The Hobart Magazine September 2021

THE HOBART MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2021: ISSUE 26

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INDEPENDENT + LOCAL

OBSA AND AHMED TWO HOBART TEENS MAKING GIVING BACK COOL

HOBART COMMUNITY NEWS WWW.THEHOBARTMAGAZINE.COM.AU

NEW BREWERY OPENS IN THE CBD WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER HOW TO SPOT A NATIVE DUCK

HOBART PERMACULTURE GURU HANNAH MOLONEY ON LIVING A GOOD LIFE

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on

QUAYLE

Artist Impression

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Artist Impression

Showcasing flawless attention to detail, every inch of these remarkable residences have been expertly designed to offer the finest in modern living. Whether you’re on the hunt for that picture-perfect downsizer or a lock-and-leave property in an unbeatable location, these apartments are a must-see.

The development of these four spectacular abodes including three three-bedroom/two-bathroom residences have been designed to take full advantage of the sloping block with each apartment offering an uninterrupted outlook, added privacy and seamless indoor-outdoor living.

High-end features and finishes are on show throughout from the gourmet chef’s kitchens with premium appliances and sweeping stone benchtops to the floorto-ceiling glass, stone tiles and luxe fixtures. Elevator access is available to apartments three and four, plus there’s covered parking and a host of must-have inclusions throughout. Nestled between Battery Point and Sandy Bay, a gentle stroll from these magnificent apartments will take you to cafes, restaurants and RESIDENTIAL boutique shops along with renowned schools and PROJECT Marieville Esplanade.

MARKETING 2

Artist Impression

Register your interest now at:

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M: 0413 887 009 l P: 03 6220 6999 rorie.auld@au.knightfrank.com

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Rorie M. Auld 0413 887 009 Warren Lashmar 0427 788 205 RESIDENTIAL PROJECT

MARKETING 5 Victoria Street, Hobart 7000

Editorial Stephanie Williams (Publisher) editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Advertising James Marten advertise@thehobartmagazine.com.au 0405 424 449 Contributors: Taylor Stevenson, Sarah Aitken, Annia Baron, Dawn Green, Jen Wiedman, Laura Cini, Jason Graham, Beau Leighton Cover image: Dawn Green Circulation: 24,000 copies are distributed each month, dropped to our network of over 300 cafes and public places across Hobart, at Hill Street Grocer, and delivered to inner city homes.

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.

WELCOME TO

THE HOBART MAGAZINE I don’t know about you but I’m particularly happy now that winter is behind us. We usually enjoy some time on the mainland during winter, visiting family and friends, and getting a fix of warmer weather. Obviously not this year!

Our cover people for this month are the awesome teenage duo, Obsa Shafee and Ahmed Omer. The boys escaped conflict between ethnic groups in Ethiopia to arrive in Hobart in 2019. As a measure of their huge hearts, Obsa and Ahmed set about fundraising and organising charitable donations across Tasmania. Legends! We also chat with permaculture guru Hannah Moloney, find out where introverts love to hang in Hobart and take a psychological look at how to handle it when everything turns to sh!t! Timely.

We hope you enjoy our September edition as much as we enjoyed putting it together. As always, if you have any feedback or something to share, email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au.

Cheers, Steph, James and The Hobart Magazine team.

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INBOX

Got something to get off your chest? Let us know at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au ok at Darcy Street? We now head to other parks further away knowing we won’t be harassed by dogs. It’ll be interesting to see the council’s response if there’s a child bitten by a dog while playing at Darcy Street.

Andrew Milorad, Dynnyrne

Writing on the wall?

I read the letter by Pene Snashall of Huon Aquaculture featured in August’s edition - itself in response to a book review of Richard Flanagan’s book Toxic - in which it was alleged that Richard misled Tasmanians during the selling of his holiday house. Gee, I wasn’t aware that it was normal for homeowners to write their own real estate ads.

Danielle Brabazon The Soho dog wars at Darcy Street I was interested to read a story in the Mercury a few weeks ago Dog Wars! Dog Walkers v Soccer Club. I’ve never read such an incomplete local story. It seemed as though most of this journalist’s time was spent in the photo library trying to find the most family friendly, warm fuzzy photo. If they’d bothered to dig a little deeper, they would’ve found there was a little more than just two parties who are a little annoyed with the situation at Darcy Street. I live in Dynnyrne and have spent time playing on the field at Darcy Street, with my niece and nephew. In that time, I’ve witnessed toddlers being knocked over by big friendly dogs on two occasions. I’ve witnessed parents grabbing their child from the ground because a dog was aggressive and growling at their child. I’ve seen dogs pee on bags and jackets left on the ground. I’ve personally been called rude because I dared to ask a person if they could remove their dog from our ball game. On some days the concentration between dogs and members of the public without dogs seems way out of kilter for such a small play area.

You wouldn’t see members of the public recreating on the dog park over on Clarence Street in Bellerive, so why is it 4

SOS Hobart needs you In giving some context to what is happening to our street, below is the story of one resident. “We are one of the families whose home will be compulsorily acquired. We bought our home 6 years ago and when there was no known plan to expand the road. Putting all our money towards the deposit left things financially pretty tight. For the first year we slept on mattresses on the floor and used camp tables for a kitchen. With no insulation and only one plug in heater we wore our puffer jackets and ugg boots to keep warm. Six years later we have a comfortable energy efficient home with a thriving garden of fruit trees and vegetables. Our home has been a work in progress and we have invested time, money and our own blood, sweat and tears. We love our neighborhood. One couple have become surrogate grandparents for our child. We are ordinary people. We go to work, we pay our mortgage, we raise our family.

The thought of being forced out into a hot property market is frightening. We are on an emotional rollercoaster, already our home doesn’t feel ours anymore.” This is just one household story as Minister Ferguson forges ahead with his dinosaur plan to waste taxpayer money on a solution that will save only two minutes in commuting time on an average morning.

Show your support for us by signing our parliamentary petition or linking with us on social media SOSHobart2021.

Meg Smith, SOSHobart2021 The White way Can someone please tell me how Rebecca White became the Labor leader again?

She’s overseen two election losses and is heading for a third. She heads up a party that’s tearing itself apart. She called for the resignation of David O’Byrne even when an independent review cleared him.

It was her captain’s pick to parachute

Bastian Seidel into the shadow health portfolio before last election...how did that turn out? He called the Labour party toxic! There’s the government attack lines for the next three years. He was clearly never up to the politics of being a politician. He stabbed the party, not with a knife but a machete in the back. And it’s all happened under her watch. And why the f**k is Bec White wishing the Premier a speedy recovery via Twitter when he pulled an election on her while she was in her third trimester, a year before an election was due to be held. Be a f*cken worthy adversary and get on with the job while he’s taking time out! She’s got bigger problems than worrying about wishing the Premier a speedy recovery.

Rebecca White is the problem with the Labor party, She’s overseen this implosion of the Labor party. Let’s get a new leader!!!

Jon W, Warrane A fare go for our seniors Tasmania invests less than a third of the national average per capita on public transport, and older passengers are among those missing out. That’s why I’ve joined National Seniors Australia and transport economist Peter Kruup to press the State Government to introduce free off-peak travel for seniors. Mr Kruup has come up with this modest plan to increase Metro bus patronage and help ease Hobart’s woeful traffic congestion. Other capital cities in Australia offer free or heavily subsidised travel for over-60s, so why can’t we do it in Hobart? Tasmania spends less than any other jurisdiction on public transport, according to the Commonwealth Grants Commission, investing $196 per capita in 2019-20 compared with the national average of $614. We need a holistic response to our traffic woes and this proposal is a welcome piece of the puzzle. Tackling congestion is not just a case of building more roads, it’s about an expanded River Derwent ferry service, re-introducing passenger rail, providing better walking and cycling routes, and an efficient and affordable bus service.

Andrew Wilkie, Federal independent Member for Clark

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13 years ago I had a dream to design lightweight merino wool clothing that was stylish, comfortable and practical, and get it manufactured right here in Tasmania.

We had recently moved from WA to Tasmania and loved the climate, the people, the whole island, and especially the sheep! We wanted to know where all the wonderful wool was going, because we were cold and wanted to wear some. So I designed some pieces and we decided to make it ourselves. We wanted to support Tasmania and be local. We wanted to create a unique Australian brand and offer visitors and locals a Tassie souvenir they could wear for years to come.

It’s a family business – Carl is Main Marketing Man, Nicola is the Designer and Photographer, our daughter Holly is the face of Smitten and part-time fab Salesperson, Brooke, our other daughter, is part-time Smitten Model and full-time Doctor in Tweed Heads, and Daniel, our skateboarding son, is hopefully taking over as Photographer for all our shoots (when he directs the camera away from beetles and sheep...)

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LOCAL LADY

BELINDA KELLY Interview: Stephanie Williams Executive Producer Belinda Kelly is making sure a new generation of Tasmanians continue to enjoy puppetry.

Where in Hobart do you live? LoWeHo? Lower West Hobart, on the edge of the CBD What’s the best thing about Hobart? The size, walkability, cultural assets, and proximity to the beach and bush.

And the worst? The car culture and fixation on free parking.

Tell us a little about your work? I am an arts manager and producer, with a speciality in making new Australian work, and currently the Executive Producer/CEO at Terrapin Puppet Theatre. We make new work for theatres and interactive installations for public space in Hobart then tour the world, from Flinders Island to NYC’s the Lincoln Centre to the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival. Our horizons have temporarily shrunken a little over this Covid-era, but we enjoy great relationships with all our local festivals so have continued to make and present work in this time.

Why did you move to Tassie to work with Terrapin?

Having grown up on a farm in regional Victoria, but only ever having lived in the centre of large cities as an adult (Melbourne, London, Sydney), I had a growing hankering to get out of town, and a fear of living the rest of my life in the big smoke. Hobart offers a happy, and very picturesque, medium between a heaving metropolis and country life. The cultural scene here is also very strong and growing and it’s the perfect place to make new work.

What role do you think Terrapin plays in the arts scene?

Terrapin creates all-new work, collaborating with writers, designers, makers and performers to develop our productions.

This means we can support and nurture talent here in Tasmania, and provide a pathway for these artists to share their work with new audiences here, on the mainland and internationally. We’re presenting Nathan Maynard’s play A Not So Traditional Story in Hobart and Launceston during the school holidays, and it’s a real privilege to work with Tasmanian Aboriginal artists to help tell their stories.

Why puppetry? Puppetry has a unique power to evoke empathy.

You have to use your imagination to believe that something is alive, even when a part of you knows it isn’t.

