The Hobart Magazine August 2023

16 Church St, North Hobart

For Sale offers over $1,450,000

4 Bed 2 Bath

3 Car

Light-filled entertaining Walk to CBD 1850 Year built

Set in a tightly held street in highly sought North Hobart within walking distance to the CBD, UTAS faculties and the North Hobart cultural strip, this character-filled home with a modern makeover is a must see for prospective purchasers seeking quality property within the city.

SMS 16church to 0488 800 269 for further details.

49 Illawarra Rd, Blackmans Bay

For Sale offers over $850,000

4 Bed 1 Bath

5 Car Beach nearby Water views 1978 Year built

Embrace the breathtaking beauty of Blackmans Bay Beach from the comfort of your own home at 49 Illawarra Road. This remarkable property offers a coastal lifestyle like no other, with its stunning views and proximity to the beach mere moments away.

SMS 49illawarra to 0488 800 269 for further details.

Your partners in property 5 Victoria Street, Hobart 7000 P: 03 6220 6999

For a confidential discussion contact:

Rorie M Auld 0413 887 009

roriemauld_knightfrank

rorie.auld@au.knightfrank.com

WELCOME TO

THE HOBART MAGAZINE

Like it or loathe it, it’s the last month of winter. This may be speaking too soon, but it doesn’t feel like it’s been as cold this year.

This month our coverperson is Emerald King, who, along with her Cosplay partner Amy King, are heading off to the World Cosplay Championships in Nagoya, Japan. Ganbatte! And for the cutest interview, eightyear-old Jack has a chat with kids author Andy Griffiths about author-life and how to make

lots of money. PLUS plenty of community news and events to pore over.

We love receiving your feedback and suggestions, so get in touch with us at editor@ thehobartmagazine.com.au.

Publisher Stephanie Williams editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au

Advertising advertise@thehobartmagazine.com.au

03 6295 3742

Cover image: Tessa Beattie

Inset: Stu Gibson

Publisher Information: While all care has been taken, some information may have changed since publication. The Hobart Magazine regrets it can’t accept liabilities from errors or omissions contained in this magazine. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or amend all advertisements without explanation. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in articles and advertisements are not endorsed by the editor or publishers. We welcome any questions, feedback or submissions, email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au.

The Hobart Magazine acknowledges the Tasmanian Aboriginal People as the Traditional Owners and ongoing custodians of lutruwita/Tasmania. We pay our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to their Elders past, present and emerging.

www.thehobartmagazine.com.au

All the best, Steph, James and The Hobart Magazine team

Nic in Ivory Florence Dress

DIANE REYNOLDSON

Interview: Peta Hen

Pictures: Supplied

Working with people serving time in prison takes compassion, understanding and a big heart. Occupational therapist and art therapy teacher, Diane Reynoldson, has these assets and more, helping inmates make positive change through art. We spoke with Di about her work for the Prison Fellowship and the upcoming art exhibition, Art from the Inside.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up on a farm in Northern Victoria near the Murray River surrounded by big old gum trees and a large family. Now I live in Hobart where I get to walk daily, either on the mountain (kunanyi) or down by the river. I’ve always lived close to open spaces and nature.

Tell us a little about your work. I’m an occupational therapist and I also have a Diploma in Art Therapy. I work with people who for some reason (injury, aging, disability or disadvantage) need help to re-engage in life. My work involves adapting environments, teaching new skills for living and providing support to enable people to live the best lives they can.

What drew you to work for the Prison Fellowship (PF)? I was drawn to the fact that PF was concerned with the spiritual wellbeing of prisoners, their families and those people released from prison. I had been doing some voluntary art classes at a young women’s refuge and the detention centre when it was at Brighton and could see how art made a difference to those who had suffered trauma in their lives. When a person from PF asked me if I would be willing to take art sessions in the prison, I was very interested to see if art in prison could become a vehicle for positive life change.

What are the benefits of tutoring art in prison? I have learnt so much by tutoring in prison - the biggest learning has been around my renewed sense of shared humanity, i.e., we all struggle with unforgiveness, we are all wanting to be loved and need grace in our lives. As I’ve listened to the stories of the prisoners, I have become aware of how much disadvantage and trauma many have faced in their lives and often wonder if I had not been so advantaged what my life would look like now.

How has the program been received by inmates? Most of the prisoners who participate say that the art sessions are a place where they can relax and be themselves. They say that even when they are challenged by the activities or the themes we explore, they enjoy being there and often feel proud of the work they produce. They say the classes help them to forget their circumstances while they are there and that they get to do cool things that they have never had the opportunity to do before, like painting and ceramics and making things.

You’re curating an art exhibition showcasing prisoner’s artwork. Tell us about that. Art From Inside is an exhibition of prisoners’ work. It will be held at the Waterside Pavilion at Mawson’s Place from 17-20 August with the opening night on 16 August. This year the theme is ‘Grace – The Gift’. Many artists from the prison will address the theme while others may not, but the work is thought-provoking and of various levels of skill and execution. This year, as for all other years, there is a community engagement installation that will offer a fusion of prison and community artwork. It’s well worth getting along, and the entry is free.

What do you love doing outside work?

I love cooking for others, sharing meals and wine with family and friends, walking (especially bushwalking), swimming in the ocean, and hanging out with my dog Gus who sings and is very stick focused. I also love hanging out with my friends and

their kids and painting, of course. Oh, and I’m learning German!

Who do you admire? My kids – I have two sons who are now adults. They are amazing human beings and I am so blessed to have them in my life. It has been one of the joys of my life seeing them develop a heart for others and believe in social justice. They are so interesting and now they are teaching me stuff. How did that happen? And then there is Bob Brown and Brene Brown and so many more people including my dear friend Kim who is the bravest and most humble person I know.

Favourite podcast or tv show? I don’t watch much TV or listen to podcasts that often, but I loved Alone Australia on SBS recently – just seeing people survive in those Tasmanian wild places and facing their demons. It was so inspiring.

Secret vice? So many, but let’s say

chocolate bullets because that was the vice I indulged in today!

What are you reading now? Tin Man by Sara Winman.

What gets your goat? People who abuse their power. A sense of entitlement. An ungrateful attitude. The degradation of the environment for wealth and short-sighted gains.

What was your first job? Milking the cows – does that count if you weren’t paid? My first job as an occupational therapist was in an activity centre for adults with cerebral palsy – gosh we had fun doing gardening, painting and going on camps.

What are your daily news/social media habits? I listen to the ABC Radio National and Local Radio when I’m in the car – which is a lot. I do suss out Facebook as I’m part of a few

different groups that I’m interested in like Lightweight Hiking and Tasmanian Bird Watching and Photography and I like Pinterest for great craft ideas that I adapt for some of my classes in prison.

Your favourite place (in Hobart) for… Breakfast: Dispatch, New Town Lunch: The Shed at Derwent Estate, Granton overlooking the Derwent Dinner: At a friend’s place around their table with other friends, shared food and wine

Favourite Hobart secret? The walks on the mountain, kunanyi, and Lost Freight Cafe

Parting words? The one thing I have learnt more recently is that independence does not equal success or happiness. What equals success and a happy life is interdependence, where we are there for one another and not scared to share our weaknesses or our strengths.

Threatened Species Project

MARIANGELA PARODI

Interview: Peta Hen

Mariangela Parodi, an alchemist, naturopath and spiritual healer, helps people, especially women, find themselves after challenging life events; a theme that inspired her new, international best-selling book.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I was five years old when my family migrated to Sydney, from Chile, in the 70s. I have lived in beautiful Hobart for the last 30 years.

Tell us a little about your work. I’m an alchemist, transformational medical intuitive healer, shaman, naturopath, teacher, spiritual business coach, and author of The Mystic Woman’s Compass, which is now a number one international bestseller in the shamanism, angels and spirit guides, and mysticism categories. For 30 years, I have practised in the fields of energy medicine, naturopathy, holistic health, and meditation. I’m the founder of the Alkymia Energie Healing™, a spiritual system that eliminates limiting beliefs, removes blocks and reprograms the mindset, creating connection, integration and transformation which awakens sacred power. I use my sacred alchemy process to bridge the gaps to move clients through their life and business challenges and accelerate them onto their next level of joy-filled passion, purpose and prosperity.

Your background is in biomedical science. What drew you to naturopathy and spiritual healing? Since I was a teenager, I had a passion for holistic health, and even though I have a degree in Biomedical Science, I knew I wanted to help people before their health declined. But after 10 years of working in pathology, looking for cancer cells, infections and diseases, I knew I had to listen to my intuition and decided to change directions. I retrained in naturopathy. I loved everything about herbal medicine, nutrition and remedies to help the body come

back into balance. My eldest son suffered from multiple chemical and food sensitivities, severe eczema, and life-threatening asthma. My search and journey to heal him, activated my powerful intuitive and healing gifts, which I now use to support others, as I bridge science and spirituality together.

Is there a common theme that people who come to you struggle with? Many of my clients are sensitive. Physically, they suffer from anxiety, depression, fatigue, food intolerances, and hormonal issues. Emotionally, they are at crossroads and want to change careers, lifestyle or leave a relationship they have outgrown. Spiritually, they have intuitive and healing gifts they want to develop and harness. I also work with those in business, who are ready to leap to the next level and leave behind the issues that hold them back. As I find the root cause of their issues, I guide them back to restore their health and well-being. I also specialise in helping women transform their passion into purpose and give them the secret techniques to break through their limits to achieve their goals and dreams.

Your second book, The Mystic Woman’s Compass, was published recently. What inspired you to write it? After 30 years of showing sensitives, empaths and healers how to tap into their gifts so they can fulfil their life purpose, I’ve seen how difficult it can be for them to simply take the first steps on their spiritual path. The Mystic Woman’s Compass offers a pathway to understand and transcend self-sabotaging doubts and blocks that keep people from their worth, gifts, and fullest potential. My book is for those who would benefit from learning how to face their fears, overcome obstacles, embrace and liberate their gifts, and find joy and freedom.

