Let’s be honest here. Each year they start out as a grower’s best friend, making you feel like a legitimate market gardener, before quickly becoming a headache as you push back the leaves and find yet another zucchini that’s got away.

Once the Chrissy ham leftovers are safely in the Tupperware and the discarded wrapping paper dealt with, it’s time to turn our attention to the great race – the Sydney to Hobart.

Hobart Happenings in December 2023

After a childhood full of small town freedoms, Hamish Michael has crafted a career on the stage. From the Uni Revue to appearing in some of Australia’s most-loved dramas, he is now set to spread his wings even further.

A newly launched Tasmanian online health training program created by pelvic physiotherapist, Rachel Andrew and education specialist, Colette Mckiernan is revolutionising the way GP’s learn more about pelvic health.

Can you relate to this? After a busy period of go-go-go, you finally have the chance to rest, be it at home or away on holiday but as soon as you’re able to switch off and relax, you feel it coming on – scratchy throat, a subtle headache, and a noticeably flat mood. “Oh great,” you grunt to yourself, “I’m getting sick.”

You swear by the staff room Cadbury stash as your daily afternoon pick-me-up…but would you consider cutting back on sugar if you knew that it could assist in managing anxiety?

The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club. Here they share their thoughts on books by Tasmanian authors, set in Tasmania, or about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

Phil O’Donnell and Jimmy Zerella run Gardners Bay Farm, a market garden and orchard 10 minutes out of Cygnet. Originally established to supply the restaurant at Port Cygnet Cannery, the pair are now leasing the farm and selling their produce through vegetable box subscriptions and to restaurants.

Side-step the famous North Hobart restaurant strip and explore the back streets to find some cracking good eats

When travelling from Hobart to Launceston and back again, one stretch of long, hilly, winding road generally comes to mind. Synonymous with roadworks and slow-moving caravans, the Midland Highway, or Midlands Highway, as it’s often referred to, never struck me as anything more than the road to the north of Tasmania – one with a compulsory coffee stop in Campbell Town, as is tradition.

Did you know line dancing is great for your short-term memory? We spoke with line dancer Laura Rittenhouse about connecting the community through line dancing.

From programming events like Falls Festival and Sydney Festival to becoming creative director of Hobart Current: Epoch, Chris Twite is the driving force behind some of Australia’s biggest arts events.

With the summer holidays around the corner, many will crisscross their way around our state, either to visit family or to spend some quality time away from home. Depending on where you live and where you’re headed, you may even come across one of the Big Things Tassie has to offer.

The hills above Copping are alive with the sound of…bleating! It’s here on the slopes of the Ragged Tier and overlooking Marion Bay that you will find Leap Farm, a small Swiss Toggenburg goat dairy that produces Tongola Cheese.

Fancy getting away from it all for a night in the country? The historic Twamley Farm is about 46 km from Hobart, on the Tea Tree Rivulet just outside of Buckland. Here you can step back in time to stay in one of several delightful and comfortably renovated historic buildings.

Spending the previous month galavanting around overseas, I learnt lots about the flavour-packed cuisine that bestrews the colourful streets of Northern India. First, that their version of mild spice is my idea of an inferno. And second, that spices can act as a nutritional powerhouse when it comes to maximising our health through food.

A stone’s throw from Salamanca, you’ll find Sullivans Cove, a little trove of foodie finds, for any appetite.

When 18-year-old Mick Doleman farewelled a blossoming romance to sail out of Hobart on 12 October 1973, he didn’t know his whole world was about to change.

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

Tasmanian Annie Ford is a marine scientist who is currently riding her bike a distance of 4000km from here to Queensland to raise awareness of seismic blasting and support a Tassie-made film about the practice.

“Everyone who drives a Mercedes is a snob. People who own multiple houses are greedy. And those who spend a lot of money are selfish.”

With the release of her new book, Good Life Growing, we caught up with garden guru Hannah Moloney to get her hot growing takes for the warmer months.

Inspired by world-renowned Michelin star chefs and determined to follow in their footsteps, Aura Hobart sous chef, Narendra Shetty is committed to showcasing the very best of Tasmania on a plate.