What do you love doing outside work? I am loving my role as a board member for Tasmania’s Beaker Street Festival of Arts and Science. Founded a few short years ago by scientist Margo Adler, this festival is transforming the way science is communicated to the general public (with great art and great local beverages!).

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Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? Migrant Resource Centre Kitchen, Hamlet, Templo.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? Vino. Sonny, Lucinda, Tom McHugo’s, Willing Bros.

Guilty pleasure? Old seasons of Australian Survivor. I’m not sure it’s entirely a guilty pleasure as I’ve learnt a lot about strategy from watching it, but I admit it is not considered an entirely conventional tool for business planning and development. Some people think it is quite trashy!

What do you never leave home without?

XXX Extra Strong Mints.

If I didn’t live in Hobart I’d live... I’m not sure, I might have Stockholm syndrome caused by locked borders, it is hard to imagine living anywhere else at this time.

Where to next? On the move again after a period of reflection and development. After the incredible disruption caused by Covid to the performing arts and event worlds, we are looking ahead to touring off the island again. All going well we will be in the Gold Coast at the new HOTA complex in September and at the Sydney Opera House in January. In 2022 we are also representing Tasmania by presenting a new interactive public space work at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which involves a group of Tasmanian school children rewriting our national anthem. We are very curious to see what they come up with. We are also hoping to make a delayed trip to Japan and to welcome Japanese artists to Tasmania to develop a new work for theatres.

Quote to live by? For this era, Samuel Beckett: “You must go on. I can’t go on. I’ll go on.”

New season arrivals from our new factory!

We are so excited about the new season that is just starting to trickle in through the doors, gorgeous new designs, fresh new fabrics not to mention new cuts to look forward to all designed and made by us in Tasmania in our new factory. Our new factory is located in a repurposed historic old Armory at Inveresk, Launceston.

History of the Armory!

The Powder Magazine or as we call it today the Old Launceston Armory is six isolated buildings on the river flats of Glebe Gardens, the explosives bunker detonator sheds and powder magazine plus two identical ordnance sheds. We have repurposed the two ordnance buildings as our cutting and storage rooms, with the old Gate House building as our machining rooms. The buildings within the compound was built around the 1850s and continued to serve the military through to the Second World War, the site is located on agricultural land and is privately owned and maintained. #wemadeyourclothes Sign up to our newsletter to get $20 Off your first order when spending $99!

Eco Home, Slow Fashion, Ethical Gifts 166 Liverpool Street Hobart (next door to Allgoods) Ph 6295 3748 IG @spottedquoll FB @thespottedquollstudio www.thespottedquoll.com.au 7

LOCAL LAD

WILL PARSELL Interview: Stephanie Williams Will Parsell is from a musical family in Hobart and trained at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music. Will is one of the primary musicians at Inscape Tasmania, a program that offers music and art to patients in a hospital setting.

Where in Hobart do you live? North Hobart.

What’s the best thing about Hobart? Without a doubt, the fresh air.

And the worst? I’ve tried really hard but I really can’t think of anything significant. But I think that’s a good sign!

Tell us a little about your work? I’m a musician. I work with Inscape Tasmania at the Royal Hobart Hospital where I play music at patient’s bedsides, as a ‘Bedside Musician’, and I also give ‘Pop up Performances’ in some of the public spaces around the hospital. I teach music and I perform around Hobart playing gigs (when venues are open!).

How does the Inscape program at the Royal Hobart Hospital work? Inscape is an arts organisation that offers music and art programs and performances to enrich the patient experience.

We receive referrals from various health professionals (physios, doctors, nurses) and then we follow up to see if the patient would like a regular visit. This could be playing music to them, listening to music with them or sometimes just chatting.

We try to have a holistic approach to human communication.

What role do you think music plays in health and wellbeing?

I believe that music is such a constant in people’s lives. Music is attached to memories, important events and brings joy. And for many people it’s a normal part of their day-to-day life. This joy can go missing when people are in hospital and I believe that music in that setting can bring such joy and can be a welcome distraction at a time of deep stress and anxiety. Music is beneficial in so many ways, it’s very multipurpose and can impact in lots of ways which can be different for different people.

How has covid impacted on the Inscape program? Being in a hospital setting, initially we stopped our work so that we could figure it all out and make whatever changes we needed to. Now we’re back at it, wearing masks all the time, hand sanitizing and just getting on with the job!

What’s your dream project to work on? To be able to create music for public spaces that don’t normally have music in them.

Music can have such a positive impact on people and this helps

so much with positive social interactions. Music has such an impact on people’s moods and I’d love to be able to work on something that builds social cohesion.

What do you love doing outside work? Playing music and watching the Mighty Footscray (or you might know them as the Western Bulldogs!).

Where’s your favourite Hobart eatery? Chai restaurant in Mathers Lane, it’s small and not a lot of people know about it.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it? Definitely Cascade Export Stout at the Crescent Hotel.

I’d like to travel to... Hong Kong or Nigeria. I’ve wanted to visit these two places for a very long time and I have a family connection to Nigeria.

If I didn’t live in Hobart I’d live... In New Zealand.

Where to next? For me, next in my life is to be able to record more music. And from a work perspective I’d like to help expand the Inscape bedside music program.

Quote to live by? I have two. As I’m a teacher, my favorite quote is ‘Teaching is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of the fire.’ And I also love “A society grows great when people plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.

For more info on Inscape, what it does and how you can help, visit www.inscape.org.au

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Pixie & Pippin Guide Dog pups in training

Every gift makes a difference.

Every gift helps raise and train a puppy.

Every gift helps change a life.

Please leave a gift in your Will to Guide Dogs Tasmania.

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BITS AND PIECES

NEW OPENINGS The team from Belles have been busy.

Belle’s Pizzeria in South Hobart has closed and reopened as Lupin Wine Bar and Snacks (4 Cascade Rd, South Hobart). They’re also popping up in the old Lazenby’s site at UTAS, serving Belles Burgers and brekky Monday to Friday from 8am. The Welcome Swallow (99 Ring Road, New Norfolk) is a micro brewery in New Norfolk and their taproom is now open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Angie Sue (534 S Arm Rd, Lauderdale) adds to the Lauderdale strip, serving all day brunch and small plates from Tuesday to Sunday. Keep an eye out for when they expand into wood fired pizzas and a dinner menu. Somewhere Coffee Bar (5/118 Elizabeth Street, Hobart) is a light and bright new coffee space in Midtown. Penny’s Bakery (Shop 53, The Cat & Fiddle Arcade, Hobart) has emerged in the ex-Shotgun site serving coffee, hot pies, cakes and pastries. Luke Burgess has opened bookings for Seven and a Half, a new fancy pants option for lunch. “It’s situated on a building somewhere between the 7th and 8th floors. It’s a shared table for 10 guests and will serve a leisurely Sunday lunch to begin with and during the course of the year other events will be added,” Luke shared. Caffe Allegro (112 Murray Street, Hobart) has opened where Pilgrim Pies was previously, at the entrance to the Hanging Garden, serving Italian cakes, coffee, pastries, sandwiches and cannoli.

The Hobart Coffee Roasters Franklin Wharf Chapter (1/1 Franklin Wharf, 10

Hobart) is now open in the ex-Cafe Lola site. If traditional Kyushu ramen, with that deliciously creamy pork bone broth, is what you’re after, head to Iroyuki Ramen Bar (Shop 5, 14 Channel Highway, Kingston). Or if burgers are more your thing, try Boss Burgers (Channel Court Shopping Centre, Shop 58.2, 29 Channel Hwy, Kingston), a Victorian burger chain that has expanded here with their first Tassie location. The team from Sash in Sandy Bay have relocated and opened Wide Awake Coffee (217 Elizabeth St North Hobart). PLUK (18 Bruny Island Main Rd, Dennes Point), a new little store on Bruny Island filled with art, photography and ceramics, opens this month.

Back in town, check out the homewares at Habeo (113 Hampden Road, Battery Point), with a focus on Australian brands and sustainable products. Songbird Collection (Shop 1, 1726 Channel Highway, Margate) recently opened their first store, for lovers of birds and beautiful things.

And in big developments for the performing arts in Hobart, the $110 million Hedberg Complex incorporating the Theatre Royal opened recently, designed

by Hobart’s internationally renowned Liminal Studio.

SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM EXTENDED TO HOBART SCHOOLS A recent pilot program providing lunch to school kids has been extended to include 15 schools next year, with 15 more being added in 2023. The Food For Thought program was developed to help kids who go without nutritious and filling meals, so that they can concentrate and learn at school. Priority has been given to schools in areas of most need. The greater Hobart

schools included for 2022 are: Gagebrook Primary School, Herdsmans Cove Primary School, Rokeby Primary School, Austins Ferry Primary School, Warrane Primary School and Sorell Primary School.

CLARENCE MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK REFURBISHMENT OPENS Tracks at the Clarence Mountain Bike Park have been refurbished and are now open to the public. The Black Diamond Downhill Track now has enhanced drops, reshaped corners with bigger berms and additional features and ride lines. The Blue Square Dinosaur Descent, an intermediate run, has had drainage ruts repairs and corners improved.

LOSE THE FLARES Got some dangerous, out-of-date flares tucked away somewhere? For once we are not talking about pants (though those flares can be dangerous on the dance floor too). We mean the bright, flashy, explodey variety. Boat owners can now safely dispose of that kind of flare at local council waste management sites. In the south that includes Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station, Glenorchy’s Jackson Street Waste Management Centre, South Hobart’s McRobies Gully Waste Management Centre, Southbridge Waste Transfer Station in Huonville, Kingborough Waste Services and Orford Waste Transfer Station.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 7 – 9 Oct 2021 Theatre Royal, Hobart TICKETS

A Tasmanian Aboriginal adventure. terrapin.org.au PRODUCTION PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

DESIGN PARTNER

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BITS AND PIECES LIBRARY COURIER SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE ACROSS TASMANIA Did you know Tasmania’s libraries offer a home library service for those who cannot get to the library in person? Thanks to some wonderful volunteers, the Libraries Tasmania Home Library Service is a free way for homebound residents and carers to maintain a connection with all that the library offers. It is available to a wide range of people including those with illness or disability, their carers, those in aged care facilities and people in hospital.

Contact your local library to register or find out more.

HOBART’S HEDBERG THEATRE COMPLEX OPENS Hobart continues to cement its place as a home of arts and culture with the opening of a whole new performing arts precinct, The Hedberg Complex, on the corner of Campbell St and Collins St. Mixing the old with the new, it incorporates the Theatre Royal (including improvements to the historic theatre and the new Studio Theatre) and a new home for the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music.

Designed by Hobart-based LIMINAL architecture studio, the development cost $110 million. The centre is a partnership between the University of Tasmania, and the Federal and state governments.