What do you love doing outside work? Bushwalking, dancing, yoga and singing.

Who do you admire? Frida Kahlo. She was a Mexican painter from the 1930s. She suffered from polio as a child and nearly died in a severe bus accident as a

teenager. With multiple fractures, injuries and intense pain, she used art to help her recover.

Secret vice? Dark chocolate, figs and dates; all are decadent and deliciously yummy.

What are you reading now? I have just finished an Australian book – The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, by Holly Ringland. I was immersed in the meanings of flowers, and their use of them brings healing to people, families and communities. I give it five stars!

What was your first job? When I was 15, I worked at Myer in the imported shoe department; this gave me independence. My family struggled financially, so this helped to take the pressure off, and I could buy what I needed, and not burden my father.

Your favourite place (in Hobart) for… Breakfast: Seagrass in Sandy Bay. I can watch the boats, dolphins and birds from the verandah.

Lunch: Robbie Browns, Kingston Beach. Dinner: De Angelos in Battery Point; the food has heart. With my Italian heritage, the cuisine reminds me of my grandfather and father’s delicious meals they cooked from scratch.

Favourite team? The Matildas, the Australian women’s soccer team.

Favourite Hobart secret? The Flower Room, in Mather’s Lane. Home-grown flowers and produce from the seniors in our community. Beautiful and affordable.

Parting words? There are no mistakes, just opportunities to learn, and joy can be cultivated and returned to your life.

BITS AND PIECES

Easy Tiger (7 Pendrigh Place, St Helens) is a 48-seat cinema, showing everything from new release blockbusters through to old classics. The cinema also has a snack bar for popcorn-loving movie-buffs and will be open seven days. There are plans to extend the venue into a bar, eatery and microbrewery, so watch this space. Lovers of hot and spicy are in for a treat with the launch of a fermented Wakame Hot Sauce, the second collaboration between Adam James of Rough Rice fame and Keep Tassie Wild. The spicy condiment is made with Tasmanian-grown and sourced ingredients and is bound to add a kick to your meal or snack. Head to www.keeptassiewild.com/collections to bag your bottle of this limited-edition sauce.

NEW NEW NEW

Eastern Shore locals have a new neighbourhood eatery with the opening of Marla Singer (34-36 Cambridge Rd, Bellerive). The menu focuses on seasonal, produce-driven food, good wine and quality coffee. Esteem Cafe (286 Elizabeth St, Hobart) has recently opened, serving up hot coffee with a shot of community spirit. Along with serving hot and cold drinks, the cafe provides a space for migrants new to Hobart to settle in and share their culture with the community. A new Hamptons-inspired cafe has opened in Lutana. Marina Cafe (20 Bender Dr, Lutana) is on the water, so lap up the coastal atmosphere and a communal long table, perfect for a laid-back breakfast or brunch. The Bush Inn (49-51 Montagu St, New Norfolk) has had a face-lift. The oldest continually-licensed pub in Australia reopened its doors in July, with

a rejuvenated menu offering classic pub eats including prime-cut steak, parmies and Guinness pot pies. Open 7 days from 11am. There’s even more choice for coffee lovers in North Hobart with the opening of Dune Espresso (431 Elizabeth St, North Hobart). The new, coastal-inspired cafe has made its home at the bottom of the FOUR31 apartment building and offers a range of simple eats and single origin coffee. Brand new accommodation has opened a stone’s throw from Russell Falls. Mt Field Retreat Accommodation and Conference Centre (17 Lake Dobson Road, National Park) has been a decade in the making with four self-contained units now open for guests, perfect for a quick weekend away just outside of Hobart. Hobart realtor, Ed McKay, has just launched his own real estate agency, New Haus Agency (www.newhaus. agency) in Hobart. Working alongside his wife, Kelly, and colleagues Jules Hamilton and Christian Bugden, the team want to redefine what it means to be a real estate agency in Tasmania. A new bricksand-mortar music shop, MelRock Music (92 Channel Hwy, Kingston), has opened at Channel Court Shopping Centre. Going against the modern-day music grain, the store specialises in used CDs and records, tapes and DVDs, offering collectors a step back in time to the days before Spotify. Heading to the East Coast?

TASSIE LAGS OUT DIGITALLY

In not-so-great news, a new report conducted by the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) has revealed that Tasmania - for the sixth time since 2016 - is the most digitally disadvantaged state in the country. The report showed Tasmania remains at the bottom of the pile for digital inclusion, with an estimated 54,000 Tasmanians highly excluded from the digital world and around one-in-four Tasmanians locked out from fully participating in economic, social and community life.

“Tasmania also recorded the worst digital literacy and skills score in the country, which is having a profound effect in the broader community,” TasCOSS CEO, Ms Adrienne Picone said. “There are also concerning trends borne out of the data, with Tasmanians with low levels of income, education and employment, those living outside of Hobart and Launceston, older Tasmanians, Aboriginal Tasmanians and those living in public housing, all reporting higher rates of digital exclusion than the rest of the population.”

The TasCOSS report highlights a need to close the digital divide by improving digital access, affordability and ability in Tasmania, along with boasting digital skills throughout the community. To find out more about digital inclusion, head to www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au.

BITS AND PIECES

dards to be registered and they will be outlawed. “Riders would also need to comply with the same rules as riding a motorcycle, including holding a suitable licence, wearing a helmet and obeying all road rules,” Mr Ellis said. “It is proposed that the new laws will start after six months to allow time for community information and time for people to find alternative transport or remove the engine.” So look out, hoons! The days of slapping a lawnmower motor on your push bike might be numbered.

TASSIE LEADING THE WAY FOR EQUALITY

IT’S BACK TO WORK ON THE $3.5M SALAMANCA UPGRADE

Work on the final stage of the Salamanca Place Upgrade is underway again after a deliberate pause to allow local businesses time to recover after the pandemic. The upgrade to the busy hospitality and retail precinct is designed to create a more connected, pedestrian-friendly area between Hobart’s waterfront and Salamanca Place, prioritising people over vehicles. The $3.5 million upgrade to Salamanca Place is being delivered in multiple stages, with stages one and two already completed. Key improvements of the upgrade include removing kerbs and increasing accessibility, improving the space for events such as the Salamanca Markets and Taste of Summer, enhancing the look and feel with new plants and street furniture, and making the precinct safer by installing new CCTV and increasing lighting. Stage Three will focus on the area at the junction of Salamanca Place and Montpelier Retreat with the work schedule designed to minimise disruption to visitors and businesses, particularly The Whaler and Salamanca Fresh. The final stage of the upgrade is expected to be completed by November 2023.

CLOTH NAPPY AND REUSABLE SANITARY PRODUCTS REBATE

Every year 100 garbage trucks worth of disposable nappies end up in Hobart’s tip, increasing greenhouse gas production. In an effort to encourage parents to choose cloth nappies over their disposable counterparts, even part time, Hobart City

Council is currently offering a 50 per cent rebate on cloth nappies. The move is part of Council’s plan to reach zero waste to landfill by 2030. The rebate is also available for reusable sanitary products. For more information head to www.hobartcity. com.au and search for ‘rebate’. The offer is available until all funds are expended.

MO-PED TO NO-PED UNDER PROPOSED NEW LAWS

New laws have been proposed to ban unregistered petrol-powered bicycles from being used in any public area, including bush tracks, footpaths and bicycle paths. The bikes, which are excessively noisy and usually homemade (safe much?), are capable of high speeds, making them extremely dangerous considering most only have pushbike brakes fitted! Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson gave the bikes a spray recently, “We’ve received feedback from the community that these dangerous bikes are annoying and spoil neighbourhood peace as they are excessively noisy. Further, because riders aren’t licensed and the bikes aren’t registered, they are often the choice for idiotic hooning and other antisocial behaviour.”

The new laws would mean petrol-powered bicycles will be treated the same as motorcycles, requiring them to be registered. Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Felix Ellis, said under the new proposed laws very few, if any, motor-powered bikes would meet the stan-

Tasmania is the first state to recognise asexual, aromantic and agender people by officially adding “A” to the acronym LGBTIQA+. The decision to officially include asexual, aromantic and agender people as part of the acronym has been hailed by advocates as a step forward for inclusion and equity. “The asexual, aromantic and agender communities remain some of the most highly misunderstood, mistreated and misrepresented LGBTIQA+ communities due to the lack of awareness for asexual, aromantic and agender identifying peoples’ experiences,” said Samuel Watchman, who advocated for the reform and identifies as a-spec (a member of the asexual, aromantic and agender community). “However, with the government recognising our existence by expanding the acronym, our identities and experiences have been, and will forever be, validated, inspiring future change that will improve the acceptance, treatment and perception of asexual, aromantic and agender-identifying people in Tasmania, across Australia and around the world.”

NEW STADIUM PORTFOLIO

A recent cabinet reshuffle has resulted in the creation of a new portfolio called Stadia and Events under Nic Street that, according to the Liberals’ press release, will “assist in delivering the promised AFL stadium at Macquarie Point and the Tasmanian team into the national AFL competition.” With ‘stadia’ being a fancy way of saying stadiums, are we in the market for more than one new one?

BITS AND PIECES

FREE SOCCER UMPIRE TRAINING FOR FEMALES IN HOBART

As part of their commitment to maximising the legacy of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Football Tasmania are conducting a free beginner referee course for females in Hobart. The course comes with the first year of registration, a whistle, two cards, a notebook, two AR flags and a ‘laws of the game’ book. The minimum age to participate is 13. The course will be held on the 9,11, 16 and 18 August from 6pm-9pm at Cornelian Bay. For more information or to register head to www.footballfedtas. com.au and find the ‘Referee’ tab.

