; Adam Gibson (Oirthir); Michelle Crawford (Elsewhere Sauna); Tourism Tasmania (Ben Lomond); Southern Sea Ventures (Dark Paddle)

An eco-friendly farm retreat high on the plateau fields of Table Cape, Aquila Barn is just minutes from Wynyard.

The magnificently renovated centuryold hay barn offers a bedroom, open-plan living-kitchen area, wood-fire heater, sweeping views and a herd of friendly cows for neighbours.

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Sauna and cold plunge Elsewhere Sauna will be in residence at Drip Beach, near Cygnet, on Sundays this winter. Soak in the heat, then run across the sand to dip in the refreshing ocean.

Bookings essential.

Snow and ice On the slopes of Ben Lomond Alpine Resort, tobogganing, snowball fights and snowman-building await. Hire everything you need at Ben Lomond Base on the way up.

IN A PICKLE Tokyo’s listening bar trend – bars with high-end sound systems where guests can enjoy carefully curated music – has made its way to Launceston with Dill Pickle Club. Perched above St John Street, the Workshop Architecture-designed space catches the afternoon sun, with an open-air courtyard to be ready next summer. Owner-operators David Micallef and Robyn Schorn spin an eclectic mix of vinyl on their Luxman turntable that ranges from jazz, soul and swing to rock, new wave, punk and disco. David found the American-made Heathkit AS-101 speakers in an op shop in Burnie, upgrading the electronics and replacing the diaphragms to bring them back to life. The drinks list features mostly local wines, classic cocktails and whiskies. @dill.pickle.club

Adventure by night Southern Sea Ventures will host Dark Paddle, a twilight kayak tour around Hobart’s waterfront, during Dark Mofo (5-21 June).

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Now bypassed by Tasman Peninsula motorists, a quiet calm has settled on Sorell, one of Tasmania’s oldest towns. Graze and shop along the main street and find heritage-listed churches and a lagoon walk beyond, writes Andrew Bain.

The PIT STOP

Sorell

Photos: Tourism Tasmania; @thatprelovedplace; @baxter.and.green

EAT Midway along the main street, long-standing Velvet Espresso is a popular breakfast or lunch stop. Allday breakfasts include a quartet of Bennys and a selection of ‘avo lover’ dishes, alongside lunch burgers and fish and chips. The walls are akin to a gig guide, papered in posters for upcoming concerts and shows across Tasmania.

SEE Founded in 1821, Sorell retains a trio of colonial sandstone churches: the 1883 St George’s Anglican with its atmospheric cemetery of settler graves; St Thomas’ Catholic (1864); and Scots Uniting (1842), one of Australia’s first Romanesque churches, staring across at each other like spiritual adversaries.

Adjoining Orielton Lagoon is southern Tasmania’s only Ramsarlisted wetland, with a good access point at the end of Montagu Street, where a walking loop around the lagoon makes its closest approach to the shore.

DRINK Sorell’s best coffee is brewed at little Uncle Alby’s, with its innercity vibe of gleaming white tiles and greenery-clad walls. The 1842 Pembroke Hotel remains an oldschool classic. Like most good old pubs, it’s said to house a ghost.

From top

St George's Anglican church; That Preloved Place; Baxter and Green.

SHOP Step in past the vintage Raleigh bike out front of Baxter and Green and you’ll find one of Tassie’s most likeable storehouses of antiques – the very place if you’re wanting a hat box, butter churn, old set of golf clubs or perhaps a centuryold high chair. It also houses the more contemporary linen fashion of Tinker Tailor Tasmania. Antiques zoom forward to retro at nearby That Preloved Place, which offers a wide selection of vintage clothing and footwear.

STAY The whitewashed Sorell Barracks has four styles of guest rooms, including a separate cottage and a spa suite, and has the distinction of being Sorell’s oldest building. The Georgian Terrace structure was constructed in 1827.

ESSENTIAL STOPS

• • • • • •

Velvet Espresso Uncle Alby’s Pembroke Hotel

SORELL

Baxter and Green That Preloved Place Sorell Barracks ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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it

slow Slow travel offers a deeper connection to Tasmania’s landscapes, communities and culture. Ruth Dawkins explores how taking the time to linger can lead to a richer experience.

Photo: Tourism Tasmania

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Like any tourist, on her first visit to Tasmania, Xueqian (Chien) Zhang rushed from one landmark to the next, ticking off sights and snapping photos.

But when she returned in 2022, she chose to travel slowly: to notice, to savour, to surrender to the island’s quiet magic. Rather than cramming an itinerary full of stops, she and a friend moved at their own pace, embracing the rhythm of Tasmania’s landscapes.

What Xueqian discovered was not just a different way of travelling, but a different way of being. “This time, I felt a different type of joy – calmer, but my heart was warmed by small details and moments,” she reflected in a blog post. “Not being rushed made me feel less tired and more observant.”