When looking at the stars at night, it’s hard not to think about the hidden secrets of the universe and the origin of existence. For Dr Martin George, astronomer and head of Hive Planetarium in Ulverstone, it’s his job to find out.

Hobart Happenings in September 2023

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

Tassie girl Miss Kaninna’s debut single Blak Britney rocketed to the top of the Triple J charts earlier this year. From a childhood in the bush and beaches of Bruny Island and Dodges Ferry to a performing arts academy, a national tour with The Sapphires theatre show, performing her own song on festival stages and that number one single, it’s been a big few years for the Yorta Yorta, Kalkadoon and Yirendali artist. Kaninna sat down for a chat with us to reflect on her success and to look back on growing up with racism in Tasmania. Oh, and to share her intense enthusiasm for Hobart’s cafes.

To many, eggs are seen as a year-round source of protein, however did you know they are seasonal? And right now, as all keepers of backyard chooks will testify, eggs are back on the menu!

When your dad’s sperm lovingly collided with your mum’s egg, there was a surge of energetic activity. You started as one cell. During round 260 of cell division, differentiation occurred. A powerful force instructed each cell to migrate to a 3D map and become the cell of a specific organ. Science can’t pinpoint the precise location of this instructional intelligence that enabled you to bloom into who you are, but we are beginning to understand more about the importance of biodiversity and its role in personalising our wellbeing.

You swear by the staff room Cadbury stash as your daily afternoon pickme- up…but would you consider cutting back on sugar if you knew that it could help in managing anxiety?

The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club. Here they share their thoughts on books by Tasmanian authors, set in Tasmania, or about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

The Pipeline Track from the Waterworks Reserve in South Hobart to Fern Tree, nestled in the foothills of kunanyi/Mount Wellington, is a pleasant 3.5 kilometre walk.

Food should be at the heart of any good road trip and you definitely won’t go wrong with these solid eating destinations just south of the mountain.

It’s official. Spring has sprung. To celebrate, we caught up with Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens horticulturist, Anne Griffin, to get the top garden- sprucing tips for this time of year.

In May 2022, the Tasmanian ice sports community had the ice taken out from under them with the closure of Tasmania’s only permanent ice rink. Ice Sports Tasmania President Anna Holliday spoke to us about the ongoing impact on the ice sports community and their hopes for the future.

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

Hobart Happenings August 2023

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

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

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

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

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

Capturing breathtaking scenes from the skies above Hobart, Craig Garth shares how he turned his passion for drone piloting and photography into his full time career.

For sick kids in hospital, putting smiles on their faces can be as valuable as medicine. For Dr Sherbet – aka Claire Dawson – it’s her vocation. We spoke with the Hobart Clown Doctor about her role in helping kids at the Royal get on the road to recovery.

Hobart Happenings July 2023

A group of local women have taken up knitting needles to help raise funds for those affected by the war in Ukraine. Tassie for Ukraine is a community knitting project determined to make a difference.

Sitting above the Jansz Parish Vineyard on the outskirts of Richmond, looking down on the spindly arms of the now dormant vines, you can see rows and rows of stunning vegetables destined for the restaurants of Hobart. And there’s one humble vegetable that takes pride of place amongst the rows. From the crinkled leaves of the savoy to the tightly packed, conical-shaped hearts of the sugarloaf, it’s cabbage season!

SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY was founded ten years ago by Hobart’s Mitch McPherson and has become a critical part of the mental health landscape in Tasmania. As he approaches this milestone, Mitch has reflected on his journey.

A wise woman lives in the deep south, close to the sea. It is said that she is blessed by the Gods and that her words are passed on from generation to generation. People from all over the world seek her knowledge.

It’s no secret, we Aussies love to drink. But it wasn’t until I committed to eight weeks of sobriety that I learnt just how deeply alcohol is embedded within our culture.

Lost Edge, a new Hobart clothing brand, has hit the streets. We caught up with founders, entrepreneurial Hobart teens Luke Harris and Hugo Allison, to chat about the launch and the mission behind Lost Edge.

Have you wandered any of the tracks of the Bicentennial Park at Mount Nelson?