WHITE GUM TREE SUPPORTS

HOBART

RIVULET’S FUTURE

Prep students from South Hobart

Primary School have grabbed their shovels and rolled up their sleeves to plant a young white gum tree along the banks of the Hobart Rivulet. The students planted the gum as part of the school’s Bushcare program. The white gum, which can reach up to 40 metres tall, will help stabilise the rivulet banks via its root systems and provide shade in the summer. The shade will also help regulate water temperatures in that part of the Rivulet, aiding platypus and other aquatic wildlife. South Hobart Primary School hopes the gum will become a very special tree for the students and for the future of the Hobart Rivulet.

GLENORCHY POOL CLOSED FOR SUMMER…AND MAYBE FOREVER?

Sadly the outdoor pool at Glenorchy will remain closed for the coming summer season due to safety concerns. A condition report identified numerous serious issues, including faults in the pool shell (causing the pool to leak), structural issues with the concrete grandstand, an urgent requirement for the electrical switchboard to be upgraded and replaced, as well as major works for the chemical dosing area and complete refurbishment of toilets and change room areas.

Glenorchy Mayor Bec Thomas said the Council could not afford the estimated $30million repair bill on its own and that she was seeking consultation with the state and federal governments. Mayor Thomas also said the pool did not have a particularly strong business case to justify the cost of the repairs. “As an outdoor pool it has a limited season, with many people preferring to use Hobart’s Aquatic Centre which is a more modern facility just 10 minutes up the road,” she said. “Last season, fewer than 100 people used the pool every day on average, with an annual cost to Glenorchy ratepayers of about $400,000.” The Glenorchy War Memorial Pool is Hobart’s last outdoor pool, so if it closes permanently it’s the end of an era.

THUMBS UP

August is one step closer to spring which is one step closer to summer.

Congratulations to Queensland who have cancelled the use of mobile phones in all schools.

Tassie U18 Hockey team bringing home the gold at National Championships.

THUMBS DOWN

Cottees cordial bottles. According to the War on Waste on ABC, their PVC based bottles can’t be recycled.

Vintage ChickenFeed loincloth sighting in Deadloch #iykyk.

Ready, set, scramble at traffic crossing trials on Liverpool and Collins Streets.

Smashing the wrong kinda records - Hobart had its warmest July in over 137 years.

RIP to the old graffiti car at the base of the TAFE building.

TOUCAN PLAY AT THIS GAME

What does a group of four friends do when waiting for their plane to take them home from the remote Tasmanian wilderness? Develop a brand new strategic card game based on Tassie birds, of course! A Game Called Birds, a card game that encompasses Tasmanian bird life and strategic play, was created by the friends who become trapped when the weather closed in during a walking trip along Tasmania’s South West Circuit.

The game, designed by Chris Bury, Corey Graham, Leigh Ellis and Thomas Friend, offers a blend of strategy and creativity. Players strategically choose birds from their hand to play against their opponent’s birds, contending with power birds and ultimately a spinning Wedge-tailed eagle that introduces an element of chance and chaos. The game uses vibrant photography of Tasmanian birds by local photographers to foster awareness and appreciation for all Tasmanian birds, specifically endemic and endangered species.

“We never set out to create a game. We were going troppo in a little wet cabin using a Trangia as a heater and then at one point we started making bird noises to pass the time,” said Corey Graham. “Creating rules kept us entertained, we had a Wedge-tailed eagle card speared through

my Leatherman and that was when we first started ‘spinning the Wedgie’. We hope players will experience the same sense of fun when they spin the Wedgie and work out their own winning strategies!” added Thomas Friend. After three years developing the impromptu game, A Game Called Birds finally took flight at a special launch event during July at Good Grief Studios. If you’re keen to get your hands on the cards, head to a www. gamecalledbirds.com.au.

LEGAL DOUGH FIGHT

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has started legal action over allegations that more than 100 young staff at Bakers Delight outlets in Hobart were underpaid. It’s alleged 142 mostly young staff at the bakeries in Kingston, Lindisfarne and Eastlands were underpaid a total of $1.25 million between July 2017 and October 2020. The FWO is taking legal action in the Federal Court against Bakers Delight Holdings Pty Ltd, the franchisor of the Bakers Delight chain in Australia, in relation to a portion of the alleged underpayments. The FWO is also taking legal action against the couple who owned and managed the stores, and their company, Make Dough Enterprises, which was placed into liquidation earlier this year when the three stores were closed.

HAVE A GOOD OL’ NOSEY AT HCC MEMBERS’ ASSETS

Hobart City Council’s new Public Interests Register is now available to view on the Council’s website. The register was suggested and established by Councillor Ryan Posselt, who wanted councillors to be more transparent about their income and assets. At the time of print not all councillors had added some level of detail to the log. You can have a nosey for yourself by going to www.hobartcity. com.au/Council/Elected-Members and scrolling down to the Public Interests Register PDF.

NEW ANTARCTIC PORTFOLIO

As part of a recent cabinet shuffle, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has established a Ministry for Antarctica. Bob Brown has welcomed the news, saying Tasmania could now play a pivotal role in protecting the Great White Continent, its ocean and wildlife. “We look forward to working with the government to give Antarctica its rightful place as the pre-eminent World Heritage Area for the future of humanity,” Brown said. “Premier Rockliff is in the box seat to have the Albanese government work with other Antarctic Treaty countries to have Antarctica get that listing.” Premier Rockliff said, “We’re not only the gateway to the Antarctic, we are leaders in science, research, logistics and services capabilities. It was clear when I visited Japan and the Republic of Korea this year that there is enormous potential to grow our Antarctic industry, and further strengthen our economy.”

HOBART BEST CITY…OBVS

We’ve gone and snatched Sydney’s crown as ‘Best City in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific’ at the recent Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2023. Travel + Leisure is a leading US travel media platform, known for its ‘discerning’ readership who rate cities based on various metrics including sights, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value. Hobart is now ranked within the top 25 favourite cities worldwide.

HEALTH WITH DIGNITY ASSISTS PEOPLE IN NEED TO THE GP

A new program, Health With Dignity, is offering free general practitioner consultations for any community member who can’t afford or access a GP. The new program will be run by the Salvation Army and jointly funded by the City of Hobart and Hobart Airport who have both contributed $15,000 to cover the program. Any community member in extreme need who can’t find or can’t afford a GP can contact Salvation Army Hobart to help organise a visit to a doctor in Hobart. After the visit, the GP bills the Salvation Army, so the patient doesn’t have to pay anything. The Health With Dignity program will cover the cost of three 30-minute GP consultations per person. Salvation Army Homelessness and Housing state manager Ben Moroney said, “It is a simple but effective way to support vulnerable people in the Hobart community to access essential medical care, which they would otherwise likely go without.” If you or someone you know is in need of assistance call the Salvation Army Hobart on 6278 2817.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST JAILED

For the first time in 12 years, an environmental activist has received prison time in Tasmania.

Dr Colette Joan

Harmsen, a Hobart veterinarian and forest activist with the Bob Brown Foundation, appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court last month in relation to four counts of trespass, one count of wilfully obstruct the use of any road, and failing to comply with a direction of a police officer. She was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for breaching a suspended sentence by continuing to protest against mining in Tasmania’s west. Harmsen was involved in a protest with the Bob Brown Foundation at a MMG mine near Rosebery on the west coast of Tasmania in 2021.

FREE INTERNET FOR TASSIE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING

Tasmanian students and their families, living in public housing, now have access to 12 months of free NBN. This is a first step towards removing the barriers to digital inclusion for the one-in-four Tasmanians locked out from fully participating in economic, social and community life. “This announcement is positive news off the back of the 2023 Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) released in July, which confirmed Tasmania’s poor standing as the most digitally disadvantaged state in the country,” said TasCOSS CEO, Ms Adrienne Picone.

DOUBLE COLES, DOUBLE WOOLLIES

Not content with two Woollies shops in the one place, Kingston is set to get a second Coles supermarket in a new centre. Pending council approval, construction of the new $40m shopping centre on the Channel Highway, opposite Bunnings, is expected to commence early next year.

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA II IN TOWN

The Spirit of Tasmania II has been back in town for the first time in almost 21 years. The ship usually dry docks at Sydney’s Garden Island, but couldn’t get a spot there for this round of maintenance. More than 70 local contractors have been undertaking maintenance work on the vessel for the past few weeks, painting, chipping rust, maintaining the engine and tank, cleaning and testing lifeboats. It’s partly routine maintenance and partly prepping the big ship for potential sale - the Spirit of Tasmania I and II will be replaced next year with two new ships, with prospective buyers set to check out the older vessels at a shipping conference in November in Devonport. The new vessels will be 18 metres longer, six metres wider and have a 40 per cent increase in capacity than the current two.

NOTORIOUS STRUMPETS & DANGEROUS GIRLS

This in-person storytelling experience will take you on an emotional journey through the stories of seven remarkable convict women who faced life’s hardships with resilience.

Through these real life stories learn about how female convicts were treated by society, and how they sometimes managed to overcome prejudice and inequality to succeed - despite all odds.

HURRY, SPACES LIMITED. BOOK TODAY. ConvictSitesTasmania.com.au

BITS AND PIECES

GLOBAL OUTCRY AS ENDANGERED MAUGEAN SKATE POPULATION HALVES

In late July, more than 80 global organisations publicly demanded immediate action toward saving the Maugean skate, a member of the shark and ray family, after scientists from the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) reported a dramatic collapse in their numbers. Found only in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s West Coast, the endangered Maugean skate population has almost halved in less than seven years. The IMAS scientists attribute the decline to the degraded environmental conditions in Macquarie Harbour, particularly dissolved oxygen levels, and cited fish farms as one of the main causes of low dissolved oxygen levels. The demand comes as federal and state government workshops were held in Hobart late July to decide on urgent action to prevent the extinction of the Maugean skate – a rare animal dating back to the time of dinosaurs.

