Meet the community members repping Tassie on the national stage

by James Marten

Huge congratulations to all nominees and winners of the 2026 Australian of the Year for Tasmania awards. Our Australian of the Year for Tasmania is Dr Jo Kippax, from Ridgeway, who was part of a specialist team of rescuers tasked to free Lithuanian whitewater rafter Valdas Bieliauskas who was trapped in perilous rapids on the Franklin River in 2024. The clinical team performed an operation to amputate Valdas’s leg underwater, allowing him to be freed and ultimately saving his life. The award wording said of Dr Kippax: “The rescue of Valdas is just one chapter in Jo’s long career in emergency medicine, disaster response, and search and rescue. Demonstrating outstanding skill, courage and team leadership in the aid of others.”

Our Senior Australian of the Year for Tasmania is Julie Dunbabin of Taroona, a “nutritious eating visionary” and pioneer in school nutrition. Julie’s vision is for all school children to receive a nutritious, sit-down meal every day, prepared from scratch in a school or central kitchen, using seasonal, local produce. Her School Lunch Program prepares 14,332 school lunches for 6,656 students every week and is expected to expand to 60 schools in 2026. This model supports children’s social and learning outcomes but also supports local producers, creates jobs for kitchen and warehouse staff, builds community involvement and addresses food security for families.

The 2026 Young Australian of the Year for Tasmania is life skills educator Alyssia Kennedy, who founded the Life After School program, an educational package to help bridge the gap between school education and life knowledge. Realising many young people lacked the skills needed to manage day-to-day life, she now works with schools and youth groups to deliver the program and give young people the tools they need to transition to adulthood.

And social entrepreneur Emily Briffa is the 2026 Local Hero for Tasmania. Emily is the brains and heart behind Hamlet, the social enterprise cafe at the city end of the Hobart rivulet track. Hamlet offers training, work readiness and wrap-around support to Tasmanians with disability, neurodivergence, and mental health concerns who are experiencing barriers to employment. It has helped more than 700 people gain experience to enter the job market and provided skills and training, with a 75% employment placement rate for those who complete its training programs.

National Australia Day Council CEO Mark Fraser AO CVO congratulated the award recipients for Tasmania: “Jo’s longtime dedication has saved many lives; Julie is creating healthier futures for our children; Alyssia is ensuring our young people are better equipped for life after school; and Emily has created a safe and welcoming space for marginalised people to find their feet”.

They will all join recipients from the other states and territories for the national awards announced on 25 January 2026. Good luck!

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Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

Bits and Pieces- June 2026

Hobart Happenings

by Steph Williams

Bits and Pieces – May 2026

Bits and Pieces- May 2026

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Worker shortage is currently universal, there isn’t an industry that’s exempt. For Kelvin Smith, four years ago he decided there was a very obvious solution to the shortage facing the construction industry, and all that was needed was a little time, empathy and a helping hand. Integrate Workforce is a Hobart-based labour company with one requirement: a refugee/ migrant background. He’s also the outdoor piano man in his free time.

Landscape artist and creative Elliott Nimmo is enjoying discovering Hobart’s vibrant art scene and local environment after relocating here from London to pursue his art.

Even though Tasmania is known for its mild summers, it doesn’t take much to get sunburnt. Tasmania experiences extreme ultraviolet (UV) levels, but contrary to popular belief this isn’t due to the hole in the ozone layer, which is actually south of the continent.While higher UV levels often occur at the same time as higher temperatures, the two are not linked. Instead, UV levels are determined by the angle of the sun in the sky: the higher the sun, the higher the UV. In December and January, the position of the sun over Tasmania gives the state a UV index of 11 or more on most days, which is classified as “extreme” on the UV index. Tasmania’s lack of humidity and generally clear skies contribute to the stinging feeling of the sun. UV can reflect off buildings and water, making it possible to get a higher dose of UV from these reflected rays, even in the shade.

Setting up shop during a pandemic was a risky move, but if the crowd at Dāna Eating House (Dāna) on a Friday night is anything to go by, it’s one that’s paid off. With tables of diners chatting and laughing over drinks, the music and conversation buzzes off the monstera-leaf-green walls. Low-hanging rattan lights and worn wooden floorboards give the newly opened South-East Asian fusion venue in Hobart’s CBD a relaxed vibe.

A Holyman flagged ship hasn’t steamed up the River Derwent since 1984 but the company’s name still proudly adorns its former offices at 5 Morrison Street, Hobart.

Widening the Tasman Bridge to allow 3.5 metres on each side is a big win for walkers and cyclists.

Need a laugh? Check out @theinspiredunemployed feed on Instagram.

Rain, hail and shine, the school crossing guards are always there to help with a smile on their face.

It’s hard to believe it’s not standard practice to have a working phone in every aged care room - shared phones make private conversations impossible and increase the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Just when you think your cousins are alright. NZ Opposition Leader Judith Collins took aim at Tassie during her recent (unsuccessful) campaign, calling us Australia’s “poor cousin.” She also seems worried about us nabbing tech businesses, “It’s a lovely part of the world but do you necessarily want to go there with your high- tech business? Possibly not,” she said. We beg to differ!