On a cold, wet night after work, the last thing we felt like doing was navigating half of the mainland who had turned up for the to eat and a good craft beer to wash it down with.

It’s the time of year when the dark, low clouds in the evening look less ominous and looming, instead sparking hope and excitement. Will it snow? Will it be low enough? Can we go skiing?!

From humble northern suburb beginnings to on stage in the renowned First Nations musical, The Sunshine Club, Naarah has taken the Australian performing arts world by storm.

Running a marathon is one thing, however running the distance of two Mount Everest climbs in a single week is another thing! We caught up with ultra-marathon runner and founder of Run for Mental Health, Ben Hirst, to speak about his upcoming Double Everest Challenge.

Hobart Happenings June 2023

It’s mushroom season! But at a time when Instagram feeds are full of foraged slippery jacks and saffron milk caps, there’s a grower on the outskirts of Hobart who’s found a unique environment for producing mushrooms all year round.

He didn’t pack much. It was only a short hike. Two burritos, some chocolate, and a few bottles of water. But caught under the weight of a 350kg boulder that had dislodged and trapped him for 5 days, the flesh of his right arm began to rot. Oscillating between delirium and death, Aron Ralston recorded goodbye videos to his family and friends and carved his name on the sandstone wall of the canyon.

It’s the age-old debate, are artificial sweeteners even good for us? Hold onto your hat, I’m about to take you through the rollercoaster of confusing evidence that exists around the safety and efficacy of their use as a sugar alternative.

Around this time every year, I try and think about where to take mum for her birthday. It’s cold, it’s wet and it’s usually gloomy, but I’m always determined to get her out of the house, even for just a few hours. And while I sit and rack my brain for somewhere new to take her, an old faithful always pops up and to this day, continues to always put a smile on my mum’s face.

Nothing beats Kingston Beach for an interesting stroll. We walked along Osborne Esplanade on a sunny day when the river views sparkled, the water and the sky merged into a blue shimmer.

Sometimes you just want to grab and go – and a near-perfect form for a quick lunch has to be a roll. This month we explored some CBD options for a speedy feed, in roll form.

With a Tasmanian AFL team the topic of the moment, we spoke to Sophia Bellears from the North Hobart Football Club about the club’s history, equality and how they are creating a strong future for local womens footy.

In late 2020 during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, when we were all living and working from home, going slightly crazy isolating from each other and the world, something exciting happened: a friend alerted me to a Tasmanian online auction that was about to take place.

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

His work life revolves around cars, but Audi Service Manager Ken Kerr loves nothing more than family time and Playstation in his downtime.

After a jam-packed last few years performing with Second Echo Ensemble, we found out what’s next for artist, performer and Dance Movement Psychotherapist Eri Mullooly-Hill Konishi.

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

Hobart Happenings May 2023

A lot can happen in five years. Fire, flood, pandemic, border closures and a whole lot of resilience building! During that time, we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing some of Hobart’s most fascinating people – from sports and screen stars, to adventurers, creatives, business leaders and those agitating for social change.

Easter Monday was the perfect day for a relaxing walk along the New Town Rivulet Track to Wellington Park.

On the banks of the Coal River just outside of Richmond, Phil and Jane Dening, daughter Sophie and son-in-law Brad Milic have been busy harvesting this year’s crop of walnuts.

For the first month after giving birth, women from some Eastern cultures undertake a practice that has been honoured for thousands of years.

What is the life behind a painting? This is a question I have always asked myself whenever I look upon the masterful
brushstrokes of the snowy Dutch homestead mounted on my living room wall.

Catherine Owens arrived in Van Diemen’s Land on the Lady of the Lake, after departing London on 12 June 1829. She had been convicted several times before being transported. Her convict record describes Catherine as having a violent disposition, in addition to being a single housemaid with a ‘dark complexion’ who could read and write (a rarity for lower‑class women at the time). She was sentenced to fourteen years for receiving stolen spoons.

Check out these awesome events going on around Hobart this month, or make a weekend of it and travel a little further afield.

By the time Saturday rolls around, the last thing I feel like doing is making lunch.