TASSIE ELECTRIC VEHICLE OWNERSHIP SURGES + STAMP DUTY WAIVER Social enterprise Good Car Co, which organises bulk buys of electric vehicles, have now sold more electric cars in Tasmania than Tesla. Last month, after their most recent bulk buy, the group said they’d then sold 280 vehicles in Tasmania. The news came in the same week that Peter Gutwein, Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Climate Change, announced a new round of the Electric Vehicle ChargeSmart Grants program, with $600,000 available to fund the installation of charging stations in regional Tasmania and top tourism spots. “Tasmania is ideally suited to benefit from a growing electric vehicle market,” said Premier Gutwein. “When powered by our locally-produced renewable energy, electric vehicles can be cheaper to run, 12

reduce transport emissions and improve air quality.” The state government is transitioning its fleet to electric vehicles by 2030. They’ve also put in place a twoyear stamp duty waiver for electric vehicles and two-year free registration for hire car companies that purchase an electric vehicle. With cars over $45,000 attracting a 4% stamp duty, thats a decent saving.

KINGSTON POOL TOO EXPENSIVE A much-wanted aquatic centre in Kingston is too expensive for Kingborough Council to build by themselves. Kingborough Mayor, Paula Wriedt, said Council supports the idea but can only afford it with State and Federal funding. A recent feasibility study - outsourced by Council - found a proposed aquatic centre at the Kingborough Sports Precinct site would cost $40.5 million, with another $4.5million required to relocate some of the existing sport clubs in the precinct. That equates to about 2-3 times the Council’s annual capital works budget. The study also predicted the centre would cost upwards of $700 000 per year to run, and that high-quality Aquatic Centres with a 50m pool generally require a population base of at least 100,000. Kingborough currently has a population of approximately 37,000. “Council acknowledged that it is unable to construct an aquatic centre of this size within its existing budget,” Mayor Wriedt said. “Council resolved to lobby the State and Federal Governments for funding and look at this issue from a regional perspective.”

DOWN THE TOILET...

Wastewater samples taken during 2020 show that methamphetamine (ice) use plunged in Australia during the first COVID-19 lockdown while cannabis use spiked, according to a new study led by the University of South Australia.

CLARENCE CLIMATE EXPO The Clarence Climate Action Community Expo program is chockablock full of interesting speakers, environmental stallholders and family fun. See IMAS scientists talk about local climate change solutions, try out an electric bike, learn about investing ethically, and more. There will be kids craft, food and drinks and more at this free event on Saturday 18 September, 11am-2:30pm, at Citywide, 400 Cambridge Rd, Mornington.

OBSCURA III V I VA L D I R E C O M P O S E D A N E W P RO J EC T F RO M T H E T S O. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A REALM O F S O U N D & L I G H T.

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BITS AND PIECES

TASSIE’S AFL DREAM FOR 2022 Premier Peter Gutwein remains optimistic that we may well get an AFL team for Tasmania soon, but any decision will not be made until next year. Premier Gutwein recently held a discussion with the AFL (including Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan) and announced that they’d reached an agreement on the timeframe for a decision on the Tasmanian AFL licence. He said it will be made, “once and for all”, in 2022 in line with the finalisation of the funding model for the AFL industry for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Tough talkin.

UTAS PAID WRITING RESIDENCY UP FOR GRABS The University of Tasmania is seeking established writers for the second Hedberg Writer in Residence program.

The residency began last year with local author Robbie Arnott the first winner. The successful applicant receives $30,000 and is able to devote three months to writing in a quiet but stimulating environment on one of the University of Tasmania campuses.

Applications are open now until 8 November, 2021, with the residency occurring in the first half of 2022.

Eligible writers will need to have had one substantial work published by a recognised publishing house. For more information and to apply for the program visit utas.edu.au 14

$50,000 EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR TASSIE AFGHAN COMMUNITY The Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service is running an Afghan appeal, with money raised going toward direct and free legal support in Tasmania to assist with a surge in demand for legal services amongst the local Afghan community. The TRLS refecntly received $50 000 in emergency funding from the Tasmanian Government but they still rely on donations to cover sudden increase in demand. “We already have more than 60 new clients who we have commenced assisting in the past two weeks,” said Donna Woodleigh, TRLS Migration Lawyer. TRLS has been supporting clients in multiple ways, she said. “We have worked with The Migrant Resource Centre to set up a major community information session, which was live streamed on our Facebook page, and we’ve had that presentation translated into three languages for the benefit of our client community. We have contacted all our existing onshore Afghan clients to update them on the situation and what we are doing on each case.” They are hoping to lodge over 50 family reunification visa applications in the next five weeks or so. Public donations greatly assist them in doing this work.

“No matter how small, collectively those donations really can make a difference to those family members in Tasmania trying to support their families overseas fleeing persecution from the Taliban,” Ms Woodleigh said.

To donate, head to www.trls.org.au.

You can also follow their progress on their Facebook page.

THUMBS UP Tassie was voted in the top five places to ride out the apocalypse.

September is the month of the mullet. Show your support this month and raise or donate vital funds for mental health research for the Blackdog Institute.

Do you have a street library near you?

According to streetlibrary.org.au there are at least 37 in Hobart, but we reckon there are more.

Local authors winning big - Kate Gordon has won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year (ages 7-12) for Aster’s Good, Right Things, and Cassandra Pybus has won the National Biography Award for Truganini.

THUMBS DOWN The ongoing paranoia of being patient zero.

Carrying around 17 layers of discarded clothing at this time of the year. Sun, rain, sleet, snow, sun...repeat!

When the 100km winds arrive on bin day.

Irresponsible cat owners. A DPIPWE Cattracking study in the North-West found cats roamed across areas as big as 7ha when allowed outside. Please keep them inside!

Who else is getting numerous scammy text messages per day? Just stop it.

A Margate home was completely burned down after an electric blanket caused a fire in the middle of the night. The family escaped but it’s a timely reminder to take extra care with electric blankets.

Earth Science student conducting water testing, Little Blue Lake, Derby.

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Photo: Osborne Images. CRICOS 00586B.

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BITS AND PIECES SPIRITED AWAY! Spirit of Tasmania is relocating its Victorian operations from Station Pier, Port Melbourne to Corio Quay, north of Geelong. GeelongPort has partnered with Spirit of Tasmania to develop a dedicated passenger and freight terminal for Spirit of Tasmania’s vessels, with plans recently being released. The new 12-hectare site within GeelongPort’s Corio Quay precinct will include a passenger terminal building, a vehicle marshalling area for 600 cars, a parking area for 150 trucks, security facilities, public amenities, crew accommodation, a cafe, children’s play area and a pet exercise area. Construction of the new facilities will start in 2021 and will be operational by 2022.

FOGO BINS FOR KINGBOROUGH Kingborough Council is the next local council to introduce FOGO bins, the small benchtop bins that hopefully encourage households to compost their food scraps.

The plan is that the easy-to-use little bins will help divert organic matter from landfill (where it rots without oxygen, forming CO2), with householders instead transferring it to the green bins to be collected and added to the tip’s industrial compost system.7000 plastic FOGO bins will head out soon, but if you don’t want one, make sure you opt-out to avoid wasting resources (when the FOGO system was rolled out

by Hobart City Council we saw numerous bins blow away into the streets, or turn up at the tip shop!). To opt out, complete the online opt-out form on Council’s website at www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/greenwaste or visit the Council Civic Centre in Kingston to complete the form.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE SOUTHERN OUTLET AND CBD TRAFFIC Public consultation is now open for major projects designed to ease traffic congestion on the Southern Outlet and Davey and Macquarie Streets. The Southern Outlet is at capacity most mornings during the peak period, and with Kingston and the Huon Valley regions both experiencing strong and ongoing regional growth, it is only getting worse. The plans - known as the Hobart City Deal - include an extra 16

lane on the Southern Outlet (from Olinda Grove) through the Davey/Macquarie Streets bottleneck and through to Macquarie Street. The extra lane would be exclusively for buses, emergency vehicles, motorbikes, taxis and private vehicles with three or more occupants. To encourage carpooling and bus use there will be new park and ride facilities at Huntingfield and Firthside, and up to 70 extra bus services and improved bus stops. A new bike lane along Davey Street would give cyclists a safer option for commuting. Community consultation on the concept designs for the transit lane and Macquarie and Davey Street projects will take place until Monday 27 September. You can view the designs and have your say by visiting the Transport website, www.transport.tas.gov. au/southernprojects.

HOBART LIVE EVENTS SPACE GOES TO MARKET One of Hobart’s live gig venues - The Goods Shed at Mac Point - is on the market for a long-term lease for the first time.

It’s hosted gigs, exhibitions, theatre and food markets, but the Mac Point board are hoping the new operators will open it up beyond the weekends. “Built in 1914 and consisting of heritage values, it is our intention for The Goods Shed to remain in public hands. However, we want to find a suitable operator to take on a long-term lease of the building,” Mary Massina, Mac Point CEO said. “What Mac Point is really excited to see from this process will be what each applicant has planned for the site and how they would activate this space beyond events on weekends to become a destination used daily by the

public.” Contact Knight Frank Tasmania to submit a proposal. Submissions close on 1 October 2021.

HERITAGE HELP FOR HOBART PROPERTY OWNERS Part of Hobart’s beauty is the abundance of heritage buildings that have survived gentrification. Heritage grants are now available to help preserve these buildings for the future, offering financial assistance for owners of heritage-listed properties to make repairs, do important maintenance and share their property’s story with the community. In this grant round, grants of up to $10,000 can be accessed to fund up to one-third of project costs. Apply by 5pm Monday 18 October. Find out more at hobartcity.com.au/heritagegrant CURIOUS CLIMATE SCHOOLS PROGRAM FOR HOBART KIDS Do your kids have burning questions about climate change? If they do, and they’re in grades five through to 12, they can have them answered by the experts... scientists. The Curious Climate Schools program is bringing UTAS scientists including IPCC report lead authors - into classrooms and online to answer kids’ big questions about climate change.

Teachers (including home educators) are asked to register their classes online by 17 September, and upload the students’ questions by 24 September. Climate experts will respond to student questions in time for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) on November 1-12. To register and find out more, visit curiousclimate.org.au/schools

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BITS AND PIECES SPEECHIES INCOMING If you’ve ever tried to get a speech pathology appointment in Hobart, then this is exciting news! A new local Speech Pathology degree will hopefully help ease the dire shortage of speech pathologists across Tasmania. The University of Tasmania has launched a postgraduate program as part of its Allied Health Expansion Program, including a Master of Speech Pathology. There is currently no speech pathology degree available in Tasmania. Kathryn Fordyce, Tasmanian branch chair of Speech Pathology

Australia, said speech pathologists offered vital services to patients of all ages, but that Tasmania did not have enough of them. “We’ve seen increasing demand for speech pathology services across the state and difficulties with the recruitment and retention of speech pathologists,” she said. Students will participate in work-based learning in health care facilities, schools, disability services and private practices. The Master of Speech Pathology will be available for entry in August, 2022, along with plans for a Master of Occupational Therapy.

