NEW NEW NEW

Wow what a start to 2026 the island has had, with so many new busi­nesses kicking off. We never need an excuse to explore new wineries and Sisu Wines (1479 Colebrook Road, Campania) is on the radar. Open Thursday to Monday from 10:30am to 4:30pm, they offer a wine flight style tasting, a wine flight paired with snacks, or wines by the glass. Slow down and enjoy house made, stone baked pizzas with your wine tasting, featuring wines made by vigneron Jake Sheedy. They’ve also committed to rewilding 10% of their property within the next five years. Much-loved CBD favourite, Kinoko Deli (Shop 8, Trafalgar on Collins, 110 Collins Street, Hobart), has opened Kinoko Sushi, with sliced rolls and nigiri packs. Another CBD lunch fave, Bangkok City (29 Eliz­abeth Street, Hobart) has moved into a bigger space in the old Dome Cafe space just on the other side of Eliz­abeth Street Mall. Love fro-yo and miss the mainland options like Yo- Chi? Fear not, The Frosty Dog (2 Beach Rd, Kingston Beach, Kingston Beach) at The Salty Dog is almost ready to satiate your cravings! Three friends are bringing a fresh take on modern Asian fusion with the open­ing of Musketeers (369 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart).

Vibrant Hima­layan influences blend with global flavours to create elevated dishes and captivating cocktails. Frosty n Treats (236 – 244 Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay) is now serving Tasma­nian made ice cream, seven days a week, weekdays from 2pm-9pm, weekends from 12pm-9pm. There’s been a change of hands at cocktail bar Society (22 Montpelier Retreat, Battery Point), with Jordy and Ben from Grinners Dive Bar taking over the business. Don’t fret, their happy hour and drag bingo remains!

The Kiln Collective (2 Louisa Street, Ranelagh) is a showcase of food and drink from local Tasmanian producers, set inside a fascinating old kiln. Guests can enjoy tastings, shop products, and take part in mas­terclasses and guided experiences that highlight the region’s craft and delicious sense of place. Open seven days a week from 10am-4pm. With a seasonal brunch menu and Zimmah Coffee, locals and visitors will love The Cabin Coffee Shop (120 Main Road, Exeter), which is now under new management.

Shearwater Deli and Meats (Shop 13B 11 Poyston Drive, Shearwater) was opened late last year by locals, Taan and Kent. With over 20 years of experience in the butchery industry their goal is to bring fresh, high-quality Tasmanian meat, smallgoods and produce to Shearwater. Bad Boy Bakery Cafe (156 Charles street, Launceston) is set to be a go-to spot for great cof­fee, freshly baked treats, and a laid-back vibe. Keep your eyes peeled for their opening date.

In what feels like the most appro­priate alignment ever, Patagonia (29 Salamanca Place, Battery Point) has opened a stand alone store in Hobart. Want to get happy? Then head to the newly expanded Happi Studios (Level 1/154 Liverpool St, Hobart) for hot mat pilates, reformer pilates, and rhythm ride – all under one roof. MBS Fitness (22-24 Green Point Road, Bridgewater) is due to open on 6 February as part of the Point.B development. MBS = mind, body and spirit, so get ready for everything to align. The Dunalley Bay Sauna (3530 Tasman Highway, Murdunna) is a six-person cedar-lined barrel sauna with incredible views, founded by two sauna enthusiasts. It’s a short drive past Dunalley and after your sauna session head to their onsite cafe, plus gin tastings by Dunalley Bay Distillery to elevate your experi­ence. Launceston’s newly opened Stuseum (Powells Arcade, Shop 3, 125 St John Street, Launceston) is a pocket-sized collectibles shop featur­ing retro video games, board games, toys and more. The man behind Stu­seum is Stu and almost everything in store was once a part of his private collection. Hours vary, so check their socials for opening times.

CAMPBELL TOWN’S CONVICT BRICK DRAMA

The Convict Brick Trail, which saw hundreds of convicts honoured via indi­vidual bricks placed within the footpath of Campbell Town, has had a dramatic facelift, and not everyone is pleased. The in-ground brick trail, which orig­inally began at the Foxhunters Return Coaching Inn and ran to the local IGA, has been removed, with the bricks now displayed in 24 ship-shaped designs instead. The move has outraged many residents of the town, with a Facebook group called ‘Save the Convict Brick Trail’ attracting more than 400 members at the time of print.

STOLEN POPPIES

A large amount of toxic poppy capsules was stolen from a Northern Midlands legal opiate poppy crop last month, prompting Tasmania police to issue public safety warnings. Tas­mania is one of the largest producers of such poppies in the world, they’re grown for the pharmaceutical indus­try and are tightly regulated. The Department of Health has warned that poppy plants are toxic and ingestion can be life-threatening and should be treated as an emergency. Anyone experiencing symptoms after poten­tial exposure should immediately call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance. If you have any information about the theft, call police on 131 444 or contact Crime Stoppers.

BRIGHT SPARKS

Electric vehicle ownership is on the up – about one of every 50 registered vehicles in Hobart is now an EV, twice the amount it was the year prior. Currently there’s seven EV charging sta­tions across the City of Hobart. However two stations, at Dunn Place and Lefroy Street Car Park, are out of service. The con­tract to replace the Dunn Place charger was recently finalised, and the new unit is expected to be operational soon.