Visiting just three locations over 10 days, Xueqian learned the names of native plants and animals. She stood in the waves and balanced on fallen logs in the forest, bringing back memories of the nature play she had enjoyed as a child. She hiked across rocks at Lake Fenton, wrestling with self-doubt before reaching the summit, where the view made every step worthwhile.

Three years on, it is that experience at Lake Fenton that has stayed with Xueqian. “It was scary and at times I wanted to give up,” she says. “But doesn’t our life act the same? Sometimes we have to work hard if we want to see something different or interesting.”

Tasmania, with its wild beauty and unhurried charm, proved the perfect place for Xueqian’s slow travel experiment. “It’s a state made for nature and adventure lovers,” she says. “There are so many wonderful places to explore.”

The slow-travel shift

If slow travel had a textbook definition, Dr Anne Hardy could write it. A researcher at the University of Tasmania, she has spent years studying how and why people travel, and how tourism shapes communities. But when asked to explain the 44

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travel

Clockwise from top left

Photos: Tourism Tasmania

Lake Oberon, Western Arthur Range; rocks, Netherby Bay; Meadowbank farm and vineyard, Derwent Valley; books about the journey; sitting by the shore.

principles of slow travel, she keeps it simple: it’s when the journey itself is intrinsic to the experience.

“You’re not just blasting through a place,” she explains. “You’re travelling slowly and deepening your understanding. Culture becomes key, as does the opportunity to engage with local people and seek out the unexpected.”

According to Dr Hardy, the appeal of slow travel has grown in recent years and, while there are many motivating factors cited by travellers, including tighter household budgets and sustainability concerns, she believes that COVID has been a key driver of the shift.

“Even before the pandemic, people were moving away from generic travel experiences. There was growing interest in something more place-based and authentic,” she says. “Then the world shut down and we all stayed at home. I think that made many people realise that high-speed travel can actually be quite stressful.”

When borders finally reopened, many people returned to their travels with a new perspective.

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“We realised that slowing down wasn’t a bad thing... and that’s where Tasmania comes in.”

possible, they sought out stronger connections with fewer places. “We realised that slowing down wasn’t a bad thing,” she says. “And that’s where Tasmania comes in.”

The island, she explains, is uniquely suited to slow travel. In part, that’s due to our geography: Tasmania looks small on a map, but it takes time to get between places, and each of the state’s regions has a distinct identity. “That almost forces people to slow down,” Dr Hardy says.

“When you combine those characteristics with a growing interest in winter travel, it’s clear Tasmania offers something novel. Where else can you rug up and head out to see clear, dark skies and beautiful stars, then come inside to sit by a cosy fire, sipping a glass of Tasmanian red?”

A focus on local

For Tara Howell, slow travel isn’t just an abstract philosophy; it’s an approach that is woven into both her work and her personal life. As Director of Blue Derby Pods Ride in Tasmania’s north-east, she offers visitors a unique blend of adventure and immersion, combining world-class mountainbike trails with secluded pod accommodation and locally sourced food and wine.

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The experience is intentionally designed to help guests slow down. The off-grid pods have no WiFi, power points or mirrors, encouraging visitors to disconnect from their screens and tune into nature.

“Everyone has a moment of panic,” laughs Tara.

“They question whether they can really do it… but then they love it. They relax, and often their most memorable moments come from embracing the unexpected, like riding through a sudden downpour and getting saturated with rain and mud.”

Tara believes winter is when Derby is at its most magical. The rainforest trails are greener, the region’s waterfalls are at their best, and the night skies are spectacular. Blue Derby Pods Ride also offers a special winter experience, including a lakeside campfire with canapés and stargazing, that’s only possible in the darker months.

Beyond her work, Tara is deeply committed to living the values of slow travel. Supporting local businesses and exploring close to home are fundamental to her happiness.

“One of our best weekends ever was camping at Myrtle Park, which is just 30 minutes away. Even a day trip up Mount Arthur, or a simple walk along an old railway line, can be an adventure. We have so many opportunities right in our backyard.”

travel

Family adventures

Clockwise from top left

Derwent Valley, New Norfolk; a warming cup of coffee; Blue Derby Pods Ride accommodation.

At the opposite end of the state, Nat Mendham shares Tara’s passion for local travel – especially while raising a family. After living overseas for most of their twenties, she and her husband made a conscious decision to move back to Tasmania to raise their children, valuing the easy access to nature and the wealth of experiences right on their doorstep.

“We’ve spent so many holidays just paddling in the shallows, chucking rocks into waterways or noodling about with no real destination or goal.

Kids want copious time to explore. Slow travel is an opportunity to let them take the lead.”

A recent camping trip in the Derwent Valley offers a perfect example. “It’s too easy sometimes to zoom through a place and not notice it,” says Nat. “But on this trip, we borrowed kayaks and spent two days on the water, camping by the water each night. We took some time to browse in Black Swan Bookshop and went to the local pub for dinner. It was really lovely, very social, and we got to see the river in a completely different way.”