LOCAL’S MONOLOGUE A HIT Hobart actor Aimee Butler made it through the regional finals of the World Monologue Games - a competition born in last year’s lockdowns - and will now compete in the next round, on September 10-12. The World Monologue Games was set up by Aussie Pete Malicki, who wanted a lockdown-friendly platform for performers. Aimee will perform a monologue about Catholic Nun Sister Mary, and you can watch it, live streamed, from the comfort of your couch: www.monologues.com.au/WMG-2021-regionals.

Leigh Arnold is a communications expert and recently set up a new Instagram account for introverts in Hobart called @shhhobart.

What does it mean to be introverted? Introversion is a personality trait. It’s about how you gain and lose energy.

Introverts gain energy by spending time alone. We lose energy through lots of social interaction. The reverse is true for extroverts. Extroverts find too much alone time draining. And they get energised by socialising. Introversion-extroversion is a scale. You can be very introverted or very extroverted or anywhere in between. Some people are ambiverts: equally introverted and extroverted. Most of us tend to lean one way or the other though. A good test is to ask: Where do I get my energy? How do I recharge? If it’s being alone in a favourite place, you’re probably more introverted. If it’s going out socialising, you’re probably an extrovert.

Why did you start @shhhobart and where do you see it going? @shhhobart is an introvert’s guide to Hobart on Instagram, with tips on quiet places in our city. Introverts need quiet places to recharge. But quiet places can be hard to find in modern cities. @shhhobart tells you where to find those places. I hope more and more people will follow the account and send me their tips on favourite quiet places so I can include those too!

Is introversion the same as shyness? Being an introvert does not automatically mean you’re shy. Shyness and introversion are separate personality traits. Both traits are normal, and both are very common. Being shy means you find social interaction uncomfortable. Being introverted means you find it draining.

Interestingly, it is possible to be both extroverted and shy.

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Do introverts have a bad name? Historically introversion has been viewed pretty negatively. We have been unfairly described as self-absorbed, anti-social, withdrawn, sulky, boring, uninspiring, weak-willed and so on. So bad is the perception of introverts in Western societies that many introverts don’t recognise themselves as introverts, and often spend years acting as extroverts, which is exhausting. We need to talk up introverts because society needs introverts. And there are lots of us. Between 30 and 50% of people are introverted.

That’s about 60,000 to 100,000 Hobartians. Introverts bring amazing qualities like being humble, modest, gracious, mild-mannered, self-effacing, alert, reflective, bookish, sensitive, thoughtful, serious, contemplative, gentle, calm and risk-averse. And we are really great at things like delegating, encouraging others, deep listening, asking good questions, empathy, staying on task, negotiating, strategizing and solving complex problems.

Can extroverts enjoy @shhhobart too? @shhhobart is for everyone who enjoys quiet places. And quiet places are important. They give us the space to contemplate problems and avoid mistakes. They help us be more empathetic towards others and be more generous and forgiving to ourselves.

Evidence suggests that slow, restorative quiet time is vital for our mental and physical health. @shhhobart is for everyone.

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BITS AND PIECES

SOUTH HOBART KINDER KIDS FORCED TO LEARN OUTSIDE + TWENTY OTHER SCHOOLS AWAIT FUNDING What would you do if your kinder child’s classroom was outside.

Not in a ‘bush kinder’ kind of way, but a “we don’t have space, so your option is to sit outside in a locker area” kind of way. This is the situation that parents and kids at South Hobart Primary School have found themselves in, with no end in sight. Plus twenty other Tasmanian schools are on the same Priority One list, with numerous going unfunded in the latest budget.

Last year the students at SHPS lost their library space as it was converted into two classrooms to accommodate extra students, and this year the kindergarten classes are juggling 60 students in two small classrooms that were converted from one classroom. A third time kinder parent Jo*, shared that it’s been a very different experience this year compared to that of her eldest son ve years ago. “It feels like a zoo. On Wednesdays, there are about 60 kids spread out across two very small classrooms. My four year old often cries when I leave him. I think the chaotic environment is partly to blame,” Jo shared. “He is then decanted out to the drama room, PE hall, art space, etc all day because there is no classroom space for him. This is exhausting for a four year old, especially during winter.”

For three years the school has restricted enrolments to the local catchment area only, but with student numbers doubling in the past 10 years, future growth projections mean SHPS are on track to also lose the music room and gym within the next two to three years. This situation is on the increase at other inner city schools too. Anna Powell, chair of the SHPS Association has been working in collaboration with the school leadership and Department of Education to address this issue. “We have welcomed the Department commencing a new Master Plan for the school and understood that SHPS was a Priority One classification for capital works funding in 2021/22. There are approximately 20 other schools on the Priority One list.” Anna says the SHPS Association is deeply concerned that they have young students who are starting out their school years in in- adequate learning facilities.

“To have 4 and 5 year olds learning in an outdoor locker area in 20

the middle of a Tasmanian winter is unacceptable.” Anna emphasises that while the school leadership and teachers are doing an outstanding job of keeping the school running under these conditions, the Tasmanian government needs to do more. ”The impact of the government’s poor planning and a lack of investment in the school facilities over the last four years is directly impacting the learning and wellbeing of our students. Our ask was that the Master Plan be funded in the recent August budget - and we pushed the Department to have the Master Plan ready and costed

by August.” In the latest budget, SHPS was overlooked, despite being a Priority One school for funding, alongside other schools on that list. “The school is over capacity already, another year of waiting for funding means that the kinders now will not have adequate facilities for learning until they are in grade three or later - half way through their primary schooling,” Anna said.

Sarah Courtney, Minister for Education, was approached for comment. A spokesperson shared that the South Hobart Primary School has been listed as a priority site for capital investment and the Department of Education is working with the Principal and School Association. “A Master Plan has been developed and will provide a purpose-built library space and increase the school’s capacity to 575 students, and a capital works submission will now be prepared for consideration in future Budgets.” But the timeframe for when this school will be funded has not been specified, and many other schools also lie in wait for funding.

“We will continue to work with the Principal to provide support to ensure the needs of the school and its students continue to be met. This includes the provision of additional temporary space for the start of the 2022 school year should it be required.” Let’s hope that’s enough to keep the kinder kids in from the cold while they wait for funding. * Not her real name. Is your school bursting at the seams? Share at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au HELP FOR TASSIE ARTISTS Artists needing a leg-up to get back on their feet in the fickle, pandemic-stricken gig economy can now apply for grants of between $500 and $2,000 under the new Creative Support Small Grants Fund. The grants can cover activities relevant to their artistic practice, including the hiring or purchasing of equipment, lessons or workshops, engaging a mentor or hiring a studio or venue. The Creative Support Small Grants Fund is open to all Tasmanian artists or groups with Tasmanian members. Applications close on 11 October 2021. Head to www.arts.tas.gov.au/ grants_and_loans for more.

KINGBOROUGH CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS OPEN Nominations for the Kingborough Awards are open for the categories: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and for the Community Group of the Year. The Kingborough Awards honour people who make a real difference in a wide variety of ways. Nominations close at midnight on Monday 11 October, via the council website.

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BITS AND PIECES LOCAL KIDS AUTHOR BEST IN AUSTRALIA Hobart author Kate Gordon has won the Children’s Book Council of Australia 2021 Book of the Year for Younger Readers (7-12) with her novel Aster’s Good, Right Things.

It’s a warm and beautiful chapter book about anxious 11 year old Aster, who blames herself for her mother leaving, and commits to doing various good, right things in service of others to atone for it. The CBCA said Aster’s voice was “written with great insight and delight,” and that the story provided “a brilliant portrayal of mental health.” Sarah Aitken grabbed Kate shortly after the announcement to congratulate her and find out a bit more.

Congrats on winning the CBCA Book of the Year award! How does it feel? It feels enormous and overwhelming and not like real life!

What does winning this prize mean to you? It means the world to me. I don’t write big, flashy books. I don’t write bestsellers. I tend to write books about quiet kids with big dreams and they’re not often the books that get attention. To have this book recognised and to know that some people who know a lot about books love it…that’s beyond my wildest dreams. It also means that, hopefully, more kids will get to read it, and if they’re quiet, troubled kids like Aster, maybe it will help them.

Tell us about Aster - where did she come to you from? Aster is basically me as a kid. I was a bundle of nerves and guilt and anxiety and a deep awareness that my brain worked differently and I didn’t seem to *fit* anywhere. I felt so alone and I turned to books for comfort and to find other kids like me. I wrote this book for my child self and for any other kids who might feel like they’re alone.

What’s the young fiction field look like in Australia at the moment? The middle grade sector in Australia is absolutely booming. On one side of it, there are the glorious, funny books like the ones Andy Griffiths and James Foley and Aaron Blabey and Adrian Beck write (and my kid and I adore those books – they’re so much fun). They’re going absolutely gangbusters because they’re clever and bright and hilarious and kids love that sort of book. On the other side, really thoughtful, deep books like Kate Foster’s Paws and Nova Weetman’s The Edge of Thirteen are also being embraced by kids who want something quieter and more true. And then there are the books that fall somewhere in between, like those

by Nat Amoore and Penny Tangey. And adventure books are huge, still, too, like Al Tait’s wonderful series. And graphic novels are seeing a huge boom, too. My daughter loves Remy Lai and is working on her own graphic novel! I feel like there are books now for every kid and publishers are taking a chance on so many different kinds of story. It’s a wonderful time to be working in middle grade!

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WANT TO WIN TIX TO SEE TERRAPIN PUPPET THEATRE’S NEW SHOW We’re teaming up with Terrapin Puppet Theatre to offer a family ticket for four people to experience their new show, A Not So Traditional Story, by Nathan Maynard, plus two tickets to Shadow Play, a workshop with Terrapin at TMAG. Once upon a time two kids, Wurangkili (who is keen on adventure) and Timita (who takes a bit of convincing), are crashed upon by an alien from a faraway land. They embark on an epic quest across the island of lutruwita in search of the ‘oldest of old elders’, meeting up with some hilarious and unique friends along the way. It’s a beautiful and funny production by Terrapin, using masks, shadow puppetry and physical theatre to tell an important story of culture, identity, bravery and friendship. To enter, you just need to like both the Terrapin Puppet Theatre and The Hobart Magazine Facebook pages and tag who you’d like to take along to the show on the official competition post on our Facebook page.