Even though there is scientific evidence that industrial fish farms in Macquarie Harbour are having impact on the waterway’s health and skate numbers, all three fish farming companies operating in the harbour are certified as environmentally responsible by Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) or GlobalG.A.P. Signatories from 17 countries have sent open letters to BAP and GlobalG.A.P requesting the withdrawal of sustainability certifications from farmed salmon and trout raised in waters adjacent to Macquarie Harbour.

Kelly Roebuck from SeaChoice, one of the signatories, said, “Major supermarkets

rely on these certifications to sell farmed salmon and ocean trout with their “responsibly sourced” logos as part of their sustainable seafood policies. But there is nothing responsible about driving one of the rarest skate species in the world to extinction.” The signatories include marine, shark conservation, animal welfare, and community groups, as well as independent scientists, a public policy think tank, and award-winning authors.

IT’S TIME TO SHINE HOBART RETAILERS! THE NATIONAL RETAIL AWARDS ARE OPEN

If you run a retail shop or online store, it’s time to glam up and get ready for the ball. The 2023 National Retail Awards are now open for all Tasmanian retailers who want to showcase their entrepreneurialism, innovation and diversity. Nominees can range from online stores to bricksand-mortar shops, and individual retail owners to national chains can also enter. The awards have expanded this year to encompass seventeen categories which recognise the growing online retail sector. Last year’s ‘Small Retailer of the Year Award’ was won by Zea, a Tasmanian family company producing topical pain relief products from the oil of the native

Kunzea plant. “I’d certainly encourage others across the retail industry to enter. The recognition puts your brand out there plus it boosts the whole team,’’ Zea’s Managing Director, Hayden Brass said. Entries for the award nominations close on 31 August 2023 with finalists announced in October at the annual National Retail Awards gala dinner held in Brisbane. For more information about the categories and eligibility criteria visit www.nationalretailawards.com.au.

ECO BUSES ON THE WAY

You might see some slightly different buses around town soon as Metro Tasmania trial three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses in Hobart for the next three years. They’ll also trial three battery electric buses in Launceston. Foton Mobility, Custom Bus Group and H2H Energy have been appointed as suppliers for the trials. Hopefully they’ll have some drivers to service these new buses!

WALK THE THREE CAPES TRACK FOR CHEAP(ISH)

For the month of August, you can walk the Three Capes Track for the discounted rate of $360 (usually $595 since July’s price increase). The discount applies for bookings until 31 August, so get in quick.

7 DYNAMIC EVENT SPACES

CROWNE PLAZA HOBART IS THE IDEAL DESTINATION FOR YOUR NEXT CORPORATE OR SOCIAL EVENT.

WITH SEVEN DISTINCTIVE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EVENT SPACES, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE EVERYTHING FROM MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES TO GALA DINNERS, WEDDINGS, COCKTAILS, NETWORKING EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CHRISTMAS PARTIES.

FOR SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL, TRY OUR ROOFTOP AURA EVENT SPACE.

Centurion Ballroom Courtyard The Deck Aura Event Space

FANCY A LION? OR A CAMEL?

Got a spare $3.75m? Want some new pets? Want to live out the classic 2011 film, We Bought A Zoo? The iconic Zoodoo Zoo is up for sale after 15 years under the current owners, who say they’ll keep operating the zoo whilst looking for new owners.

NO TARGA TASMANIA THIS YEAR

This year’s Targa Tasmania car rally has been cancelled following months of uncertainty around recommendations from a safety review. Three competitors died in the 2021 event and then another died last year. Motorsport Australia responded by suspending permits for Targa-style tarmac rallies and commissioning a review panel which found the risk to competitors and the risk of further serious incidents to be unacceptably high. Targa Tasmania has postponed this year’s event from April to October as the report continued to be reviewed, but now Targa Australia has canned the local event and the Targa Great Barrier Reef. A Targa Australia statement read, “Despite assurances that the sport would be back up and running by 1 July, the safety review panel process is now into its fifteenth month, leaving the sport of tarmac rallying without a clear future direction at this point in time. With the large-scale events just seven weeks and three months away respectively, organisers TARGA Australia have been left with no choice but to cancel its iconic motorsport events to the

disappointment of competitors, sponsors, officials and all the TARGA fans across Australia and around the world.” At this stage the organisers are working towards a 2024 rally held from 8-13 April, 2024.

BRISBANE STREET DISRUPTION

A section of Brisbane Street in the CBD will be closed off for four months while the University of Tasmania carries out sewerage and stormwater upgrades for its Forestry building. The section between Elizabeth and Murray streets will be closed to vehicles for 16 weeks from the middle of July.

IT’S TIME TO DIG DEEP FOR VINNIES 2023 WINTER APPEAL

St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) is currently running its Winter Appeal with a goal to raise $250,000 to help Tasmanians in need this winter. Vinnies CEO Heather Kent said it was only through donations from kind supporters that Vinnies could provide critical assistance to Tasmanians who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. “Vinnies frontline volunteer members witness the impact of these crises first-hand. They are seeing more and more people in need of support due to financial or social distress,” she said. There’s an increase in the need for services as the combined crises of escalating cost of living, rising rents, soaring energy prices and the shortage of affordable housing hits Tasmanians hardest during winter. Vinnies member,

Ms Louise Wilson shared, “When I first started, we might see five or six people a day, now it is 10 to a dozen people per day coming in, many of those are struggling with the increased costs of living during the winter.” To donate to the Winter Appeal, head to www.donate. vinnies.org.au/winter-appeal.

BRIGHTON OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTH/WELLNESS BUSINESSES

Brighton Council are seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified health and/or allied health professionals who would be interested in leasing a space at 1 Bedford Street, Brighton to provide health and wellbeing services to the surrounding areas. The facility is currently occupied by two tenants, a GP and Dentist, so complementary service/s for the local community would be ideal. If you’re interested in applying for the tenancy, contact Megan Braslin on 6268 7000 or email admin@ brighton.tas.gov.au.

TASSIE’S MOST DELICIOUS

Tasmania has finally been included in foodie mag Delicious’ top 100 classic restaurants and cafes countdown, so let’s get our local favs in there above the mainlanders. From pho to fish and chips, doughnuts to dumplings and steak to sushi, they’re calling for nominations across 20 categories and you can vote now at www.delicious.com.au.

Located in the heritage double shopfront nestled between The Odeon and Hanging Garden precinct

@Boutique Brows Hobart

MASSIVE MONTH FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING

Words: Peta Hen

Tasmania has become a mecca for mountain bike riding in recent years, with local councils spending on upgrading infrastructure and trails all over Hobart. Our rugged trails have attracted tens of thousands of mountain biking tourists keen on exploring Hobart’s bushland, while injecting millions of dollars into Tasmania’s economy. However, us locals are pretty keen on the sport too, and with the newest trails opening at our three mountain bike parks, mountain bike fever is running high.

MONSTER TRACK NOW OPEN AT MEEHAN RANGE

The newest addition to the Clarence Mountain Bike Park, the Flow Monster track, is now complete and open to riders. The track boasts 1.3km of big berms and promises to be “a super flowy ride” for riders of all abilities. The Clarence Mountain Bike Park is in the Meehan Range area and includes mountain bike tracks for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders. Flow Monster can be accessed via the XC Climb next to the concrete slab area. For more information

about the Clarence Mountain Bike Park and the Flow Monster Track, head to www.ccc.tas.gov.au/places/clarencemountain-bike-xc-trail.

NORTHERN SUBURBS MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK SET TO REOPEN

Northern suburbs mountain bike riders can soon hit the dirt again with the reopening of the upgraded Glenorchy Mountain Bike Park. The park has undergone major work since 2018 after the Dirt Devils Mountain Bike Club successfully secured funds from the state government for the works with Glenorchy Council engaging Dirt Art to undertake the the master plan project. Proposal upgrades include integrating Glenorchy Mountain Bike Park with Tolosa Park, pump track and dirt jumps. Keep your eyes on the Glenorchy City Council Facebook page for the official reopening date.

NO NEED TO STOP NOW AT NEIKA

Riders no longer need to stop and break their flow with the raising of the new bridge at the Neika end of the Pipeline track. The new bridge gives riders a seamless transition over the gully without the need for riders to stop and carry their bikes across. The Pipeline track is a great family-friendly track set against the ferns and gums of kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Just keep your eyes peeled for the sneaky gnomes that line part of the track.

OBSCURA III

MACHINA

NEW AND MODERNIST MUSIC HEADLINED BY PHENOMENAL PERCUSSIONIST CLAIRE EDWARDES.

Hobart

THURS 10 AUG 6PM

ODEON THEATRE

nipaluna / HOBART

TICKETS $49

TSO.COM.AU

Residential Commercial Property Management

WHAT’S ON IN HOBART

MONDAY WEDNESDAY TUESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Here’s cheers to Tasmanian Whisky Week which begins today. Heaps of events, tours, classes and drams at taswhiskyweek.com.

Hobart’s awesome annual science and arts festival, Beaker Street is on from 4-13 August. Ricky Maynard’s body of work, No More Than What You See, is at Bett Gallery until the 26th.

Choose second hand at Hanging Garments, a clothing market at In The Hanging Garden on Murray Street, 4-8pm, free entry.

To coincide with Homelessness

Week, the I Am Somebody exhibition is on show at the Waterside Pavilion 11-3pm today til the 14th. Tonight, enjoy the TSO’s Obscura, 6pm at The Odeon.

copy Warm up with the Winter Swing festival, including workshops and performances, 7pm and all weekend at the Italian Club.

Leanne Halls’ epic landscapes bring the Three Capes Track to life in a new exhibition at Colville Gallery, 5:30pm.

Celebrate Science Week with a special storytime session at the city library, 10-11am. 3 years and up. Tonight, kids fave author Andy Griffiths’ show JUST! is on at Theatre Royal, 5:30pm.

View the Art from the Inside - Grace, an art exhibit of inmate artwork at Waterside Pavilion, Mawson Place. Open until 20 Aug,10am-4pm. Free entry.