For winter, Nat and her family have a longstanding tradition of heading to Mount Field for a snow trip. “We stay in the government huts, which are delightful – there’s a massive roaring fire which is an excellent way to defrost after you’ve been out for a little blast in the snow.”

Nat mentions that every time she travels in Tasmania, even when it’s less than an hour from home, she always spots a signpost for somewhere new she hasn’t visited and is keen to explore. For her and others, this is the very essence of slow travel.

“It’s about making space for the unexpected,” she says. “You’ve got to trust that you’ll fill the time with things you didn’t plan: wandering, chatting with locals, finding hidden spots. It’s very much about quality over quantity.”

Looking for more slow travel ideas this season?

Scan the QR code to read our story about Tasmania’s cosiest winter experiences.

3 STANDOUT SLOW-TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN TASMANIA Sofia Tsamassiros is owner and founder of Eudaimonia Tasmanian Cycling Tours, which offers immersive, sustainable experiences around Tasmania. Her tours focus on regional areas, providing a deeper connection to the island’s unique nature and communities.

Huon Valley Known for its meandering river, beautiful coastlines and forested landscapes, the Huon Valley offers an inspiring diversity of scenery, nature and people. The area is home to a creative community, and its proximity to both water and forest makes it an ideal destination for slow travel.

West Coast Offering a striking blend of wilderness and history, the West Coast’s proximity to the World Heritage Area and its mining towns provides an intriguing contrast between natural beauty and industrial past.

Photo: Tourism Tasmania

North-west Tasmania For a slow-travel experience that blends creative culture and farmland, the unique towns of the north-west are ideal.

Sheffield shines in winter, with a majestic Mount Roland backdrop and countless murals to discover, while Penguin offers coastal charm.

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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worth from waste to

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Whether it’s rescuing perfectly good items from the tip face or repairing sentimental things and bringing owners to (happy) tears, Tasmania’s tip shops and repair cafes are doing wonderful things to avoid sending more to landfill. Sarah Aitken celebrates some of our best. Photography Anna Critchley

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Tasmanian tip shops are veritable treasure troves to which people travel far and wide for a good rummage, finding everything from clothes to bikes to the literal kitchen sink at a fraction of the price of a new item.

Clockwise from left

South Hobart Tip Shop; Repair Cafe New Town; Glenorchy Tip Shop; Repair Cafe New Town.

Everything you need already exists

Greg Beeston, Recycle Centre and Resale Shop Manager at Uptipity – aka the Launceston tip shop – queries why anyone would buy new when he sees such terrific stuff come into the tip daily.

“Whatever they need, there’s a good chance we’ve got it,” he says. “We’ve got a whole shop of stuff that you would have inside your home, but then outside we’d have anything that you might use outside your home. We’ve had boats, we’ve had caravans, we’ve had trailers. Entire workshops of tools, paint, bikes, building materials, everything. It just makes really good sense because the cost of putting product in the ground is astronomical.”

When asked how often he might buy these goodies himself, Greg chuckles and says: “Don’t get my wife started on me!” It turns out Greg has managed to fill his substantial garden with items from the tip shop, creating various themed areas.

There’s a marine theme, a farmyard theme and a clockwork theme. ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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“My pièce de résistance is my Chernobyl theme.

So I’ve got augers, I’ve got all this stuff, and we’ve joined it up so it looks like a blown-up factory and I’ve got the garden growing through it, so it’s like nature’s taking over again.”

More than just a shop

In the north-west, Elisha Harrison is at the helm of Smithton’s The Circular Head Resale Shop and sees it as a community hub. A lot of her time is spent connecting struggling community members with basics, including food.

“We’ve had people in desperate need when they come in, even people whose houses have burnt down and they had nothing. In that case I just helped them out – if they’re in such dire need I just open the store up to them and say, ‘What do you need?’

“I have the food bank here too – anyone in food stress can just come in and help themselves to whatever they need. The food-stress situation in Circular Head is quite dire, and coming into winter, the housing crisis is quite dire too, there is a lot of deep need up here. There are a lot of people who really, really need the assistance; then there might be about a third of our customers who are just shopping for fun.”

Tasmania paved the way

It’s no wonder our tip shops are so tip top – the idea was born here. Back in 1993, Brad Mashman founded the Glenorchy tip shop. He and his team then set up the tip shops in South Hobart, Mornington and Ulverstone before the idea quickly went national. “Basically all of the tip shops across Australia are based on our model,” he explains.

And he’s still here, as Managing Director of the Glenorchy Recovery Circular Hub. He’s also 50

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“Basically all the tip shops across Australia are based on our model.”

Opposite page

Glenorchy Tip Shop.

This page

South Hobart Tip Shop.

a Churchill Fellow and United Nations 2030 Agenda Leader, continuing to fight the war on waste.

“With tip shops, it’s your opportunity to make a decision about your carbon emissions,” he says. “If you buy second-hand, there’s no carbon emission.