A Not So Traditional Story is on at Theatre Royal, Hobart, 7-9 October 2021.

ANOTHER AWESOME HOBART PARK ON THE WAY Work will commence soon on a new park and playground at Blossom Crescent park in Cambridge. There will be a bird’s nest swing, in-ground trampoline, swings, mini soccer goals and large play equipment unit for kids of all ages. The plans were partly inspired by the suggestions of students at Cambridge Primary School who used drawing and modelling to present their incredible ideas for playground equipment and layouts. We look forward to trying it out when it’s open.

B R EATH E WH E R E TH EY B R EATH E D.

This was their escape. A place of serenity and quiet beauty, somewhere away from the crushing drudgery and anguish that festered close by. It was somewhere the free could retreat to. Get your ticket to step into history at portarthur.org.au 23

WHAT’S ON IN HOBART MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

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copy Ruairi Murphy’s Two Sets of Books contains stories revealing the secret lives inside the Hobart public library. It launches tonight, 5:30pm, Hobart Reading Room.

Check out our story about the book in our August edition.

UTAS presents The Science of Herd Immunity: How does this pandemic end? 6pm, Stanley Burbury Theatre and online. It’s also R U OK Day today.

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Wanna be a stand up comedian? Head along to Gav Baskerville’s workshop series, starting tonight, 6:30pm, Jokers Comedy Club, New Town.

It’s also Child Protection Week.

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FRIDAY

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The RAAF, Tasmania Division will celebrate the Commemoration of the 81st Anniversary of the Battle of Britain this weekend, starting tonight with welcome drinks.

Tom Ballard

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Preschool scientists can get busy at Glenorchy Library’s Little Bang Discovery Club for 3-5 year olds. 9:30-10:30am.

Today is the day to mark Australian Reading Hour. Set aside an hour to indulge! Fullers is hosting a poetry event to celebrate, too. The RunNation Film Festival begins tonight.

Plasticwise Eastside are making reusable cloth bags for local businesses at today’s September Sewing Bee, info on their Facebook page.

Comedian Tom Ballard is at The Clubhouse at Hobart Brewing Co tonight from 8pm.

C.W. Stoneking

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Tasmanian artist David Hamilton’s Maritime Museum exhibition explores the boat as a metaphor for human experience. Every day from 9am - 5pm until November 14.

Lindisfarne Playgroup is open to all families with kids up to 5 years old.

Every Monday, 9:30am11am at Simmons Park, Esplanade, Lindisfarne.

The Luminous Harp is the fifth Lunchbox Spring Series Concert and features star harpist Meriel Owen. 1:05-1:45pm, Hobart Town Hall, trybooking.com

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Feeling suffocated by ‘stuff’ in your home?

Join a home organisation workshop today and learn clutter management with Sustomi and Ace of Space, via eventbrite.

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UTAS International Law Forum tonight discusses: Is the International Legal System Broken? 5:30pm at the Stanley Burbury Theatre and online

Joshua Santospirito runs a Comic Book Creation workshop today for 1214 year olds, taswriters. org. Tonight, enjoy Vivaldi Remastered by the TSO at the Odeon, 6pm.

Intro to Coding Games is a school holiday workshop held over two full days in the Hobart CBD. More at codercollage. com.au

C.W. copy Stoneking plays at The Longhouse.

Also Out of Hand 2021, Stitching and Beyond, celebrates innovative Tassie textile artists, Long Gallery until 4 Oct. And the Hobart Twilight Market is on tonight!

The Mental Health Foundation of Australia officially launches Mental Health Month today at the Hobart Function & Conference Centre

Brixhibition

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Head to the Glenorchy Library today for Coffee, Cake and Computers, a free session from 9:30am to teach the basics of Twitter. C’mon and get your tweet on.

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Head to The Source Community Wholefoods for Culture Club at 6pm tonight.

Learn about drying for preservation and efficiency as well as activated nuts!

i Irene Koroluk - Stitching and Beyond

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FURTHER AFIELD SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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copy Hobart Horticultural Society Spring Flower Show is on today from 10–4pm. Free entry. At the Hobart Town Hall.

copy amazing Enjoy food and entertainment at the Indian Vegan Feast and Auction, a fundraiser for the Rahr Foundation, 6pm, Kingborough Community Centre.

copy Iconic Australian soul/blues band The Badloves perform at the Longley International Hotel today.

copy tap Tippety away at the Australian Tap Dance Festival in Glenorchy, with Tassie Dancers Against Cancer.

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Join Greg Wells & The Blackwater, Naarah and Billie Rafferty for an evening of song at Brookfield, Margate, 6:30pm.

Lego lovers of all ages, get along to Brixhibition to see incredible builds, robots, trains, planes and more, City Hall, 9:30am-4pm.

Love Holdens?

Get amongst the All Holden Day at the Domain today, from 9am-1pm.

Learn how to clown at performer and facilitator Damien WarrenSmith’s workshop in South Hobart. Book at Humanitix.

For even more events in Hobart and further afield this month head to www.thehobartmagazine.com.au/septemberevents

3-13 September Wine plus the Tassie East Coast - you don’t need to invite us twice! The Great Eastern Wine Week is on now. It’s an 11-day festival with 40 events across the region’s boutique wineries and local businesses. Meet the winemakers, the growers, the producers, and the people behind the wine. And enjoy some wine.

Did we mention wine? www. greateasternwineweek.com.au

Great Eastern Wine Week

10-12 September Dreaming of taking off on a big lap in a caravan? Get thee to the Tasmanian Outdoor Boat and Caravan Show at Launceston’s Silverdome to see the latest products and services in the boating, fishing, 4WDing, camping and caravanning worlds.

11 September A pocket-sized orchestra will grace the Royal Flying Doctor Service Hangar at Launceston Airport for a TSO Live Sessions concert. About a dozen players will hit the road to bring music from classical to pop to film and folk. It’s a relaxed affair - expect Blunnies over tuxes - with a food truck, a bar, and a great vibe.

From 6pm. Find more info and more concerts at www.tso.com.au

12 September Take a little road trip south of Hobart for the return of the sweet Judbury Market and Car Boot Sale. 15 minutes on from Huonville, you’ll find stalls with Tassie woodcrafts, homemade skincare, local produce and freshly made food and drinks.

There’s also music, and a little playground with memorable giant tree houses. Held in and around Calvert Park, 1273 Glen Huon Road Judbury, on the second Sunday of each month 10am-2pm (September-May).

25 September onwards The Table Cape Tulip Farm is opening for it’s annual season from today until late October.

You can enter the tulip fields and walk amongst the explosion of colour - it’s the largest tulip farm in the Southern Hemisphere that allows visitors to wander amongst the blooms. What a great excuse to head up to the beautiful North West Coast of Tasmania - did you know Table Cape is an extinct volcano? It’s an incredible spot.

The Table Cape Tulip Farm

Got an event coming up in Tassie?

Email us at editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au Background photo: Rob Burnett, Tourism Tasmania.

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BITS AND PIECES

NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY

SHITS BUT NO GIGGLES Can dogs, sports teams and playing families happily share a community space? An ongoing dispute about the state of the South Hobart Oval at Darcy Street makes us wonder. There’s a few parties to the feud - the South Hobart Football Club, South Hobart dog walkers, other park users and Hobart City Council which erupted again last month when the Mercury ran a story about the situation.

and cards will be a useful resource for people in our community who are doing it tough.”

We have heard that it’s not just limited to the football club having issues with the dogs - readers have expressed concern about the dogs interacting with children who are using the field to practice soccer and for recreation and resulting poo mishaps (check out the INBOX page for one reader’s take, which prompted us to delve deeper). We’ve been told the council has received more complaints between members of the public and dog owners at Darcy Street than any other park. South Hobart Primary School reportedly also have issues regarding oval bookings for sport training after school, with some dog owners refusing to vacate the grounds during their oval bookings.

Despite a council source sharing that they’re looking at some sort of alternative scenario at Darcy Street, a Hobart City Council official spokesperson told The Hobart Magazine that dogs would not be banned from the space. “South Hobart Oval is a shared community space that is available to all members of the community,” they said. “Dog owners always carry the responsibility of picking up after their dogs in any public space and additional signage reminding of this has been arranged for the oval. We provide bags for dog owners at four locations within the park and officers patrol the area regularly to ensure owners are doing the right thing.

Consultation undertaken for the City’s Dog Management Policy demonstrated the importance of the space to the local community as a dog exercise area.”

There’s clearly lots at play at Darcy Street, and it’s interesting to see the council shut down the option of further 26

Tyson Montgomery has experienced homelessness himself and is now a board member for the Housing with Dignity Reference Group. “For someone like myself, at the time when I was sleeping on the streets, having one of these packs would have meant a few more good days than bad ones. It would have been a load off my mind to have these essentials available,” he said. “I would like to see packs like these available in more places, all Tasmanian councils should get on board and support the homeless community.”

consultation. In the interests of meeting the needs of all members of the local community, surely a commitment to consultation is the first step?

SUPPORT PACKS PROVIDING WARMTH TO HOMELESS IN CLARENCE As part of National Homelessness Week 2021, Clarence City Council launched its homelessness support packs and critical information cards to help those sleeping rough and braving the elements across Clarence. Of the more than 100 backpacks, 40 packs have already been given out through partnerships with Salvation Army and Housing Connect Tasmania to those doing it tough. The support packs include a high-quality 35 litre backpack full of essential items, including warm clothing, personal hygiene products, and a Metro bus card, and were co-purchased by council and the Lion’s Club of Clarence.

Clarence City Council Mayor Alderman Doug Chipman said these support packs come at a crucial time for the homeless community in Clarence. “Warm clothing and some basic essentials can make a big difference for someone experiencing homelessness. We hope these packs

Further additions to the support packs are being investigated including portable phone chargers and clothing vouchers from not-for-profit organisations. The idea of opening up council shower facilities, so that those sleeping rough can access a hot shower, on a twice weekly basis is also being explored. Council is also collaborating with Vinnies’ Louis’ Van, with a goal to bring the van to Clarence more often.

WE HEART TASMANIAN BOOKS Fullers, a local independent bookshop, is reporting that Tasmanian writing is dominating their bestselling lists at the moment, indicative of our growing love for home-grown books. Of their top ten best selling books so far for 2021, seven are Tasmanian, two more are Australian, and Kazuo Ishiguro has the honour of being the only international writer to make it in there.

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COVER FEATURE

Words and pictures: Dawn Green, Volunteering Tasmania The Give Back program – how two Hobart teens are challenging stereotypes and leading the way.