Celebrate 100 years of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society at the Tascal Winter Ball. Catch dance ensemble

AGE by DRILL Performance Company Inc at Theatre Royal, various times from 17-19 Aug.

Last chance to see Just Humans, a comedy about a young man’s first year at uni, 7pm, Don Bosco Creative Arts Centre, Guilford Young College, Glenorchy.

Discover the fluidity and simple grace at the Ink in Motion art exhibit at the Sidespace Gallery, Salamanca Art Centre. Open 10-4pm, Free.

Take the talk and tour of Dear Kate: The Vision of the Mitchell Women by Jane Giblin, 2pm Allport Gallery and Museum.

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Enjoy topnotch classical music performances for the price of a sandwich with today’s Lunchbox Concert: Baryton Trios at Hobart Town Hall, 1:05pm.

Enjoy the spicy satire of The 63rd Annual Australian Mustard Federation Symposium and Condiment Expo with Dion Dijon, The Clubhouse at Hobart Brewing Co. 7:30-9pm.

Sip and paint a view of kunanyi/Mount Wellington from the Kingston Beach Arts Hub tonight from 6:30-8:30pm.

If international travel is on the cards for 2024, get some travel tips with independent agents at the Moonah Arts Centre today from 5:15pm.

The Pride Choir Workshop is for folks of all genders and sexuality, experienced singers and the very new, 11:30am4:30pm at Salamanca Arts Centre.

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Chess lovers and novices alike can test their skills at Chess Club Thursdays at Kingston Library today from 4-6pm, Free.

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James Reyne brings his Way Out West tour to the Theatre Royal, with guest Ella Hooper, 7:30pm. Soccer takes over the city with the Hobart Cup starting today and continuing at various sportsgrounds all weekend.

Details subject to

SATURDAY SUNDAY

FURTHER AFIELD

You can catch contemporary flamenco dance and music from Bandaluzia Flamenco, on tonight at Salamanca Arts Centre. Doors open from 7:30pm.

Singers of Southern Tasmania perform Stabat Mater by Rossini with an orchestra from 2-4pm at The Farrall Centre, The Friends School (also on the 12th at 7:30pm).

4,5 and 11,12 August

All aboard the Wizarding Express for a theatrical journey through an evening of witchcraft and wizardry with cocktails, supper and more at the Don River Railway. Gates open at 6pm. For more info head to www. donriverrailway.com.au.

chocolate with various events and exhibitions including a chocolate high tea, smarties mosaics, a cupcake decorating competition and a wearable art trail. Heat to www.chocolatewinterfest.com.au for the full program.

16-17 August

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The Highland Pipe Band makes their monthly appearance at Salamanca Markets, 11:30am, and comedian Mel Buttle, aka the internet’s mum on TikTok, is at The Odeon from 6:30pm.

The Reclink Australia Community Cup sees local musicians take on local media personalities in a game of Aussie Rules. Midday, Queenborough Oval.

12-13 August

The annual Burning and Crackers night is on at the Longley Hotel today from 2pm. Free for under 12s.

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Will you choose Arj Barker at the Theatre Royal, Peter Hellier at Wrest Point, or perhaps the Tasmanian Pole Championships at the Playhouse Theatre tonight?

Vance Joy returns to Hobart, this time supported by Thelma Plum, Budjerah & Mia Wray at the Botanical Gardens. All ages.

Road trip (perhaps by horse and wagon?) to Oatlands to step back in time and celebrate history and ye olde skills at the Heritage & Bullock Festival this weekend.

13 August

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads! Celebrate at the Make-A-Wish Colour Splash fun run, Dominic College, Glenorchy. Or give pickleball a red hot go at the Badminton Centre in South Hobart, 10-11am, Free.

For even more events in Hobart and further afield this month head to www.thehobartmagazine.com.au/augustevents change. Check in with individual events for further details.

In a two-set performance, the original members of Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes will perform Night of the Wolverine in full, plus classics and deep cuts from their mid 90’s album Window of Heat. 2-5:30pm, Palais Theatre, Franklin.

Space out, in a good way, with Tasmanian space expert and NASA Historian Scott Pooke at two sessions of TastroTalks at Devonport Library. In session one Scott will answer questions about daily life in space and session two is all about near misses in space beyond Apollo 13. Sessions start at midday.

26 August

The best of the island’s performance poets will take to the stage at the Tasmanian state final of the Australian Poetry Slam tonight from 7:30pm at the Australian Italian Club in Launceston.

26 August

13 August

Chocoholics rejoice and race to Latrobe for the Chocolate Winterfest. Celebrating all things

Got

West Coast Wilderness Railway has partnered with Linda Café for a series of weekend events held alongside train station platforms in Queenstown and Strahan throughout August. This one sees guest chef, tourism operator and fisherman Shane Wilson from Tasmanian Wild Seafood Adventures present a three course meal showcasing locally caught Strahan seafood. Regatta Point Station, 5:30-8pm. See all the Alongside events at www.wcwr. com.au/tours.

Email us at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au

Background photo: Alastair Bett

TASSIE DUO TO DRESS UP FOR WORLD COSPLAY CHAMPS

Interview: Peta Hen

Most of us only dress up in costumes on Halloween or at fancy dress parties. For Hobart professional cosplayers, Dr Emerald L King and Amy King, it’s an obsession. We spoke to the dynamic duo about their passion for cosplay and the 2024 World Cosplay Championships in Japan.

How did you and Amy become so passionate about Japanese pop culture and cosplay? Emerald: I grew up a child of the 80s on a diet of Astro Boy, Mysterious Cities of Gold, Voltron and Sailor Moon (anime/cartoons). But it wasn’t until a school exchange at age 16 that I really started my Japanese journey when I spent a year in Japan on exchange. After that, it was a fast track to study, more exchanges, and now I work as a Lecturer in Humanities at UTAS, so this is my job! Amy: Growing up, my older brother had a Sega Mega Drive, and I have fond childhood memories of playing games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter. I also grew up watching cartoons like Astro Boy and Pokemon, and I guess that was the beginning of my interest in all things Japanese.

How long have you been cosplaying? Emerald: Dressing up has been a long obsession. My first actual cosplay costume was when I was asked to give a talk on magical girls at what is now TasPop Convention as a PhD student in 2007. Amy: Oh my, over ten years now. My first costume was made by my mum, so naturally, it was amazing. Subsequent cosplays that I had a hand in making haven’t been quite as fabulous. But as my skills grew, so did the quality of my costumes. Emerald: Amy’s being modest. She learnt how to make moulds and cast resin and electric wiring so that our award-winning costume lit up. No mean achievement in Tasmania, the state where resin doesn’t cure!

What inspires your cosplay outfits? Emerald: I’ve always stuck to anime and manga. But I am obsessed with characters that started as Japanese literary or mythical figures, but who end up in games, manga, and anime. Amy: Mostly video games and anime for me.

You were recently selected to compete at the 2024 World Cosplay Summit (WCS) Championships in Nagoya, Japan! Emerald: Since 2017, I’ve worked as a volunteer translator and interpreter for WCS, so I’m excited to see what it’s like to be on stage rather than behind-the-scenes. Everyone who gets to Nagoya has already won, so the energy backstage is really supportive. Teams help each other out, and it’s a real celebration. Amy: I had the opportunity to go on exchange to Nagoya for six months while I was studying at uni, and I actually got to go and see the World Cosplay Summit live that year. I was amazed by the costumes and performances and thought that they were all on a different level to me. So going to compete in a

cosplay competition in Nagoya is a dream come true!

Any advice for people interested in getting into cosplay? Emerald: One thing that we’re both really proud of with our costumes is that everything apart from the wigs and the resin was made from reclaimed or upcycled materials. The Resource Collectables Hobart Tip Shop has been a really great place for us to find materials. There are so many ways to get into cosplay and Japanese pop culture these days. You can go to an event like TasPop down here or up to Smash in Sydney, but you can also make TikTok videos and engage with other fans online - it’s incredible!

NEW BEGINNINGS SPROUTING AT FAT PIG FARM

Words: Ollie Benson

Since making Tasmania their home, Matthew Evans and Sadie Chrestman’s impact on food and farming in the state has been significant. And despite their decision to close their restaurant at Fat Pig Farm for a well-earned break, their influence is certain to continue. Indeed, in Keeley Bytheway, it already is.

Keeley has been running the market garden at Fat Pig Farm for the last two years, working closely with Fat Pig Farm’s head chef Niccola, and growing produce destined for the restaurant’s kitchen. Since the restaurant’s closure, and with Sadie and Matthew’s support and encouragement, Keeley is now running the 1.5-acre garden as her own business, growing vegetables for her weekly veg boxes.

Keeley’s passion and interest in food sovereignty and smallscale farming began during a gap year where she spent time volunteering at The Falls Farm on the Sunshine Coast. She moved to Tassie at the start of 2019 to study, and it was while attending a soil workshop at Fat Pig Farm that she caught the eye of Nadia Danti, the former head of the farm’s market garden. A short while later, when looking for an assistant gardener, Nadia reached out to Keeley to see if she was interested. She needed little convincing.

At the start of 2022, with Nadia taking on other projects, Keeley was offered the role as the farm’s head gardener. All up, it’s been a fast transition from student to assistant, to being responsible for produce that was served at the restaurant, and now to running her own small business, and although she admits having lots still to learn, walking the talk is something she’s determined to do. And while it’s daunting, she fully appreciates the opportunity of growing produce at a farm with the backing of Fat Pig Farm’s owners, in soil that has been lovingly built and cared for.

Being her own boss now means she can grow varieties of vegetables she hasn’t previously had the chance to do. And at this time of year, there’s one vegetable that Keeley prizes: purple sprouting broccoli. A close cousin of the ubiquitous standard broccoli and the hybrid broccolini, purple sprouting is in a different league. Coming into season during late winter and early spring, during the ‘hungry gap’ when not much fresh produce is around, its slender, sweet stems and compact florets are full of flavour and freshness. It’s also a gardener’s friend, a cut-andcome-again vegetable that keeps on giving with regular harvests.