If you buy new, you increase carbon. The science is very clear, and now it’s important for people to start thinking about their purchasing habits. Anything you bring into the state increases carbon.”

Repair, don’t despair

If you’ve got something special or useful that is out of action because it needs a repair but you lack the skills to do that, a repair cafe can help in the loveliest of ways.

Tasmania has a growing number of repair cafes, where skilled volunteers help the less-skilled of us fix anything from torn clothes to vacuum cleaners and even childhood music boxes. ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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Clockwise from top

Repair Cafe New Town; Glenorchy Tip Shop repairs; Glenorchy Tip Shop bike selection; Repair Cafe New Town.

Happy tears

Arthur has always been handy and made a career out of building and fixing speakers. Now he volunteers at three Hobart repair cafes: in Newtown, Warrane and Dodges Ferry. He’s been volunteering for about five years and gets as much out of it as the people who come in looking for help.

“Once I repaired a little old musical toy that rotates around, like a merry-go-round. A few pieces were broken off, so I patched it all up and fired it up again, and it worked. It was the first time she’d heard it for about 30 years. She was very pleased. There were tears.”

He remembers another woman, in her nineties, who turned up with a very sentimental mug.

“Unfortunately, she’d managed to knock over a wedding present, which she’d had for 50 years, and her husband had passed away 10 or 15 years ago, and the article was an Arthur Boyd mug.

She’d knocked it over on the mantle when she was dusting. I managed to fix it up, and she was so happy about it. That was lovely.”

Good for the soul

Further south at the Kingston Neighbourhood House, Samara Jenkins runs the Kingston Repair Cafe, where 30 to 40 items are repaired at a time.

“Being at the Repair Cafe is my favourite time,” Samara says with a smile. “The people are so beautiful. We have a great afternoon. We ring a bell when something’s repaired, and everyone cheers. And the people who aren’t getting things done, we’re just sitting around having a coffee 52

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TASSIE’S BEST TIP SHOPS AND REPAIR CAFES

and talking about what we could do to save the world and all that kind of stuff. And it’s just a beautiful place to be.

“Sentimental items are the most popular.

But once people know what we do, then they realise that they can repair other things. That’s the plan – to show people that you don’t have to throw things out, you can just repair them.”

Fixing community connection

Recovery Circular Hub, Glenorchy Tassie’s first tip shop; some say it’s the original and the best. Don’t miss the embedded fine arts trail discussing carbon emissions, the history of waste and how we can reduce our carbon footprint. recoveryshop.com.au

Huonville Reuse Shop, Huonville Farm supplies, antiques and country-style furniture. facebook.com/ huonvilletipshop/

Eastside Repair Cafe

2-4pm one Saturday per month at Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre. facebook.com/ eastsiderepaircafe

Dodges Ferry Pop Up Repair Cafe Run by the Eastside Repair Cafe at Okines Community House. okinescommunityhouse. org.au

Kingston Repair Cafe 2-4pm on a Sunday every two months at the Kingston Neighbourhood House. facebook.com/ kingstonrepaircafe

Launceston Repair Cafe 1-4pm on the third Saturday of the month at the Pilgrim Uniting Church. facebook.com/ launcestonrepaircafe

Uptipity, Launceston Big items like camper parts and trailers, as well as all the usual tip shop things. launceston.tas.gov.au/ Natural-Environment-andWaste/Waste-Centres

Repair Cafe Hobart 1-4pm on the third Saturday of each month at Kickstart Arts in New Town. facebook.com/ RepairCafeHobart

The Circular Head Resale Shop, Smithton For all sorts of building supplies, furniture, antiques, bric-a-brac and community support including food parcels for those in need. circularhead.tas.gov.au/ council-services/ waste/white-hillswaste- transferstation-tip-shop

In the north, Rachel Koch facilitates the Launceston Repair Cafe. Some days there are happy tears, and there are always laughs.

“We had a young man come in with a pair of shorts that had just split while he was out. He ducked into the toilets and passed them out through the door, and we mended them and gave them back to him – which I just thought was incredible,” she says with a laugh.

People come to the cafe for all sorts of reasons.

“Some of it is environmental, but some of it is their parents’ or their grandparents’ thing that they’re fixing up to pass on to their kids. Or someone who used to mend things for themselves, but now they’ve got arthritis so they can’t. And the stories of the volunteers too, and why they’re there, I just love seeing how interconnected we all are.

“At the heart of it, it’s about slowing down. It’s about consuming less. It’s about replacing our things with our connections with people. For me, that community connection comes back to an environmental benefit as well.”

Inspired to make more sustainable decisions?

Scan the QR code to check out our beginners’ guide to Tasmania’s secondhand fashion scene.

Devonport Repair Cafe Operates at the Devonport Farmers Market, 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

DevonportRepairCafe@ outlook.com

Resource Work Cooperative, South Hobart Great for bikes, wood, outdoor gear and kids’ clothes, plus a beautifully curated vintage section.