When I was thinking of a rejuvenating weekend getaway for our ten-year wedding anniversary recently, wandering through fields searching for fluffy, longhorned cows wasn’t what I had in mind. But as it turns out, that’s exactly what we needed. Nestled on a mountain top in Tassie’s central highlands is the tiny town of Tarraleah; the place that stole our hearts.

Whether we’re personally impacted by homelessness or not, there’s no denying it’s clearly an issue that is getting worse in Hobart. We caught up with Dr Charlie Burton, Acting CEO of the Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS), to see what he thought could be done.

This mother and daughter singing trio are set to appear in the upcoming production, Women of Troy.

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.

Hobart Happenings March 2023

If you’ve read media reports lately, there seems to be a rise in youth crime, particularly youth knife crime, in Hobart right now. We spoke to David Higgins, CEO of Crimestoppers for his take on the current situation.

As principal solicitor with Tenants Union of Tasmania, Ben Bartl works closely with people living with housing stress. The Union, supported by 12 local community organisations, is calling on the Tasmanian government to maximise the use of existing residential premises in inner-city municipalities to help address the current shortage of appropriate and affordable housing.

The Legacy Centenary Torch Relay is a six-month campaign to pay homage to and acknowledge veterans’ families, saluting their sacrifice. Legacy has its roots in a battlefield promise, from the trenches in Pozieres, on the Western Front in World War I. A promise from a soldier to his dying mate to “look after the missus and the kids” is one that has been revered since the first Legacy Club was established.

Tasmanians are known for their love of the humble spud, and this year at Springdale Farm they are embracing the rainbow.

Plutarch, the ancient Greek Scholar, tells the story of a battle between the Persians and Medes.

If a friend came to you in the woes of a mental health slump asking for advice on how to manage it, what would you tell them?

Tasmania’s award-winning performance company Second Echo Ensemble (SEE) premieres a show this month, called The BEAUTY Project. Led by Elise Romaszko in her directorial debut, The BEAUTY Project is a pop-up catwalk performance that asks, ‘what is normal?’, ‘what is beautiful?’ Dedicated to reflecting the diverse world we live in, The BEAUTY Project celebrates difference, champions equity, and confronts our assumptions.

Since the Spirit of Tasmania terminal moved from Melbourne to Geelong late last year, a visit to Geelong has been on the radar.

As a lover of char kway teow, the smoky and savoury rice noodle dish from Malaysia, I’m always keen to try new places that serve it.

In World War Two, young Australians were fighting in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Families with sons serving overseas waited for news, dreading the arrival of a telegram that meant the worst news. In 1942 and 1943, after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942, many feared Australia was in imminent danger of invasion. This fear was heightened when a Japanese submarine launched seaplane flew a reconnaissance mission over the Hobart area in March 1942.

When you hear the words “Roller Derby” you most likely think of the 2009 hit film starring Elliot Page and Drew Barrymore, Whip It and the Hollywood portrayal of Roller Derby – fishnet tights, badass women on skates doing dangerous stunts and a lot of violence. The reality of Roller Derby is something completely different. Sure, it’s fast-paced and some say that it resembles “rugby on skates without the ball”, but the rules of contact in Roller Derby are strict, with seven referees on skates needed to ensure rules are followed.

Dr Frances Donaldson is the Tasmanian Senior Australian of the Year for 2023, after a rewarding 64 years of working in the Tasmanian healthcare system. From a junior nurse to studying medicine, 12 years in prison health and now leading the COVID@home service, those scrubs aren’t getting hung up anytime soon.

Jeff Vaughan has bounced between state and national level cricket coaching in the past couple of years but as of April, his stumps were firmly in Tasmanian soil for the foreseeable future.

Claire is a self taught crochet artist, creating super cute cacti that she sells around Hobart.

While physical trauma presents a tangible effect on the body, mental trauma is a harder to observe. In a worldwide first the effect of trauma on the brain is being tracked by seven Tasmanian researchers from the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre in a statewide population study. With a focus on which trauma exposures (such as bushfires and lockdowns) may lead to increased risk of a dementia diagnosis, The Island Study Linking Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease (ISLAND) Project is hoping to unearth how Tasmanians and the world can build a resilience to a dementia diag­nosis. We spoke to PHD candidate James Brady about the work.