Purple sprouting broccoli requires short cooking. Simply boiled or steamed for a few minutes until the stem is tender, it can be

served as it is or with more bold flavours. It’s delicious when paired with soft-boiled eggs, or served as a gratin, and Keeley’s delicious go-to is to flash fry the stems with garlic and butter.

The new chapter of Fat Pig Farm is already underway, and with Keeley’s involvement, it’s continuing to be delicious!

PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI GRATIN

This recipe is from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage UK:

Ingredients:

200g purple sprouting broccoli

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 anchovy fillets

200ml cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

20g breadcrumbs

Method:

Steam the broccoli over boiling water for around five minutes, until tender to the point of a sharp knife. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovy, and cook gently for a few minutes, crushing the anchovies down into the oil. Add the cream, let it bubble for two to three minutes until thickened and reduced by about a third, then add black pepper to taste, and salt if needed. Put the broccoli into a shallow gratin dish or ovenproof pan, pour over the cream mix, add a trickle of oil and scatter breadcrumbs on top. Grill for a few minutes until golden and bubbling, and serve at once.

ANDY GRIFFITHS: EIGHT QUESTIONS WITH AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD

Interview: Jack

What kid wouldn’t jump at the chance to have a chat with the author of their favourite book series? Our very own Jack got the chance to interview children’s author, Andy Griffiths, to get the skinny on the best selling Treehouse and JUST! series and (in Jack’s words) how to make lots of money writing books.

Where did the idea for the Treehouse series come from? One day Terry and I were working on a story and it was going to be about the two of us trying to write a book but getting distracted. I asked Terry to draw a fun treehouse for us to live in with stuff like a tank full of man-eating sharks and a bowling alley. His first sketch had 13 levels and he added even more great things, like the see-through swimming pool and catapult. So that’s how it all started. We enjoyed writing the book so much we decided to do another one, maybe a series, and to go up by 13 levels each time. So far, we are up to The 156-Storey Treehouse, and The 169-Storey Treehouse will be published later this year.

What’s the first thing you do when you start a new book? Come up with the title. I can’t really get started until I know what the story or book is going to be called. Then I start asking myself questions about what sort of story the title suggests and it all takes off from there.

How long does it take to make a book? It takes me, Terry and Jill (my wife and also our editor) about a year to write each book. I spend months roughing out the plot and talking it over with Jill. Then we type it all up and lay out the pages. Then Terry does rough sketches. We then rewrite and edit the story until we are happy with it. It goes back to Terry for the final pictures. This takes him 3–4 months. And then it all goes to the publishers and it takes a couple more months to do the proofreading, design the cover and print the books.

What do you like about making books? I love coming up with ideas for stories. At the start, anything can happen and I love that freedom…you really can imagine anything.

Why do you think kids enjoy your books so much? The feedback I get from readers is that they like the books because they are funny, they like the adventures the characters go on, they love the drawings, and that the books are easy to read and fun to re-read.

Do you make lots of money making books? These days I’m very fortunate to be able to make enough money to write books full time, but it wasn’t always that way and it took many years

of hard work, persistence and supporting myself with many other jobs before I found an audience for my offbeat humour and stories. (Most writers become writers because they love writing and storytelling for its own sake…not for the money!)

You’re coming to Hobart with a show at Theatre Royal about your book series JUST! What is that series about? The JUST! books are fast-paced short stories told by young Andy, who considers himself the world’s greatest, craziest, most annoying, and most stupid practical joker. Unfortunately, most of his tricks and schemes backfire on him. It’s pretty much my autobiography with a few made-up bits.

What advice would you have for an eight-year-old who might like to make books like yours? My best advice for how to become an author is to practise—that’s the best way to get better at anything, whether it’s learning a musical instrument, playing a sport or writing. Write every day-whether it’s in your writing practice journal or a newsletter or computer blog. And, MOST IMPORTANTLY, read as much and as many books as you can.

Can you give me some writing tips? Get a cheap exercise book and write in it every day…5 minutes a day to start with, and gradually increase to at least 30 minutes a day. You get better at writing like you get better at everything else, through constant practice. A good idea is to write the sort of stories that you love to read because, without realising it, you will learn a lot about this particular type of story and how it is supposed to work.

Want to meet Andy? He’ll be here in Hobart for the JUST! Shows, at Theatre Royal from 16-17 August.

Until 28 August

Kairos: Dr Merri Randell

Time is an interesting philosophical construct –especially as it relates to natural places experiencing climate change. How are natural spaces and trees experiencing time during this ‘existential crisis’?

4 - 27 August

Impermanence: Kate Jackson

THE TASSIE BOOK CLUB

The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club who have been chatting books together since 2015, reading books by women, non-binary and trans authors. This month, they’ve shared their thoughts on some Tasmanian authors, books set in Tasmania and about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

This month we review two novels by debut authors – one Canadian who lives in Tasmania, and one Tasmanian who lives in New York. Both deal with some uncomfortable subjects, but take very different approaches.

Clover has an unusual profession; she’s a death doula, helping people prepare for the end. Clover’s fascination with death stems from her early childhood, but few people are as comfortable with the topic as she is. As Clover sits with the dying, anxious they should not die alone, she records their last words in notebooks labelled Regrets, Confessions, and Advice All too aware that most of the regrets and advice relate to finding, keeping and telling people you love them, Clover struggles with her own loneliness and the deep-seated fears of rejection and loss that hold her back. But with some help from her latest client, Clover begins to open up to new possibilities…

The Collected Regrets of Clover is an extremely readable and comfortable vehicle for some potentially discomforting conversations. It delivers interesting and compassionate reflections on ways we can prepare and respond to death and grief, while reminding readers to embrace opportunities in life and tell our important people how much they mean to us. Brammer is a capable writer, using

short chapters to keep things moving along. Clover’s character is well-developed (if frustratingly thin-skinned) and comes across naturally in the first-person narrative. You’ll be cheering her along as she takes the first steps out of her comfort zone into new relationships. And, don’t be surprised if you find yourself shedding some tears along the way (for me, the first prickles behind the eyes started around page 5…).

Despite the New York setting, the novel features a cheeky shout-out for Tasmanian pinot noir and Brammer’s dedication is made out to her extended family in Branxholm, ‘the women of Clover Lee’.

explores the deaths of Frankie, a young baby, and Sebastian, a teenage boy. The seemingly related deaths were ruled an open-and-shut case by the local cop, but when a big-town reporter arrives asking questions, Livvy is desperate to get rid of him. The plot rockets along from the first pages, dropping in clues and red herrings the whole way through.

As the backstory of both narrators unfolds, we start to see Port Brighton for what it truly is. What sets this novel apart from other murder mysteries is the lack of an investigator: the reporter bent on uncovering secrets is an antagonist of this story, not the hero. In fact, there are no heroes to be found at all in these pages. This book delves into some very dark places, well beyond the deaths at the centre of the narrative, and caution is advised for prospective readers. For Tasmanians, this could be a fascinating but uncomfortable glimpse of how ‘outsiders’ might see us.

Book Chatter: Crime writers and readers can look forward to the Terror Australis Festival 2023 ‘Tasmania Vice’, taking place in the Huon Valley this October, with guest speakers including Ann Cleeves (of Shetland and Vera fame), and the launch of an exciting new anthology by local crime writers.

Keen to chat books with us? Find us on Instagram @thewomanbookerprizeclub or email thewbpc@gmail.com.

Debut author and Canadian-turnedTasmanian Monica Vuu’s When One of Us Hurts is “inspired by the remoteness of rural Tasmania,” but don’t assume that’s a compliment! If you’re a crime aficionado looking for a dark, twisty read with unreliable narrators and lots of psychological suspense, Vuu may have written the book for you.

Told from the dual perspectives of Livvy, a 14-year-old ‘insider’ in the fictional town of Port Brighton, and Marie, Livvy’s ‘outsider’ step-mum, the book

DOES YOUR DAIRY-FREE EATING CUT IT FOR CALCIUM?

Words: Serena Hodge

Whether it be for environmental, ethical or health reasons; many people are now opting for plant-based dairy. But how can you tell if your barista-grade almond milk cuts the mustard? Below, I share my three top tips for meeting nutritional requirements on a dairy-free diet.

But first, let’s talk about calcium. We know it’s important, but why do we need it? Classified as an ‘essential nutrient’, calcium is a mineral our bodies can’t naturally produce, so we need to consume it through our diet. Calcium helps regulate muscle contraction, nerve transmission, blood clotting, regular heartbeat and strong bone and teeth formation.

Chronic low dietary intake of calcium results in the mineral being leached from bone stores to maintain blood calcium levels; which the body maintains within a strict range. This is how osteoporosis develops (and also explains why a blood test cannot detect calcium deficiency). The recommended daily intake of calcium for adults is 1000mg per day (this increases to 1300mg for women aged over 50, and men aged over 70).

If you only remember one thing, let it be this! Unlike cow’s milk, plant-based alternatives are not a natural source of calcium. This means they need to be nutritionally fortified during the manufacturing process. It’s important to always check the nutrition label on plant-based milks to ensure they contain adequate levels of calcium to support good health. Opt for those that contain 300mg of calcium per serve (250ml).

Hint: So Good, Vitasoy and Pure Harvest are my top affordable picks. Same goes for plant-based cheese and yoghurt. Check out Made By Plants cheese,

Vitasoy Greek yoghurt and Chobani oat yoghurt. I often recommended these to clients embarking on a plant-based diet. Prefer to make nut mylk the DIY way at home? Get some calcium carbonate powder and fortify it yourself.

A word on coconut products. Whether it be cultured into yoghurt, used as a fat substitute in plant-based cheese, or manufactured into milk, coconut products are flooding supermarket shelves. They taste great and look seemingly healthy, so what’s the catch? It comes down to the saturated fat content. Saturated fat is the ‘bad’ type of fat that can raise cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease. It’s recommended to keep saturated fat below 3g per 100g for packaged products, although it’s not uncommon for coconut yoghurt to contain up to five times this amount!