Excellent compost made on site and free items in the trolleys out the front. resourcetipshop.com

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Discover more

Journeys online Dive into even more stories and inspiration online.

Whether you’re planning your next getaway, curious about Tasmania’s food scene or looking for ways to explore the island in every season, we’ve got fresh content waiting for you.

Journeys

Scan to read Journeys online ract.com.au/journeys

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COMMUNITY NEWS STATE GROWTH CHANGING GEARS

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MEMBER REWARDS PUZZLES REAR VIEW

community

Looking sharp, thinking green Fresh uniforms for our team, and a future-friendly solution for the old ones.

As part of our continued investment in our retail network, and our focus on improving our member and customer experience, we’ve designed an updated, contemporary look and feel for our staff uniform.

We first introduced the uniform at our new concept store at Eastlands Shopping Centre on Hobart’s Eastern Shore and are rolling it out across the rest of the network throughout the year.

However, rather than simply send the old uniforms to landfill, we’ve made a conscious decision to repurpose them, giving the materials a second life and reducing waste in the process.

To ensure the responsible reuse of our previous uniforms, we’ve partnered with UPPAREL, a leader in textile recovery and recycling. Through this partnership, the old uniforms will be upcycled

into practical new products such as sustainable alternatives to poly-fill, wadding for jackets and even wall and ceiling insulation.

This initiative not only reduces textile waste but also supports and encourages more sustainable business practices. It’s a small step that reflects our wider commitment to doing the right thing for our community and our environment.

The response to the new uniforms from both staff and members has been overwhelmingly positive.

Small actions like this help us create a big impact – for our team, our members and Tasmania.

Visit ract.com.au/our-locations for a branch location, driving school and AutoServe workshop near you.

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the latest.

Driving safer, together This National Road Safety Week, Tasmanians joined us in taking the pledge to drive responsibly and keep each other safe on every single journey.

Between 11 and 18 May, drivers across Australia united to take a pledge aimed at making our roads safer. At RACT, we were proud to see so many Tasmanians commit to actions that protect all road users: • Driving as if their loved ones are on the road ahead.

• Removing distractions, like using a mobile phone while driving.

• Avoiding risky behaviours such as speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Slowing down and giving vulnerable road users, including workers and pedestrians, the space they need to stay safe.

Road trauma remains a serious concern in Tasmania, and by taking this pledge, Tasmanians are making a direct contribution to reducing risks and making our roads safer for everyone. Together, we can make every journey safer.

Visit ract.com.au/community/advocatingchange/road-safety-week

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SUBARUS, SAND DUNES AND A SERIOUS CAUSE RACT’s own Malcolm McGinn is about to take on one of Australia’s toughest off-road challenges to raise awareness and funds for men’s health and Parkinson’s disease.

Mal is part of a 10-person team driving five early-model Subarus (four wagons and a ute) on a 28-day journey that starts in Geelong and covers a whopping 7650km.

They’ll travel through Ceduna, take on the sandy climbs of Googs Track, cross the remote Mount Dare and brave more than 1136 sand dunes in the Simpson Desert. They’ll wrap up in Birdsville before looping back to Geelong the long way home.

But this isn’t just about the epic adventure. It’s about shining a light on men’s health – particularly Parkinson’s disease. The team

is raising money for Parkinson’s Tasmania, with the goal of helping to fund more specialist Parkinson’s nurses across the state.

Every driver and navigator is covering their own costs – from building their vehicles (which ranges from $8,000 to $20,000) to paying for fuel and Spirit of Tasmania fares.

Along the way, each car will carry a donation tin and the team will be sharing stories, photos and updates on their Facebook page.

We’re right behind Mal and the team, sponsoring the event and cheering them on every step of the way. You can follow their journey and show your support by visiting the Parkinson’s Tasmania Facebook page and by helping to spread the word about a genuinely important cause.

Brave the cold this Shorts Day Friday 20 June is Stay ChatTY Shorts Day – and RACT is proud to once again be the official supporter.

On Friday 20 June, thousands of Tasmanians will dig out their shorts, step outside and have conversations that matter. It’s all part of Shorts Day, an annual initiative from SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY aimed at breaking down the stigma around mental health.

“This year, we’re taking it back to the core of why it matters. If we can help people better understand mental health, then we can help break down stigma, encourage help-seeking, and create real change,” says Mitch McPherson, Founder of SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY. The idea is simple: wear shorts, start a conversation and show support for improving mental health.

This day is a reminder that even

small conversations can make a big difference.

“We see the impacts of mental health on Tasmanians regularly through our work – whether it’s supporting someone who has lost everything in a house fire or campaigning to reduce road trauma,” says Group CEO Mark Mugnaioni.

Whether you’re fundraising or simply raising awareness by baring your legs, your involvement could have a positive impact on the people around you.

Have you registered yet? Head online to shortsday.com.au to receive your free registration pack.