NOT TICK-ETY BOO

In the middle of peak tick season, the Department of Health is urging Tasmanians to beware of ticks and tick bites, warning that some local species can carry bacteria capable of causing serious illness in humans. Ticks can also cause allergies and anaphylaxis. The updated advice, published recent­ly on the department’s Facebook page, includes the message that it’s best to freeze a tick using an ether-based spray (from a pharmacy) rather than to attempt to pull it out.

The first aid advice for tick bites is:

• Find out if the person is allergic to ticks. If they are allergic, do not disturb the tick and seek urgent medical assistance at the nearest emergency department or call triple zero (000). Ensure their adrenaline autoinjector (EpiPen or AnaPen) is available in case it is needed.
• For people who are not allergic, and if the tick is easily visible – ‘freeze it, don’t squeeze it’. Kill the tick as soon as possible by freezing it with ether-containing sprays (available at pharmacies). If the tick does not drop off after following the instruc­tions on the spray, leave the tick in place and seek medical assistance.
• See a doctor if you can’t kill the tick or if any part of the tick is left in the skin.

Ways to avoid tick bites include wear­ing loose-fitting, light-coloured cloth­ing, tucking your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks; using insect repellants containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus; treating your clothing and gear with insecticide permethrin and checking your skin for ticks when you come inside. If you’ve been in an area where ticks may be common, the Department advice is to place your clothes in a hot dryer for 20 minutes to kill any.

TASSIE SEAWEED FOR NSW COW FARTS

Tasmanian based company Sea Forest (founded by former cover star of this mag, Sam Elsom), has signed a significant multi-year deal with Woolworths. Sea Forest, which uses Tasmanian seaweed Asparagopsis to create methane-reduc­ing feed supplements, will conduct a large commercial trial with Woolworths and partners at a cattle farm in New South Wales. It’s hoped the trial will prove that we can lower meth­ane in grassfed systems at a commercial scale without lower­ing productivity or negatively impacting animal welfare.

FAKE FIFTIES

Tasmania Police are warning that a type of counterfeit $50 note, that can almost pass as legitimate, is circulating in Kingston. “When accepting $50 notes, please be vigilant, this fake is different to the oth­ers we’ve posted recent advice about,” police said recently, referencing another fake-notes warning they’d issued for Kingston just the week before. It was the fifth such alert from Tasmania Police in the last six months. Police said the new fake fifty could be identified by its slightly thicker material, the missing numbers in the clear window when held up to the light, and a small star visible in the circle under the writing. Le­gitimate Australian banknotes are made from polymer and will bounce back when crumpled. The clear window should feel smooth and feature a raised number and coat of arms, while genuine notes dis­play holographic images that move when tilted. If you detect a counterfeit note you should refuse it, if safe to do so, and contact police on 131 444.

NEW ROSNY YOUTH HANGOUT

If you’re on the Eastern Shore and looking for somewhere to hang out after school or study, Rosny Arvos is your thing. It’s a free, safe and relaxed youth chill zone for young people aged 12-24. Each Monday-Thursday during the public school term, 2:30pm- 4:30pm at Clarence Youth Centre, 38 Bligh St.

STICK TO THE TRACKS, PLEASE

It’s been a busy season on Kunanyi/ Mt Wellingston, with growth in visitor numbers, particularly at the pinnacle. Unfortunately there has also been growth in the number of people taking informal shortcuts between formal tracks, negatively impacting on the sensitive alpine vegetation. Aerial imagery has shown significant braiding and erosion, particularly between the Zig Zag and South Wellington Tracks near the mountain’s summit. Rangers Ben and Kaely have installed vegetation rehabilitation area signs to discourage further trampling along in­formal shortcuts and routes in the hope that the alpine vegetation and fragile soil will recover in time, though this will take decades.

NEW EASTERN SHORE HEADSPACE

In great news for youth mental health, headspace Eastern Shore has opened at 120 Cambridge Road in Rosny Park, near Eastlands. Headspace is funded by the fed­eral government to provide free, early intervention health and wellbeing support for young people aged 12-25. The new centre is open Monday to Friday, and no referral is needed – you simply walk in, ring the centre on 6219 9870, or email hello@headspaceeasternshore.com.au.

SOUTHERN OCEAN OPENED UP FOR FURTHER GAS EXPLORATION

The federal government has opened 2.5 million hectares of the Southern Ocean off Victoria and Tasmania to new offshore gas exploration under the 2025 Otway Basin acreage release. This was over just a year after com­munities stopped the largest seismic blasting proposal in history. The release includes five offshore exploration titles – two off Victoria covering around 1.6 million hectares and three off Tasma­nia covering approximately 800,000 hectares.

Surfrider Foundation Australia says the decision reopens some of the country’s most ecologically and culturally signif­icant waters, including whale migra­tion corridors and the Great Southern Reef, and comes despite Australia not needing new gas. “This feels like a line that has already been crossed,” said Drew McPherson, National Campaigns Director at Surfrider Foundation Australia. “Communities fought hard to protect these same waters through Fight for the Bight and again in 2024 when the largest seismic blasting proposal in history was stopped. To reopen the Southern Ocean just over a year later sends a clear message that past commu­nity victories are being ignored.”

Seismic blasting, the first step in off­shore fossil fuel development, involves firing high-intensity airguns into the ocean every 10 to 15 seconds, often around the clock for months at a time. Surfrider says that scientific evidence has shown it can disrupt whale and dolphin behaviour, damage hearing, and kill plankton and krill that underpin entire marine food webs.

With public consultation closing on 6 February, Surfrider is urging Aus­tralians to create and send their own personalised letter to their federal and local representatives via www.surfrider.org.au.