They have experienced hardships that one could scarcely imagine as they narrowly escaped conflict between ethnic groups in Ethiopia, fleeing through Sudan and Egypt and eventually calling Tasmania home. Yet despite all they have been through, two teenage boys, Obsa Shafee and Ahmed Omer, have adapted smoothly to their new lives in Glenorchy, and they display an astute awareness and appreciation for their situation.

The boys, aged 15 and 16 respectively, relate how they were saddened when, not long after arriving in Tasmania, they heard of the discontent surrounding alleged African youth gangs on the mainland and how some people feared people from different ethnic backgrounds because they ‘weren’t doing good things in Australia.’

“We want to do a good thing to change people’s minds,” Ahmed says. “That’s what encouraged us to start the program.”

So, less than a year after arriving in Tasmania, in 2019, they approached Will Smith, the director of JCP Empowering Youth with their idea to create and run the Give Back program. Will gave them the nod and provided the logistics to get their activities up and running.

During 2019 and some of 2020, the boys travelled around the state doing their good work. They visited farms on the NorthWest Coast, worked in a kitchen for the homeless in Devonport, spent time learning about Aboriginal culture and donated clothes and housing supplies. In addition to this, they raised $50,000 to support 28

those in need. They have mentored other at-risk and vulnerable youth across the state and delivered leadership content to over 1,000 students.The boys have collected and distributed a large amount of clothes and necessities, such as $5,000 in Woolworths vouchers as acts of kindness to contribute to developing positive mental health. They collected $15,000 in brand new shoes and gave them to refugee and at-risk youth and adults to help them play sport.

They speak regularly to people about their life stories and share insight to other young people. Travelling during school holidays, weekends and after school, they volunteer and support other youth and adults at a time when we should be providing them the most support.

“Everywhere the boys go, they’re inspiring people,” Will says. “I am in shock and awe of their program - they’re putting themselves out there doing things that other kids wouldn’t normally do, purely because they want to change people’s perception, not only of young refugees and African males which they speak well about, but also because they want to give back to Australia and say thank you for having the opportunity to live here.”

Visiting elderly people in aged care homes and speaking openly with them about their mutual life stories has proven to be a highlight. “When you speak with an older person, I know that that person did something good in the community

and because of that person, I am here today and I’m really thankful. I feel really positive when I am around older people,” says Ahmed.

Obsa says it’s been a positive experience all round. “For me, the first time I’ve ever given back to someone, such as giving a box of shoes to someone, and them saying thank you, is a good feeling in my heart.”

Ahmed adds that they would love to see more young people become empowered to make a difference. “Our aim is to get other young people to do the same thing.

We want to build up our next generation to be able to give back to the community and do something good. The power in giving back is when you give something and you get nothing in return, the power is in your heart. You feel good in your heart because you know you’ve done something good, and it betters you as a person.”

Obsa said he hoped the program would change perceptions. “Will always asks us how we’re going to change the world.

We’re going to change the world by helping one person, and they’ll go and help another person and they go and help another person and it’ll keep going and the world will change.”

Obsa and Ahmed shared their story as part of a video project for Volunteering Tasmania’s recent awareness campaign to encourage Tasmanians to re-engage with volunteering or to perhaps even start for the first time.

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COMMUNITY

LIVING A GOOD LIFE IN A CLIMATE EMERGENCY Words: Sarah Aitken Pictures: Natalie Mendham

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently presented us with a code red for humanity. It plunged some into a paralysed state of despair, whilst pushing others to action.

Hobart permaculturist, educator and Gardening Australia guest host Hannah Moloney aims for the latter. She has just released her first book, The Good Life: How To Grow A Better World, guiding readers on how to live well in a time of massive uncertainty. Hannah spoke to Sarah Aitken about the book and offered some ways we can positively impact our local community.

Why did you write this book and why now? I wrote this book to answer the question ‘how can we live a good life in the face of the climate emergency’. The climate emergency is very much here and happening and the dominant narrative around it is full of doom and gloom which puts people into a state of despair - there’s a very serious risk that people will remain there. I want to help change this narrative to one of radical hope and opportunity.

This doesn’t mean ignoring the facts, it means knowing them and then acting in a way that can change our trajectory for the better.

What do you hope people get out of it?

I hope folks remember that ordinary people (like you and me) are capable of doing extraordinary things - when we choose to. And that this realisation kicks folks into action in their homes, communities, work places, in the voting booth and more. And for those of us with more privilege (myself included) to remember that we have a bigger responsibility to carry others. Those who, for very valid reasons, don’t have the capacity to prioritise climate solutions in their own lives.

We need to remember that a climate safe future has to include everyone, not just the privileged.

How can we balance all the different things we have to worry about? From Covid to Afghanistan to indigenous rights to sexual assault and everything in between, as well as the climate emergency? The enormity of despair is very overwhelming - absolutely. A concept I hold onto very tightly which helps me is called radical hope which you can apply to any difficult time or event.

It’s grounded in having active hope in the face of huge uncertainty and hardship, meaning you do everything you can to improve the situation - knowing it might not work. But you do it anyway, because

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it just might. This is not blind optimism, this is love and courage in action.

I’ve found the latest IPCC report devastating. That despair can be paralysing. What are some Hobart-specific things we can do to maintain hope in the face of the climate emergency?

•

Vote for climate-safe policies at local, State and Federal elections, and even consider standing for politics if you have the capacity to be active in this space.

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Build your community - this can include knowing your neighbours, joining your kid’s school board or even organising a street party to bring people together. A strong community is an invaluable safety net when challenges happen. The climate emergency will bring increasing disruptions to our lives - having people we can call on will make us more resilient.

•

Grow some of your own food and install a rain tank. These simple things allow us to create incredible household resilience very quickly.

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31

COMMUNITY

•

In nipaluna/Hobart we are very vulnerable to bushfire - something that the climate emergency is exacerbating. So make sure you have a fire plan to ensure you can either stay and defend or leave safely.

•

If you have spare time or money (or other relevant resources), consider donating them to local organisations working towards a climate safe future.

The Good Life: How To Grow A Better World is out now. You can follow Hannah on Instagram and Facebook @goodlifepermaculture.

WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS SPRING It may not feel like it but it is officially Spring. Here are Hannah’s tips on what to do, now!

What Hannah is doing...

Spring is also known as “Sprint” in my mind as we’re always packing as much as we can into gardening. This involves sowing new seeds in the ground, propagating, weeding, crop planning - you name it we’re doing it. The beautiful challenge of gardening is that it’s never finished and there’s always more you can do! In the kitchen I’m making lots of kimchi with winter crops I’m pulling out (carrots and turnips) and happily eating the preserved fruits and tomatoes from last season, making space for this year’s harvest.

No garden? No problem!

If you don’t have any garden space you grow some hardy herbs in pots (rosemary, oregano and thyme). Or make a habit of harvesting abundant herbs you might see in your friend’s garden or leaning over fence lines - especially rosemary. I love having big bunches of herbs in our kitchen which I’ve dried in brown paper bags and can then use in abundance as desired. You can also sprout lentils in a jar on your kitchen bench. All you need is a glass jar which you soak lentils in overnight, then drain them (I sit them in my dish drying rack).

Rinse them morning and night and within a week you’ll have lots of fresh sprouts you can eat in salads.

First, grow some spuds!

Potatoes are the beginner gardener’s friend and now is the time to plant them (as long as you don’t have the risk of heavy frosts in spring). They’re also incredibly rewarding when harvesting them - providing a solid, delicious and nutritious meal. You can grow them in the ground, a large pot or even a hessian sack (or pillow case).

Next, plant some seeds.

Direct sow some pea seeds and leafy greens in the ground plus some root crop seeds (carrots, beetroot, parsnip and turnips). You can also pop in seedlings of cabbages, lettuce and silverbeet.

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Hannah and her partner Anton and daughter Frida

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COMMUNITY

SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING A BARRIER FOR HOBART WOMEN FLEEING UNSAFE SITUATIONS Words: Jen Wiedman

“Yup, that’s all of it”, the woman standing in front of me says as she drops her two overflowing bags, clearly having stuffed them hurriedly. She has just managed to flee from her wealthy, controlling husband of eight years, who earnt the majority of the household income. She cared for his children and has “nothing to show for her efforts” until matters are finalised in slow and arduous court proceedings.

“He wouldn’t let me sit down or flush the toilet. He timed my showers and turned the hot water off. He tortured me for years. I felt so stuck there raising our three children on my own. Why should I be the one to have to leave the house?

He’s the one doing the wrong thing!” another woman desperately wails, trying to make sense of her situation.

These women are representative of so many invisible issues. Women face homelessness leaving domestic and family abuse situations frequently. While many are incredibly resilient, sleeping on friend’s couches, in cars, backpackers, or motels until funds run too low, others have no choice but to run to the overflowing shelters and emergency accommodations.

Women’s specialist accommodation services across the country turn women away because they have no more beds.

Their staff often work overtime and give as much of themselves as they can to increasing caseloads and paperwork.

Program funding models require women to be looking for accommodation, most of which is unaffordable, and they usually experience several moves until securing 34

something years later, if they’re lucky.

Shelters are funded to offer time-limited support, tied to funding and outcomes.

It’s a rock and a hard place for women, workers and services.

Having worked in a women’s housing service interstate and now as private mental health practitioner specialising in domestic abuse and women’s wellbeing in Hobart, I have seen these interwoven complexities repeatedly. They leave long-lasting mental and physical health, and economic impacts. Domestic and family abuse is everyone’s business. It affects the whole community.

In Tasmania in 2019-20, 56% of people in specialist housing services were women*.

When asked about their experiences of homeless they highlighted resounding shortages in affordable housing, which is described further in the SBS docuseries Filthy Rich and Homeless. It’s often presumed that homelessness mostly consists of men as they are more visible, however it’s women that require more nuanced support and safety. A third of people in specialist housing present as a result of domestic abuse.

It may seem overwhelming to think about big and complex issues, but we can all do something. Even small. We can get informed, have conversations and tune into what is happening in our community. You may even be able to volunteer, donate or check in on someone you are concerned about.

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020c, Op cit, p2. www.womenshealthtas.org.au Jen Wiedman is a Mental Health Social Worker at Wild Calm Therapies. For an insight into the most discussed issues in private therapy sessions, head to www. wildcalmtherapies.com.au/resources for blogs and resources.

Here are some high-quality starting points to learn more: For a well delivered and accurate podcast on common, real life topics listen to the Rule of Thumb podcastby Women’s Legal Service Tas For a wrenching but necessary podcast on the indescribable behind the scenes nuances of coercive control listen to The Trap by Jess Hill.

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35

SPORT

TASSIE PARALYMPIC MEDALLIST - DEON KENZIE Interview: Stephanie Williams Deon Kenzie recently smashed out his event in the Tokyo Paralympics, as one of three Tasmanian competitors.