VET VOICE

Q A

How can I protect my pet’s skin and coat during a Tassie winter?

Tasmania’s cold, windy weather combined with indoor heating can lead to dry, irritated skin for pets. Ensure your pet’s diet includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to support healthy skin and a shiny coat. Adding a vet-approved fish oil supplement can help.

Regular brushing is key to distributing natural oils and preventing mats, especially for long-haired breeds.

Limit bathing to avoid stripping essential moisture and opt for moisturising shampoos. To combat the dry indoor air, consider using a humidifier.

Don’t forget to protect your pet’s paws from icy surfaces and salt by applying balm or using boots. Keep an eye out for any signs of irritation and consult a vet if needed.

Tips by Dr Betty Chan, PetSure (Australia)

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the latest.

Driving change at Agfest 2025 CAR

MEDIC

Q A

What should I check before a Tasmanian winter road trip?

Winter in Tassie can be stunning – but it can throw a few curveballs, especially on the road. Icy patches, early nightfall and remote stretches mean a bit of prep goes a long way. Start with the basics: check that your tyres have enough tread and are properly inflated, your battery is in good shape, and your brakes, lights and wipers are all working well. Top up all your fluids, especially coolant and washer fluid, and make sure your heater and demister are working – foggy windscreens are no fun when visibility is low.

Then it’s about packing smart. A first-aid kit, warm layers, snacks and water are essential. You’ll want a torch, shovel and jumper leads if something goes wrong. If you’re heading into snow-prone areas like Cradle Mountain or Ben Lomond, carry snow chains and learn to fit them in advance. And phone reception can drop out fast in remote areas, so take a physical map or offline GPS. Tips from Josh Dobie, Head of Roadside Service Delivery, RACT

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RACT sparked powerful road safety conversations at Tasmania’s biggest agricultural event, with hands-on displays and activities for all ages.

As Silver Sponsors of Agfest 2025, we joined more than 60,000 attendees over three big days in May to share one important message: everyone has a role to play in making our state’s roads safer.

Our crash installation – part of the More Than a Statistic campaign – gave visitors a powerful visual representation of road trauma’s ripple effect in the community. The installation continues to tour the state, spreading awareness far and wide.

At the RACT site, people watched our road-safety campaign video,

listened to lived-experience stories via our podcast, and joined a collaborative pledge activity — using string to spell out the word ‘MORE’ in support of safer roads. This installation is now on display at RACT House in Hobart for those who’d like to add their pledge.

Younger visitors explored road safety through activity sheets and our new Passenger Power cards, which empower kids to help drivers make safe choices. Our Roadside Patrol team was also on hand throughout the event to support vehicle breakdowns.

Huge thanks to the volunteers from Rural Youth who helped bring Agfest 2025 to life and gave us the opportunity to connect with more Tasmanians about safer roads.

community

conditions. Advisory signage indicating changing conditions, such as concealed entrances, sections of winding roads or falling rocks, is there for a reason.

Driving to the conditions means adjusting how you drive to suit the road, weather and traffic conditions around you.

This includes:

Drive to the conditions Speed limit signs are everywhere on our roads – bold, clear and seemingly straightforward – but they should be treated more like advertisements with fine print, writes Scott Tilyard, Chair of the Road Safety Advisory Council.

W

hen we see speed limit signs, it’s important to remember they’re not a goal number – they indicate the maximum speed allowed when conditions are good. Good conditions mean relatively straight, dry roads, clear skies, good visibility and few roadside hazards.

Speed continues to be a leading factor in serious and fatal crashes in Tasmania.

Speeding isn’t just about exceeding the posted speed limit, it also means driving too fast for the road, weather or traffic conditions. As we know only too well, speed doesn’t need to be over the limit to cause death or serious injury.

‘Excessive speed for conditions’ is a factor in a significant number of fatal

and serious injury crashes, accounting for somewhere between 10 and 20 per cent in recent years.

Each year in Tasmania around 30 people are killed on our roads and more than 300 are seriously injured.

As we prepare for the arrival of winter, now is a good time to talk about what it means to drive to the conditions. It’s a term we use often, but not everyone fully understands what it means. And, just to be clear, changing conditions doesn’t just apply to the weather. It also includes changes in the road, such as narrowing, crests and curves, while unexpected hazards like wildlife at dusk and dawn or tractors on rural roads are also part of the equation. In urban settings, high pedestrian activity can also impact driving

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Slowing down in rain, ice or fog or on gravel roads where traction is reduced.

Increasing your following distance to allow more reaction time, especially in changing road conditions.

Staying alert and ready to adjust your speed when needed.

Taking extra care at dusk and night when visibility is reduced and hazards, including wildlife, are harder to spot.

Observing all road signs, not just signs advising speeds. These signs are there for a reason, warning us about potential hazards, such as sharp bends, slowmoving tractors, concealed driveways or the likelihood of encountering wildlife or cyclists. Ignoring these signs puts everyone at risk.