If you consume a predominantly plant-based diet that consists of minimally processed foods, then I wouldn’t lose sleep over a can of coconut milk added to your weeknight curry. Just be mindful that if your diet already contains a decent smack of saturated fat from animal-derived and packaged foods (think: fatty meat cuts, cheese, biscuits, cakes) an excessive intake of coconut products won’t exactly work wonders for your ticker.

Think outside the box.

If I asked you to name foods that contain calcium, what would you say? Perhaps milk, cheese, yoghurt and, umm… *crickets*. But what if I told you that non-dairy foods can also contribute to your daily calcium intake. Good sources include tahini, almonds, figs, oranges, tinned fish with bones, dark leafy greens, Wakame and blackstrap molasses. It’s important to note plant-based foods contain lower amounts of calcium,

meaning it is difficult to meet daily requirements through eating these foods alone. Some plant-based foods (such as spinach and almonds) also contain oxalates, which are natural compounds that bind to calcium and reduce their absorption in the digestive tract. Calcium absorption can also be reduced by low vitamin D levels; and to a lesser extent, caffeine.

So what does all of this mean for the plant-based lovers?

Consider fortified plant-based dairy alternatives as your main dietary source of calcium. Use coconut products sparingly. Maximise your intake of calcium-rich plant foods (and consume them in isolation to your daily coffee). Lastly, remember that daily sun exposure during winter is super important for maintaining healthy vitamin D levels and reaping the nutritional benefits of your (now) well-informed dairy-free diet.

Always consult your doctor or relevant health professional before starting any major dietary or lifestyle change. This article is not intended to provide medical or individualised dietary advice.

For more information follow Serena on Instagram @coconut_mason or at www. coconutmason.blogspot.com.

21 - 22 September 2023

Theatre Royal Book now theatreroyal.com.au

Photo: Tony McKendrick

in association with the Theatre Royal Hobart, presents

Choreography by Emma Porteus and Liz Aggiss

FALL IN LOVE WITH FALLS CREEK

My first ski was at the age of about 16 at Ben Lomond. We only had one day up there and it was a literal crash course in skiing.

I learnt that the most effective way to stop on day one was by falling, and the poma (the little lift that takes you to the top) was not a seat. I also learnt that trackpants were not suitable ski attire.

Fast forward to more than 25 years later and I have a much better handle on skiing, as well as appropriate ski gear. I’m not out for heart-pumping black-run adventures, but I do love a good ski surrounded by beautiful mountains. The pandemic has put the snow plough on ski adventures the past few winters, but this year we decided to bite the bullet and enjoy a ski trip. It’s good to ski in Tassie, but it’s great to get up to the Victorian Alps and enjoy some longer, steeper runs.

of choice, the northernmost Victorian resort. Although we’re Spirit of Tasmania veterans, this was our first trip into Geelong. We calculated that driving from Geelong as opposed to Melbourne added about half an hour onto our trip, which wasn’t so bad. Falls Creek is home to the largest ski/snowboarding terrain in Victoria and is a ski in/ski out village, which comes into it’s own when you’re getting kids out the door in the morning. It also makes it easy to just ski home for lunch and get back out there easily.

As we approached Falls Creek and ascended into the mountainous area, dustings of snow lined the road and the kids’ excitement built. My eldest has skied before but it was my youngest’s first time. Being ski in/ski out, you can’t drive directly to your accommodation. You can lug all your gear up into the village or opt for the oversnow - the main vehicular transport around the village. At this point, we resigned ourselves to the fact that nothing at the snow will be cheap, and paid for transfers up the hill. It turned out

kids, sitting in the front seat of the snow cat as it clawed it’s way up the hill. Once settled into the lodge we sorted out the kids ski rentals (Central Snowsports were very helpful and conveniently near our accommodation) and lift passes. At about $220 a day it feels like a fair whack, but we took the gamble on being able to ski each day and got a week long pass at a discounted price. If you’re really organised you can opt for an EPIC pass which gives you access all season and works out much cheaper.

On the first day, my eight year old went from being tentative to easily heading down the runs. Being school holidays, the ski school was heavily booked but we managed to get in for one fun day. It meant our youngest came to the Mum and Dad Ski School for the rest of his lessons. Talking him through the basics “pizza and

Words and pictures: Stephanie Williams

fries” - fries when your skis are straight and pizza for when you bring your skis together into a point if you need to stop. He started to prefer skiing between our legs (because he could go faster!) so he joined us on some steeper runs. Australia’s longest green run, Wombat’s Ramble, becomes a favourite run, especially after discovering Slides Cafe at the bottom, adjacent to Halley’s Comet Chairlift. After thinking nothing was cheap on the mountain, I discovered they sell the most amazing caramel slice, good coffee and huge South Melbourne Market dim sims for $4.50. One and done! Another popular lunch option is Cloud 9 at the top of the mountain. The pizzas are quick and easy, as well as coffee, full bar

and sweet treats. Any decent alpine resort should have a donut shop - Falls Creek has Snonuts, the perfect ending to a day on the slopes.

Non-skiers can also have loads of fun at Falls Creek. The toboggan park is a new addition - you need to book but it’s free and has a ‘magic carpet’ to take you from the bottom of the run back up to the top. You can also hire snow shoes, or head out hiking and be rewarded with stunning views over the lake and Mount Bogong.

After hours, the village is for exploring. Many lodges have a cafe, bar or restaurant and we set out to try a few. Head to The Frying Pan Inn for a drink, burgers and

COUNCIL AREA

Shared services

COUNCIL AREA

pub fare at the base of the Summit run. It’s especially good on Thursday nights after the weekly fireworks show which is right outside. The Chop House serves up excellent American BBQ inspired food - we enjoyed a feast of loaded fries, smoked meats, maple cornbread and kids burgers. And Astra Lodge is where to head for luxe apres over French bubbles and fine dining.

After a week of skiing, with a mix of bluebird days and low visibility, the kids are skiing beautifully and the parents are feeling like they’ve had an actually relaxing getaway. Descending the mountain, we were already planning our next trip.

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

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

Community sessions will be held at the following locations:

• Southern Shore • Kingborough Community Hub, 7 Goshawk Wy, Kingston • Wednesday 16 August 2023

• Western Shore • Moonah Arts Centre, 23-27 Albert Rd, Moonah • Thursday 31 August 2023

Council sessions will also be held on these days, which community members can also register to attend.

Hearings will be livestreamed where possible. If you wish to attend a hearing, you must register your interest prior.

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

MORTIMER BAY TANGARA TRAILS COASTAL RESERVE

Words and pictures: Liz Osborne

After too many wet days cooped up inside, a walk was needed to blow away the winter cobwebs.

We wanted to see beautiful birdlife, and there’s no better place than the Mortimer Bay Coastal Reserve, part of the South Arm Coastal Reserve. It’s just a half an hour drive from Hobart, off the South Arm Road at Sandford.

We started the Tangara Trail to Mortimer Bay from the end of Palana Court Road. We were delighted to see birds everywhere. Pied oystercatchers flew overhead, swans glided past, a crane was stepping along the water’s edge. The last time we had walked this way, we had seen a sea eagle perched high in a peppermint gum. We kept our eyes peeled, but it was a no-show. Our leisurely walk also gave us time to appreciate the changing views across the water, from South Arm to kunanyi/Mount Wellington.

After walking about six kilometres, we reached Mortimer Bay. Native hens foraged around the mouth of a small creek. Hooded plovers watched us pass. The whimbrels, eastern curlews and red-necked stints that we had observed in summer had long since migrated, leaving the beach to their Tasmanian cousins. We identified more pied oystercatchers, hooded plovers, kelp gulls, pacific gulls and silver gulls.

Tasmania’s South Arm Coastal Reserve is the southernmost destination for migratory waders in the East AsianAustralian Flyway, identified by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area. Migratory shorebirds gain weight here for the long flight across the globe to their nesting grounds in Siberia. Walking along a beach in Tasmania, the thought of tiny birds flying far from our shores, over

oceans and continents, to reach Siberia, is mind-blowing.

Tasmania is connected to the Arctic regions in the northern hemisphere by migrating shore birds. The South Arm Coastal Reserve is crucial in the web of life that sustains the bird population of the world. Whilst the world is losing valuable wetlands to land reclamation and development, South Arm Coastal Reserve remains a sanctuary for the shorebirds.

Note: Always be respectful of the local wildlife. Do not approach or disturb animals or nests, should you find one.

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CHOW DOWN IN HOBART MIDTOWN

Words: Peta Hen

Food is often the heart and soul of neighbourhoods, and what better way is there to get to know a place than hitting where the locals love to eat and hang out?

RUDE BOY - GOT CHICKEN?

Dreaming of a tropical holiday or a rum-fuelled jaunt around the Caribbean? Rude Boy, while thousands of miles from anything remotely tropical, is the place to hit. The vibe inside instantly puts you in a party mood, and if that doesn’t, the wall of rum behind the bar certainly will. The food is really good too. Rude Boy specialises in some kicken’ fried chicken with a wide range of sauces and sprinkles to go with it. We’re big fans of the jerk seasoning, BBQ rum sauce and cheese dust. Pair it with a pineapple rum cocktail and you’re set for the night.

SONNY - OYSTERS WITH A SIDE OF LED ZEPPELIN

If you’re after great eats paired with music and a decent glass of wine, then Sonny is for you. While the intimate wine bar recently farewelled founder Matt Breen, rest assured Sonny is still in good hands. Alister Roberston, Breen’s partner-in-crime and the bar’s resident wine expert, is leading the ship. Sonny is Midtown’s go-to for small plates oysters and beautiful things on toast, an extensive wine list backed by a solid breadth of wine knowledge, and the locally built Pitt + Giblin sound system always playing something interesting.