You’re a 1500m runner. How did you discover you were good at that? Running resonated with me from a very young age. After doing well in school and at a local level I competed in my first state championships in year seven. I finished 65th that year. I was determined to make a state team and by year 10 I finished in the top three, making my first abled bodied state team. Later that year I competed at the Tasmania state athletics championships where Brian Roe, President of Athletics Tasmania at the time picked up on my impairment and had a conversation with my coach. In 2012, I went through a classification process and was classified as a Para athlete in the T38 category for athletes with Cerebral Palsy.

Since then, I’ve represented Australia on five separate occasions winning six world championship medals and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

You live with cerebral palsy. How does it impact you? Cerebral Palsy is a neurological condition that affects my range of movement and coordination.

Being mildly affected I’ve been fortunate to be able to live a reasonably normal life. Cerebral palsy affects the right side of my body, predominantly in my ankle.

In terms of running, this impacts on my ability to contract as much force through my right side as well as my ability to accelerate at the start and towards the end of a race. After training sessions, it tends to take me longer to recover than my able-bodied training partners.

You grew up in Forth, on the North West Coast. What was that like? I loved growing up in Forth. Being from a rural town I was very fortunate that my 36

parents created opportunities for me to get the support that I needed and to improve my impairment at an early age through sport in the local community. When the conditions made the ovals and paddocks too wet, my dad would follow me in the car with the headlights on so I could still run that day.

In December 2014, you broke the Men’s 1500m T38 world record in Hobart. One of my most cherished memories was the day I broke the world record in Hobart. I’d been trying to break the time for a couple of years and just hadn’t been able to. I remember warming up at the track and three sets of film crew arrived. I asked my coach at the time, Mike Gunson, what was going on. He replied,” I organised for them to be here because you’re breaking the world record today.” That put the pressure on me that I needed and I broke the time!

You’ve spent time training in the US. How does altitude training help your performance? It forms a key part of our preparation for the Paralympics.

Most years we head over to Flagstaff in Arizona, 2,100m above sea level. The key science behind altitude training is that being in an environment of low oxygen our bodies will produce more red blood cells to compensate. Red blood cells transport the oxygen we need to our muscle, so when we go back to sea level, we still have these adaptations that allow us to run more efficiently.

You have strong sporting blood running through you - your cousins are AFL royalty Jade and Brady Rawlings. Has their sporting success played into your career?

From an early age I’ve loved AFL and have felt so inspired watching my cousins

Jade and Brady play at the highest level.

It showed me as a young boy that if I had a dream and I stuck with it anything was possible.

Where are you based? How often do you get to Tassie? In 2018, I made the move to Canberra to train with Australian Coach Philo Saunders and my fellow Paralympians Michael Roeger, Jaryd Clifford and Sam Harding at the Australian Institute of Sport.

The response to the Paralympics this time around feels different (in a positive way) to when I was younger. I’m a proud Paralympian and feel so honoured to have been part of this movement over the past decade. Everyone faces adversity in life, ours just happens to be physical. People are resonating with the Paralympic movement more and more because it shows that despite facing extreme adversity it doesn’t define who you are, and you can still achieve amazing things in life. I think people are starting to look at disabilities in a different way.

Realising it’s only one aspect of someone and that having a disability doesn’t define who you are. Some of the most talented people I know have disabilities and although their disability affects them in one aspect it doesn’t limit their ability in other areas. Disability is one of the most beautiful forms of human diversity and everyone’s better off for it!

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37

ENVIRONMENT

HOW HYBRID DUCKS ARE THREATENING THE FUTURE OF NATIVE DUCKS Words and pictures: Jason Graham

Everyone loves ducks, but how many people know what a “duck” actually is? In Tasmania, we have 11 species of native ducks, either full time residents or occasional visitors. Sadly for our ducks, they’re not as famous as a lot of our other native birds. A recent Victorian study found that only 1 in 6 Victorians can name a single native duck species, and Tasmanians, I imagine ,wouldn’t fare much better. The image of a local duck that you have in your head right now might not even be an Australian duck!

Around Hobart, we are lucky to have plenty of suitable habitat for some of the more common duck species, like the tree-nesting Australian Wood Duck, the elegant Pacific Black Duck and the handsome Chestnut Teal. Some are less common around Hobart, like the Australasian Shoveler with their massive bills, the very unique looking Musk Duck and the oddly-named Hardhead. Then there are the visitors to the Derwent Estuary, like Freckled and Pink-eared Ducks. Both of which look completely different from a standard “duck.”

When we picture ducks, it’s probably safe to say that most of us picture a webbed-footed water bird that’s either green and grey, light brown, all-white, or a combination. Maybe you don’t have a 38

specific duck in your head right now, but rather the image of multiple yellow bills pecking at your hands for more bread. I, like most Tasmanians, have memories of feeding these ducks as a child (Richmond was our local), and many municipalities in Tasmania have their go-to spot for feeding tame ducks. These ducks have a name: Mallards.

Mallards are a Northern hemisphere species, and have been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Feral duck populations in Tasmania are a mix of wild and domestic mallards (think white farm ducks). Mallards are bigger and more aggressive than natives, and when there is a stable food and water source (Bread, lettuce, tubs of water etc.), their numbers can explode! This is bad news for our smaller, more timid native ducks.

It doesn’t take long for mallards to push out the smaller natives, who just can’t compete with their numbers and size.

More and more people are becoming aware of the impacts of feeding bread to wildlife, which is fantastic. Feeding ducks bread leads to all kinds of health, behavioural and environmental issues. What is not often advertised, is that feeding ANY kind of food to ducks is harmful.

No human food can beat the natural diet of insects and plants that ducks feed themselves on while dabbling or diving, and swapping bread for greens still supports populations of feral ducks. Even simply putting out a tub of water may seem like a harmless way to help ducks, but the only species who benefit from this are feral ducks, who prefer to stay in their local area and essentially take it over.

Native ducks on the other hand simply fly away if they’re thirsty or hungry. The best way to help all Tasmanian ducks is to let them find their own food and water.

What concerns me the most about the number of mallards in Tasmania, is the hybridisation impact on native Pacific Black Ducks (PBD). Mallards and PBDs are closely related and can interbreed easily, which results in lots of fertile hybrid offspring. Crossbreeding is very common, with larger male mallards skipping the courtship rituals of PBDs and simply forcing themselves on native female PBDs. Some PBD x mallard hybrids are easily spotted by their bright orange legs, blotchy bills or larger bodies, but many of the traits are subtle and take practice to identify. Due to the success of these hybrids, it’s difficult to spot a genetically pure PBD in the Derwent Estuary and many other Tasmanian waterways. This hybridisation has resulted in the near-extinction of lots of duck species around the world. In New Zealand, the problem is so widespread that native PBDs have almost completely been replaced by hybrids!

PBDs are now rare on Macquarie, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands due to mallard cross-breeding. Around the world, the mallard hybridisation problem is always more severe on islands. The fact that Tasmania is smaller than New Zealand is very concerning for the future of our Pacific Black Duck.

To best look after our native Tasmanian ducks, we need to enjoy them by identifying them, learning about them, and by simply watching them going about their business. As a reformed duck feeder, I guarantee that this is much more educational, rewarding and fun. RPSCA Victoria and Birdlife Australia have created a great website that I encourage everyone to check out, all about our Australian ducks: www.discoverducks.org.au.

Jason Graham is a registered native duck carer and holds a Bachelor of Natural Environment & Wilderness Studies.

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39

DINING OUT

DEEP SOUTH BREWING CO Words and pictures: Stephanie Williams

Argyle Street isn’t somewhere that you’d immediately think of heading for dinner, but with the new Deep South Brewing Co (220 Argyle Street, North Hobart) venue opening for dining, it’s suddenly a destination. Dave Macgill last year left Moo Brew after 14 years in the role of general manager and head brewer to pursue a personal project...and this is it. Teaming up with Warwick Deveson and Ben de Rue, Dave has been quietly brewing while the venue was getting ready to open. We made an early Saturday evening booking and arrived to a healthy crowd. The downstairs area is a swathe of concrete floors and a sneak peek of the brewery down the back. We were seated in the upstairs dining area - a dark but warm space already heaving with a 40th birthday and a few large groups. The menu is extensive and features small plates, pizzas, meaty mains, interesting sides and desserts. After some excellent chips to start, we get into our proper order with a couple of pizzas (Hawaiian, $23, yes we like pineapple on pizza, and a Funghi, $24) which were the right amount of chewy and crunchy. We also tried the lamb meatballs with carrot puree ($14), the fried brussel sprouts with celeriac puree and black olive pangrittata ($8) which were outstanding and the baby cos with sauce gribiche and horseradish ($7). To finish, the mini cinnamon doughnuts, toffee apple puree ($14) do the job nicely. The beer offering keeps locals in for a few as top of mind - the focus is on easy drinking American and European style beers. With 12 rotating taps, there’s always something new to try. As we left, the downstairs space was heaving, affirming that Hobartians really just want a place that’s comfortable, good drinks, good food at a reasonable price, that’s as easy to take your mates as it is your kids or your parents.

Deep South delivers that.

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MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTRE KITCHEN The situation in Afghanistan is distressing but it’s easy to feel disconnected from it and think, “what can I actually do to help here?” Despite being very far away in geography, there’s actually a lot you can do. I felt a good place to start for me was to check out what’s happening at the Migrant Resource Centre in Glenorchy. As an organisation, MRC Tasmania provides services to meet the needs of migrants, humanitarian entrants and refugees living in Tasmania. The kitchen is one of the programs - a social enterprise project which provides a pathway to employment for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Participants undertake practical workplace experience, which furthers training and employment opportunities in the hospitality industry. The kitchen is open to the public from Wednesday to Friday each week, run by experienced Hobart foodie, Megan Quill. On my recent visit it was a pleasure to learn from Megan about the current projects the team are working on - including a beautiful cooking series currently on YouTube featuring staff members cooking their specialty dishes such as Nour’s chicken fatteh ($18), which we enjoy for lunch. We got our meal started with a bowl of Syrian kishk ($11.50) which we learn starts with drying yoghurt, which is made into a broth, “like a warming hug” according to Megan, dotted with minced beef and pasta. I loved the spicy lentil injera ($16), a colourful meal with Eritrean soft, springy flat bread as the ‘plate’ topped with potato and green pepper alicha and pickles. Not one to shy away from dessert, I took a seewa date biscuit ($4) home, which we were told are a staff favourite and my lunch date smashed out two baklava ($3.50). If this is one way to support the migrant community in Hobart, then we are all in.