Driving cautiously in heavy traffic or when sharing the road with vulnerable users such as pedestrians and bike riders where circumstances can change quickly.

School zones require special care.

6

It doesn’t matter how good a driver you think you are or how many years you’ve been driving for, conditions won’t discriminate. Driving to the conditions is about always being alert and aware of everything around you.

The most competent and safest drivers know how to identify hazards, assess the risks and adjust their behaviour accordingly. They also know that no two days are the same, even driving on the same roads.

Next time you’re on the road and spot a speed sign, remember – *conditions apply! ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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community

Is it possible to eliminate road trauma?

Imagine a Tasmania where no-one was killed or suffered long-term injury from road crashes. Hundreds of people would live better, longer and happier lives. A new Churchill Fellowship report looks at global road safety best practice with the hope of making that a reality.

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systematic method of working using evidence-based measures, supported by clear lines of accountability.

In reviewing international best practice, it is clear Tasmania is advanced in its approach to road safety. Craig believes further progress in Tasmania can be achieved with incremental changes focused on improving existing working methods, improved use of data and committing a wider range of road safety stakeholders to action.

“With great generosity, very busy people happily gave up their time to meet and talk all things road safety,” Craig says. “Beyond face-to-face meetings, I was treated to many field trips to experience first-hand the road safety success stories of world-leading nations.”

Churchill Fellowship travel also lets you learn more about the culture and way of life of the countries you visit.

“Along the way I was charmed by the Swedes’ customary morning fika, became addicted to chewy, caramel-filled Dutch stroopwafels and ate my body weight in Danish smørrebrød! All these experiences greatly enhanced my Fellowship journey.”

Craig’s project was made possible with support from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which recognises that the elimination of road trauma is possible.

Craig’s report findings and recommendations and more information regarding the Churchill Fellowship program can be found at churchilltrust.com.au

Craig Hoey is Manager Road Safety at the Department of State Growth. Craig’s passion for road safety stemmed from a motor vehicle crash he was involved in when he was five years old, in northern Tasmania. Luckily, no-one was seriously hurt. Craig found that setting a target of zero fatalities by 2050 – like Sweden – is a critical first step in achieving safer roads. Like most pursuits in life, committing to a goal provides focus, clarifies the future, establishes priorities and enables progress to be measured.

Photo: supplied

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ACT member Craig Hoey was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for travel to Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands to investigate the efforts of these countries to eliminate road trauma.

A Churchill Fellowship offers Australian citizens and permanent residents a lifechanging opportunity to travel overseas for up to eight weeks to learn more about a topic or issue they are passionate about.

During his eight weeks of travel, Craig met with more than 50 people working in road safety across government, academia and industry throughout Scandinavia and the Netherlands. He also completed professional studies in road safety with the Swedish Transport Administration.

Contrary to popular opinion that a silver bullet is needed to cut through the messy and complex problem of road safety, Craig found that ways to improve safety are neither new nor radical. The problem of road safety requires a

Changing gears

YOUNG LIVES DESERVE SAFER ROADS Developing road safety habits starts early and continues over a lifetime, writes Mel Percival, RACT GM Advocacy and Government Relations.

Photo: IStock

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bout 300 Tasmanians are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year – with young drivers over-represented in these statistics.

Deaths and serious injuries on our roads are avoidable, and we should not be complacent or just accept them. The numbers in Tasmania remain consistently stubborn and we need to rethink how we engage with young Tasmanians.

Road trauma is the second-leading cause of death (after suicide) for young Tasmanians aged 17 to 25. Although opportunities exist in high schools to engage with road safety education programs, delivery is not consistent or coordinated across the state and the offering varies widely.

This is why we’re leading an $8 million project, funded by the Tasmanian Government to design a youth road safety program. In conjunction with experts, parents, educators and our youth, this program rethinks how we can support young Tasmanians to be safer on our roads.

To guide the project, a steering committee has been established to bring together leaders in road safety, education and the community. Additional reference

groups will be formed to bring together key people as we develop the program.

Members of the Youth Road Safety Steering Committee are Mark Mugnaioni, GCEO RACT (chair); Blair Turner, Road Safety Advisory Council; Cynthia Heydon, Deputy Secretary, Department of State Growth; Jenny Burgess, Associate Secretary, Department for Education, Children and Young People; Kathryn Westwood, Chair, Catholic Education Commission; Professor Teresa Senserrick, youth development and road safety expert; and Darren Hine.

With the project well underway, the coming months will see the project team out and about listening to experts, young Tasmanians, their parents and guardians, and their communities to understand both the science and the lived experience of this problem.

The project has three areas of focus:

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Education: improving how we engage with and deliver road safety learning for years 9 to 12.

Driver supervisors: learning how we can better support parents and guardians, mentors, and instructors with tools and guidance.

Community: creating tailored solutions that reflect the needs of different regions and communities as well as young people experiencing disadvantage.