BAR WA IZAKAYA - JELLY SHOTS AND RAMEN

Nothing beats a huge bowl of ramen, especially during winter. Bar Wa serves up steaming hot ramen daily with housemade tare and a deep, complex broth that’s been brewed for hours. However, if you’re after something a bit share-friendly (hands off our noodles!), head in after dark where you can pull up a seat and go to town on a menu stacked with morish Japanese bar food. Our hot take: try the yuzu jelly sake. It’s an awesome experience that will put a smile on your face and set you up for a great night. Just give the can a really good shake first.

GRINNERS - IT’S TACO TIME!

Right next door to the best chicken in town is Grinners, a grunge-themed dive bar that serves up some mean Mexican. Tasty street tacos with a side of jalapeno poppers and all washed down with the meanest margaritas this side of town. Just yum. They host some awesome live music too and their menu is always evolving. Our faves are pork adobo and butternut pumpkin tacos with jalapeno poppers, of course.

STANDING AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

It’s exhilaration I feel as I stand at the Edge of the World, my hair whipped into a crazy wind-dance as I gaze out upon the endless sea.

I’m at Arthur River in North West Tasmania, and the wind is (quite literally) taking my breath away. I peer at the plaque in front of me, its words dulled and stained by time and rough weather. I can just make out the poem celebrating this place, written by tourism pioneer Brian Inder (creator of Tasmazia, who died in 2019):

I cast my pebble onto the shore of Eternity

To be washed by the Ocean of Time. It has shape, form and substance. It is me.

One day I will be no more

But my pebble will remain here

On the shore of Eternity

Mute witness for the aeons

That today I came and stood

At the edge of the world.

I pick up my own pebble and cast it, as it seems appropriate. I had made my way to the lookout here from the little settlement at the mouth of Arthur River initially over

a rough beach/bush track I’d stumbled upon, hoping (directionally-challenged as I am) that I was walking the right way to this rocky headland at Gardiner Point. It was only when I finally emerged onto the official road that took me the rest of the way that I discovered a sign, advising that my track “shortcut” was for “PWS Management use only”. Oops, sorry Parks and Wildlife Service.

The proper way to get here is via the road from the Arthur River settlement, crossing the bridge and taking the second street past that to Gardiner Point. There is a well-made boardwalk to the viewing platform, and even toilet facilities for tourists in the carpark. This special place is within the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area, which stretches from Arthur River in the north to the Pieman River in the south, and is part of the larger takayna/ Tarkine wilderness.

The sea to the west of Tasmania - specifically here, at the Edge of the World - has been named the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean in the world, stretching all the way to Argentina, some 15,000 km away (more than halfway around the globe). Although according to very friendly but vehement locals we met at nearby Bluff Hill Point, Bluff Hill Point is

in fact the REAL edge, the most westerly bit, but the photo opportunities were better at Gardiner Point!

It is certainly picturesque – in a wild and gloriously unfettered way. The coast is lashed by the fierce westerly gales of the Roaring Forties. According to Wikipedia, “an old sailor’s expression goes, ‘below 40 degrees south, there is no law; below 50 degrees, there is no God.’” Later I ask my partner, a Sydney-to-Hobart sailor, about wind speeds, and he tells me more about the Roaring Forties, as

Words: Amanda Double

Pictures: Jess Bonde

well as the “Furious Fifties” and the “Screaming Sixties”. And he introduces me to the Beaufort scale, which measures wind speed according to the impact the wind has on the land and sea. It’s an old system, first developed in 1805 by Irish hydrographer and Royal Navy officer (later Rear Admiral) Sir Francis Beaufort,

but the Bureau of Meteorology confirms that it remains a widely used system to measure wind speed today. It goes from 0 (calm, where smoke rises vertically and the sea is like a mirror), to 12+ (hurricane, 64 knots or more – very rarely experienced – causing widespread damage on land, and seriously-affected visibility at

sea, with the air filled with white foam and driving spray). Thinking back, I wonder if it reached gale force 8 earlier on during my visit (34-40 knots, with progress somewhat impeded on land and the edges of the moderately high wave crests starting to break into spindrift), but at the time I just felt elated, charged up by nature’s buffeting.

The massive swells of the great Southern Ocean sweep and stack enormous driftwood logs onto the shore here. Perhaps some have even washed up all the way from South America! I note that some previous visitors seem to have constructed makeshift shelters from them.

Soon I’ll phone my partner, and ask him to join me here. But at this moment I’m making the most of my lucky solitude. Just standing at the Edge, looking out to sea and gulping lungfuls of the cleanest air on this planet. I’ll still be here in time for the beautiful sunset.

COFFEE WITH AN EXTRA SHOT OF ESTEEM

Interview: Peta Hen

Pictures: Esteem Coffee

Being part of a community is vital for anyone, especially so when you arrived from another country. We spoke to Ren McGrath, from volunteer organisation CityNetworks, about how a new Hobart community network cafe, Esteem Coffee, is breaking down cultural barriers, one esteem’ing cup at a time.

Tell us about Esteem Coffee. Esteem Coffee is a networking dream! In a capital city that is growing quickly, the old saying, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, feels as though it has never rung louder. Tasmania ranks highest of the Australian states to hire via word-ofmouth. This can make for a tricky beginning in a new town, especially if English isn’t your first language or there are cultural differences. Big picture, Esteem Coffee aims to be a conduit, mitigating much of those initial connection issues. We are in a unique position of having the ability to refer to an extensive platform of organisations and private parties with the ability to assist and liaise with people who have burning questions. We want to encourage and assist in building community.

What inspired the cafe and how has the reception from the community been? The hunger to be something different, the desire to offer a safe space for questions that people think may be too small to ask. How many wonderful coffee shops does Hobart have? Plenty. But, how many can you walk into and ask the barista to sit down and have a chat with you or ask for someone to help you read paperwork you need to complete or ask to display art from your hometown on the other side of the world?

inspired to bring this café to life when they saw the potential behind building the esteem of valuable members of our community who are otherwise often sidelined due to their place of birth and initial communication barriers. We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the general public and are incredibly grateful for the openness with which our idea has been welcomed.

How can migrants use the cafe? We have three resident artists, whose work is both displayed and available for purchase. Additionally, we have an Eritrean cook, Ababa, who aims to begin stocking Eritrean cuisine with us in the future. We also have several volunteers who are working with us to expand their hospitality skills and conversational English.

What do you hope in the future for Esteem Coffee? We naturally hope to see this space grow to incorporate more small businesses from the migrant community, artists, chefs, musicians and more. We want this space to emanate warmth, welcome and helpfulness. The dream is

to have the space taken over by someone who needs a helping hand making the dream of running a café in Tasmania come to life. If you or someone you know would like to get involved, check out Esteem Coffee on Facebook or pop in for a coffee at 286 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, from 7:30am-12pm.

Steven Baxter and Kelvin Smith were

Calvert Hill Nature Reserve by Liz Osborne

Jerry creeping up on the Bridgewater Bridge by Trixie Berry

Rainy morning along Taroona Foreshore Trail by Minji Hur

Pink Howrah Sunset by Suzannah Gale

YE OLDE NORTH HOBART COLONIAL FOOTY DAYS

gone on to play in the VFL/AFL and AFLW. Currently playing are Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs), Jye Menzies (Essendon ) and Claire Ransom (Gold Coast). Current AFL coach Chris Fagan (Lions) was an assistant coach at North Hobart. Brendon Bolton (now a Director of Coaching at Collingwood) was playing coach of our 2003 premiership team.

Whether you’re for, against or on the fence regarding Tassie’s AFL team and/ or stadium, North Hobart Football Club (NHFC) is considered the ancestral home of Aussie Rules footy in Hobart. We caught up with Rick Tipping for a glimpse back into the early days of NHFC and Tasmanian AFL.

The North Hobart Football Club (NHFC) has been around since 1881. How did it begin? Tom Wills is often considered the ‘founder’ of Australian Rules football. The first game was played in Melbourne in 1858, and the first rules were written down by Wills and others in 1859. In Hobart, informal games were played on a large paddock belonging to Smith’s Dairy at the domain end of Campbell Street, and on 14 May 1881, some of the workers got together over a few drinks at the Waggon and Horses Hotel and made the decision to form North Hobart Football Club.

Has the club had any ongoing rivalries with other clubs over the decades? Some of the early rivalries were with clubs that no longer exist - including Cananore and Lefroy. The club has had enduring rivalries with clubs like Wynyard in the North West and Longford in the north.

Were there championships back then and did NHFC compete? By the 1890s the club was playing regular games in the Southern Tasmanian Football Association and won its first senior premiership in 1902. Other early teams included Railway, Hutchins, New Town, Cricketers, City, Richmond and High School. North Hobart went on to become one of Australia’s most successful football clubs in a premier competition, winning 28 men’s premierships in its 142-year history. By comparison, Essendon and Carlton in the current AFL have each won 16 flags.

Have any prominent AFL stars made their start at the NHFC? Who? Many North Hobart players have

Why do you think the NHFC has lasted until today? North Hobart Football Club endures because of its wonderful history, its loyal supporters and its capacity to adapt to changing times. It has excellent partnerships with its local community and junior clubs. Our women’s program is among the state’s strongest with our senior women’s team winning the 2022 Grand Final.

After some lean years on field, the club is back to its best. It has a young and dynamic board of directors, professional coaches and administrators, more than 100 active volunteers and the largest membership of any Tasmanian club. North Hobart Oval has long been considered ‘the Home of Tasmanian Football’. It’s full of history and a great place to watch a game.

For more information about the Mighty Dees and the North Hobart Football Club, head to www.nhfc.net.au.

Interview: Peta Hen

Early morning reflections at Lake Dobson by Bev Reardon

Under Tasman Bridge during Dark Mofo by Ian Sampson

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo by Bob Holderness-Roddam

Sloping Main by Mary Harwood

@camjbainbridge

The Bluff at Howrah Beach by Chris Boron