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PSYCHOLOGY

EVERYTHING IS F**KED Words: Annia Baron

A man once wrote that if he ever worked at Starbucks, instead of writing people’s names on their coffee cup, he’d write this: “One day, you and everyone you love will die. And beyond a small group for an extremely brief period of time, little of what you do or say will ever matter. We are inconsequential cosmic dust, bumping and milling about on a tiny blue speck.

We imagine our own importance. We invent our own purpose. We are nothing.

Enjoy your f**king coffee.”* We live in a world where everything is so messed up and upside down, sometimes I wonder how we get through each day. At every turn, greed seems to drive decisions over genuine love and care. We’ve got political leaders handing out huge tax subsidies to rich, private corporations while the rest of us get fined for being a few minutes late to our parking meter. We’ve got glyphosate, a probable carcinogen still being used on footpaths and near playgrounds while those employed to spray it are wearing protective gear. We’ve got companies pillaging and polluting our oceans, making money off tortured fish which are then promoted as dolphin friendly to trick us into feeling good about buying them. We’re encouraged to eat healthily, but additives and chemicals are commonplace in food products that are cheaper than nutritious fruit and vegetables grown in a humble garden.

We’ve got mass destruction of forests the literal life-giving resources we need to survive - but we ignore and even punish those who are working hard to preserve and protect them. We’re unable to gain much needed medical and mental health services while millions are poured into making hospitals look better. Our schooling system focuses on conformity over compassion, only to churn young, brilliant minds into adults who are more anxious and depressed than ever before.

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Globally, it goes on. We’ve got wars in which innocent people are stripped of their rights or killed. We’ve got a seemingly endless uncovering of child sexual abuse. Then there’s drug and alcohol addiction at its highest, natural disasters wreaking havoc, starvation, an unprecedented rise in loneliness, and of course, the ongoing ramifications of a pandemic.

The hopelessness can be overwhelming.

What are we meant to do when the enormity of suffering and injustice feels incomprehensible? How are we to reconcile the devastation that goes on in the world when it can feel like we’re drowning in a sea of bad news and constant uncertainty?

It’s important to talk about these things.

Find someone you’re comfortable with, be it a friend, partner or professional and reach out. Remember, it’s normal and okay to experience a sense of despair at times, but connecting with others is a powerful antidote in realising we are not alone in our suffering.But for now, my coffee lid message for you is this: “While you may feel as though your actions to better the world are insignificant, they matter. You matter. Your intention to keep fighting the good fight, whatever that looks like for you, creates the very ripple effect that contributes to a wave of change needed in the world right now. It’s never been your job to save the world. Your role is to keep working on yourself, from a place of kindness, so that you can be the change you wish to keep seeing more of. This is how we build hope. This is how we create more light.

This is how we make a difference. And

cosmic dust or not, your time here is the furthest thing from being inconsequential.

Because whatever you believe about your existence, scientifically your presence has an impact on all that you encounter. Like the Butterfly Effect, you have the force to create seismic shifts. Some days, that will be clear and purposeful. Others, it may all be too much. Good. Feel those things.

Feel it all. Because the opposite of happiness isn’t anger or sadness, it’s apathy. It’s indifference. It’s resigning from action.

Choose action my friend. Enjoy your delicious coffee and go make your next move as though you’re 100% intent on more love and kindness for yourself and others.” *Everything is F**cked: A Book About Hope, by Mark Manson If you’re curious about Mindset Coaching, visit remindyourself.com or contact Annia, Clinical Psychologist and Mindset Coach on 0402 448 278 The desire to conform is often strong enough to override personal values and perceptions, prompting individuals to do and even think things that go against their natural beliefs. Solomon Asch’s conformity experiments in the 1950s highlighted how ‘Groupthink’ (faulty or irrational decision making due to an exaggerated desire for cohesion) could lead to detrimental outcomes. Social psychologist Irving Janis pointed out that having an impartial leader who encourages debate, appoints a devil’s advocate or consults with people outside the group can avoid bad decisions that can end up being unanimously endorsed.”

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43

NUTRITION

SMART SNACKING TO BOOST ENERGY Words and recipe: Laura Cini

Can you relate to this? You’re having a really busy day running around with a ‘to do’ list that’s a mile long. It’s go, go, go, or as one of my colleagues puts it: “hurry, worry, money!”

The adrenaline is flowing, you’re feeling way too busy to sit down and eat lunch and you might not even feel thirsty or hungry. Or you might raid the office lolly jar or a pack of bikkies in your close vicinity for a quick sugar hit on the go.

You get home at the end of the day, start to power down and then suddenly feel so hungry you could eat the leg off your dining table. Dehydration and low blood sugar leave you tired, edgy and cranky. You eat a large dinner, often too much, don’t sleep too well and then wake the next morning feeling sluggish and not hungry for breakfast. You skip breakfast, rush into the day and the whole pattern starts again.

We’ve all been there and there’s some steps you can take to avoid this pattern and that end of the day physical and emotional crash. In your daily toolbox along with your keys, wallet, phone etc. you need to add a water bottle. Fill it, add a squeeze of lime or lemon if you like and sip that throughout the day.

Bliss Balls 500 g dates (stones removed) 1 ½ cups almond meal ¾ cup cacao powder 1-2 teaspoons vanilla essence 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 3 dessert spoons protein powder (optional) Small amount shredded coconut for rolling (about ¾ cup) Blitz everything in a blender. Add a little water if needed so the mix just sticks together and rolls into balls easily. Roll in coconut (although, sometimes if I’m short on time, I just skip this step). Refrigerate. Enjoy! These can be frozen.

In terms of smarts snacks you need protein and fibrerich, low sugar goodies like these:

• • • • •

Bliss balls of yumminess (see recipe) A piece of fruit with a handful of raw (unroasted), unsalted nuts or seeds like almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc.

A small tin of tuna in spring water (do remember a spoon as well).

A small tub of yoghurt. Plain is best as it’s not loaded with added sugar. You can add some berries (fresh or frozen) or fruit. (Again, grab a spoon).

Hummus with a few veggie sticks such as carrot, cucumber, celery, capsicum.

You wouldn’t expect your car to run on no petrol and the same goes for your body. Give it some smart fuel and hydration and you’ll notice you can power through your day with better energy and mood.

Laura Cini is an expert Hobart nutritionist, herbalist and naturopath with over 20 years’ experience. She sees clients, regularly appears as a guest on local ABC radio, does podcasts and writes a blog. Visit lauraciniwellness.com or connect @lauraciniwellness 44

Visit the Kermandie in the heart of the Huon Valley Excellent food & drink in our fully restored bar Stay in our charming and comfortable accommodation Open 7 Days for Lunch & Dinner 6297 1052 www.kermandie.com.au

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HISTORY

THE UNPREDICTABLE BUSINESS OF APPLES ON THE ISLE Words: Mary-Lou Stephens Picture: Paul County, Tourism Tasmania

While researching apple growing in Tasmania I drew on many resources. The National Library of Australia’s Apples and Pears Oral History Project is a rich source of history and knowledge in this area. To hear the orchardists, many since passed away, talk about their personal experiences of working their orchards through the seasons and the years brought the history of the Huon Valley to life for me. However, I was still left with many questions.

There was a time when apple trucks lined the streets of Hobart, waiting to unload the wooden boxes with their brightly coloured labels at Constitution Dock.

Ships from all over the world opened their holds as cranes lifted large nets, heavy with apple boxes, and swung the cargo aboard. At Port Huon the apple boats waited three or four deep to be loaded and from there to transport our apples to distant places.

The Huon Valley itself was a sea of apple blossom every spring, and when it was harvest time the sound of apple boxes being nailed together rang throughout the valley. Pickers would come from miles away and work from dawn to dusk, plucking apples from the trees and placing them in the canvas bags slung across their bodies. In the packing sheds, the orchardist’s wives would usually be in charge, supervising local women keen for a little extra money, not only through the day but into the night as well. Packing was a fine art – take an apple in one hand and a square of tissue paper in the other, place the apple nose down into the middle of the paper, twist the apple around and then pack it on its side in the box.

In the 1960s the wooden boxes were phased out in preference for cardboard cartons which were lighter and more time efficient. Individual cells for each apple meant the apples no longer needed to be wrapped in the small squares of paper. In 46

a way, the move away from the wooden apple boxes with their beautiful labels was a signal for the changes that were to come. Competition from overseas markets, the rising cost of freight, troubles with marketing, apple varieties falling out of favour – all of these put pressure on the orchardists. There was a time when a family could make a good living from ten acres of apples, but those times were fading by the end of the 1960s.

In 1973 Tasmania’s main export market disappeared overnight when England joined the Common Market. Apples were left to rot on the trees and the government came up with the Tree Pull Scheme to pay orchardists to bulldoze their trees. Many of those affected were tending orchards that had been in their families for generations. To see all that love, history and hard work being bulldozed into the ground was heart breaking. Some chose to grub out their trees and try other crops, some sold up and moved away, but others persisted.

When the idea for by book The Last of the Apple Blossom came to me, I knew writing this novel was going to affect me deeply. Growing up in Hobart, our family drives to the Huon Valley revealed hillsides covered in apple blossom. School excursions to the orchards featured wooden bins full of apples, packing sheds bustling with workers and endless rows of apple trees. Sadly, this is a way of life long gone, erased by natural and economic woes.

I tracked down Naomie Clark-Port, owner of Frank’s Cider and an orchardist in the Huon Valley on a property established by her family in the 1800s. To describe Naomie as tenacious is an understatement.

No matter the natural and economic disasters that were thrown at her, Naomie was determined to keep the orchard viable. We stood in her orchard surrounded by apple trees, some over 160 years old, as she told me stories of orchard life, struggle and perseverance. She also arranged interviews with some of the old orchardists in the area who remembered the events I write about in The Last of the Apple Blossom. I spent hours listening to their tales of bushfire, drought and hail, good harvests and bad. Over the course of our conversations they revealed many details that I never would have discovered otherwise. I’ve used several of their anecdotes in The Last of the Apple Blossom – they were too delicious not to.

I hope I’ve done the growers of the Huon Valley justice, those who worked hard all their lives through disasters and hardships so severe it would make most of us give up in despair The novel is dedicated to theses orchardists and is inspired by a line from one of their oral histories, ‘I worked my entire life for nothing.’ I don’t think it was for nothing. The orchardists created beauty and purpose. Tasmania was The Apple Isle because of them – an enormous achievement. It might not have lasted, but to work and create, to live a useful life, that is not nothing.

Spring blossoms @hersolasphotography

Port Arthur @darranpettyofficial

Cape Hauy @tyanalois

Central Highlands @carlyrjow Lake Dobson @ropro94

Flinders Island @ryankincade

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