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For more information and to keep in touch scan the QR code to visit our website.

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1 Hobart’s central square is named for which explorer?

2 Whose debut album was Left of the Middle?

3 Where would you find a genoa?

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Crossword

4 One gigabyte is equal to how many megabytes?

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5 Who first played Pat the Rat in the television show Sons and Daughters?

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26 Small boat with an aluminium hull (colloq.) (5)

9 Cheerful and friendly (6) 15 Quick to notice things;

observant (5-4) on 27 Unspecified very large number 23 Tiny 9 Cheerful nation and or quantity (colloq.) (9) 17 A thing presented or offered Down 1 Woolly covering of a sheep (6) the island of friendly (6) to God (8) 28 Subarctic Eurasian mammal with Borneo (6)stretch trousers, antlers (8) 4 Surprise or impress greatly (8) 18 Tight-fitting 1 Playing card that 15 Quick to notice typically worn by women (8) 29 Consumable liquids for animal that consumes only is10 aAnking, queen, 25 Relating to the things; observant refreshment (6) meat (9) 20 Settle or move into a warm, or11jack (4,4) comfortable (7) Greek letter (5) North orposition South (5-4) 21 Pluck, grasp, or pull with or as if Down 12 Rude and mean-spirited person Pole (5) 2 Ear 17 A1 Playing thingcard that is a king, queen with tweezers (6) (5) coverings 22 Person who owes money (6) 13 Very or detailed (9) presented used ascomplicated PPE (8) or jack (4,4) or 23 Tiny nation on the island of 14 An expression of unwillingness to 2 Ear coverings used as PPE (8) offered to God 3 Toaccept Borneo (6) cool (7) rapidly 3 To cool rapidly (5) (8) 25 Relating to the North or South 16 Precipitation (4) (5)

Across

5 Knitted garment with long sleeves (7)

Pole (5)

Photos: iStock, Tourism Tasmania

19 Capital letters (abbr.) (4) 18 Tight-fitting 5 Knitted garment(7) 21 Shake involuntarily 6 In a precarious or risky situation stretch trousers, 24 Give intense pleasure or (colloq.) (2,4,3) with long sleeves joy to (9) typically 7 Polar regionworn of a planet (3,3) (7) 25 Motor vehicle accident (colloq.) by 8 Device for warming women (8) the air or water (6) 6 In(5)a precarious 20 Settle or move or risky situation a warm, (colloq.) (2,4,3) JOURNEYSinto AUTUMN 2025 CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS comfortable Across: 1 Typist, 4 Specious, 10 Stateroom, 11 Icing, 12 Crisp, 13 Take a hike, 14 Species, 16 Nuts, 19 Elms, 21 Decline, 7 Polar region of a24 Cranberry, 25 Stoic, 26 Cider, position (7)27 Open-ended, 28 Equalise, 29 Storey.

Down: 1 Test case, 2 Pharisee, 3 Sweep, 5 Pumpkin, 6 Climactic, 7 Origin, 8 Signet, 9 Foetus, 15 Illiberal, 17 Disorder, planet (3,3) 18 Tea caddy, 20 Serious, 21 Day bed, 22 Icicle, 23 Landau, 25 Sleet.

21 Pluck, grasp, or 8 Device for pull with or as if warming the air with tweezers (6) or water (6)

6 What was the first Holden to offer an automatic transmission?

7 Which spelling is correct: liason, liaison, liasion, laison?

8 Approximately how many acres does the Port Arthur historic site cover?

9 Who had a hit with the song “Cry like a Baby”?

10 Cassian Andor is one of the main characters in which Star Wars film?

Want to find out how you did?

Find the answers online at

ract.com.au/puzzles

ract.com.au // JOURNEYS

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rear view.

Tasmania as captured by our talented members

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP // Bron Baker caught this beautiful sunrise over the South Esk River at Longford Boat Ramp; Bron also snapped the unusual colours of Trowutta Arch; 14-year-old Ben Vieth took this gorgeous picture at Bridport; a walking track at Mt Field, as photographed by Lisa Redman.

Want to see your photo here? Send your shots of our beautiful island to journeys@ract.com.au or tag us with both @ractofficial and #yourjourneys on lnstagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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JOURNEYS // WINTER 2025

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Take out new insurance to go in the draw to win.

Take out new insurance with RACT before 31 August 2025 for your chance to win. Excludes Pet Insurance, RACT Travel Insurance and Strata Building Insurance.

Three winners will receive $5,000 worth of VISA gift cards each. Conditions apply. Before buying insurance issued by RACT Insurance Pty Ltd, read the PDS which you can find along with the Competition Terms and TMD on our website.

We’re big on service.

Even bigger on care.

The Industry SuperFund that cares for Tassie.

Consider the PDS and TMD at caresuper.com.au/pds. Issued by CareSuper Pty Ltd (Trustee) ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718. CareSuper (Fund) ABN 74 559 365 913.