TAS ROCKS ‘N ROLL

Bird watching not quite your thing? Maybe it’s time to go rock spot­ting. Started in 2017, TasRocks is a state-wide game that allows people to hide-and-seek painted rocks in their local communities and has grown to be a social media phenomenon across the country. To participate, paint your rocks (no glass or ceramics) however you like, but keep the local wildlife in mind, so no string or pipe-clean­ers, and hide them for others to find. How do you know you’ve found a Tas Rocks’ rock? Look on the underside of the rock for the group’s Facebook details. If you’re keen to participate, you’ll want to jump onto their Face­book page, Tas Rocks Group, to get the full low-down on how to decorate, drop, search and share your rock-hunt­ing adventures.

DERWENT FERRY TRIAL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT

It’s all systems go for the Derwent River ferry trial, linking Hobart with Bellerive, offering commuters an alter­native to sitting in traffic on the bridge. The Government has appointed private operator Roche Brothers to operate the weekday-only service. One way is ex­pected to take between 20 to 25 min­utes (still enough time to listen to The Hobart Magazine podcast of course) and the trial will be free to commuters who have a Metro Tasmania Greencard or are travelling with a bicycle.

TMAG SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

TMAG has got you covered this school holidays with an awesome line up of free activities, from learning about soil to meeting a snake, and from rescuing a whale to launching a rocket. There’s something for all young people to enjoy at Lift Off! This year’s festival also includes two spe­cial ticketed events, TMAG Up Late – an after dark event at the museum for 10 to 16 year olds and RETREAT, an amazing performance experience by festival artists-in-residence Erth Visual and Physical Inc. Tickets for these events and the full Lift Off! program are available at www.tmag.tas.gov.au

SOUTHERN WINEMAKERS NAMED IN TOP 50

Four young Tasmanian winemakers were recently awarded Top 50 status in the Young Guns of Wine awards. This year marks the 15th annual edition and lists young wine labels and winemakers on the rise. Tassie’s finest include Max Marriott, of Anim who handpicks his grapes from southern vineyards, Luke Monks from Made by Monks who creates his wines in Hobart from grapes sourced around Tassie, Marco Lubiana who makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir under his own name, Marco Lubiana, and Greer Carland of Quiet Mutiny, with a focus on tiny batches and sustainability. Grab a bottle and taste why these youngins earned their place on the list.

WE NEED WALKERS!

Are you looking for a bit of extra cash? Want to exercise and work at the same time? We’re on the lookout for trustworthy people to help us deliver our magazines across Hobart. Perhaps you’re an older person wanting to get out and about? Or a parent who is walking kids to sleep anyway. Or you just want to pick up some extra cash. Whatever your motivation, send your CV to hello@thehobartmagazine.com.au or call James on 0405 424 449 for a chat.

LAST DAYS AT ROSNY GOLF COURSE

Rosny Golf recently com­municated with its members and patrons that they will cease operations at the Rosny Golf Course at the end of this month – after operating since 1916. In a statement they said, “In light of Council’s decision last year not to renew the Rosny Golf Course lease with the vision to repurpose the area to community open space (as part of the City Heart Project), Rosny Golf Course will cease operations on the 24th of April.” But there’s a good send off in the works. Get along to the course on Sat­urday 24 April, the last trading day, for a Gold Coin BBQ throughout the day, for pa­trons after their last round of golf. They also shared, “The YMCA has been honoured to have managed Royal Rosny for these past 10 years on be­half of Clarence Council. We look forward to seeing how the use of the area evolves in coming years as the wider community engages with the area.” Watch this space.

THERE IS SUCH THING AS A NOBUCKS LUNCH

At a time when incomes and morale might be lower, anyone can head to the Wesley Hall (56-58 Melville Street, Hobart.) for a ‘no strings attached’ lunch each weekday from 12pm – 2pm. The meal is there for anyone, especially disadvantaged people who might be having difficulty pro­viding a meal for themselves. Along with lunch, there’s lovely hospitality, fellowship and friendship. Lunch is supported by Foodbank and Second Bite, but donations are always welcome. All you have to do is turn up.

UTAS CONTRIBUTION TO FUND MIDTOWN UPGRADE

The proposed first stage of the Midtown streetscape upgrade will be partly funded by the University of Tasmania (UTas) under an agreement to provide financial contributions towards city infrastructure. The announcement follows the signing in December 2019 of a 10-year Heads of Agreement, through which the University will pay the equivalent of rates on its CBD sites and addi­tional voluntary infrastructure contributions. Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said UTas had shown a commitment to the Hobart community by voluntarily contributing funds to public infrastructure. “UTas is investing in the future of the CBD. The University’s vol­untary contributions will help us to create more attractive city streets. It’s a win-win for residents and visitors to Ho­bart, as well as UTas staff and students,” Cr Reynolds said. “We hope this collaborative approach to investing in public infrastructure sets a precedent for future developments in the CBD.” Through the payment of rates equivalency and voluntary developer contribu­tions, UTas will spring a total $1 million over the next two financial years towards the upgrading of Block 1, between Melville and Brisbane streets. “We’re currently trialling extended footpaths for outdoor dining and an uphill bicycle lane along that block. These will be monitored and as­sessed over the course of this year and the outcomes will contribute to the final design,” Cr Reynolds said.

ANZAC HISTORY ROLLS ON DESPITE COVID

With Anzac Day coming up, attention turns to Australia’s past and ongoing role in war and peacekeeping. In 1915 recruiting committees were formed in nearly every town across Australia, including Hobart. They were started in NSW’s central west and the newly enlisted men soon head­ed off to Sydney. Known as the Coo-ee March, by the time they reached Sydney, they’d gathered nearly 300 recruits. The poster below from World War One, organised by the Tasmanian State Recruiting Committee, recruited men with the tempting salary of five shillings per day for the rank of Private. There was also a special disabilities pen­sion for the loss of a limb, or eye which were “payable and permanent, no matter what may be the man’s earnings”. Details of the Hobart Anzac March are still evolving due to COVID. For details, it’s best to head to the RSL TAS website. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about Australia’s war history with the Kingston Library running sessions looking at the National Archives. You can book a spot via their website.

NEW OPENINGS

If you’re after a late night sushi option, you’re in luck with Samurai Knights (1 Franklin Wharf) serving late-night sake flights and snacks Monday to Sunday – and we mean late – they open from 9.00pm. The Black Footed Pig will reopen in its new waterside location at MACq 01 Hotel (18 Hunter Street, Hobart) catering for all our tapas cravings. They also have a walk-in only bar, where you can enjoy some tapas and a vino without a reservation. You might remember chef Toby Cannon from the cracking Kraken Fish and Chips in North Hobart. He is now head chef at Barilla Bay Oysters (1388 Tasman Highway, Cambridge), serving up fabulous seafood fare, including traditional English fish and chips. Isaan Thai and Lao (6 Salamanca Square, Battery Point) has opened in Salamanca, serving authentic street food from Thailand and Laos.The epic new $5million Kingtson Playground has opened with the tick of approval from the crowds of kids that have been packing in since the start of the school holidays.

ELECTION HEALTH PROMISES NEED ACCOUNTABILITY

With election promises of reducing surgery waiting lists and (finally!) throwing money at the Tasmanian health system, some industry leaders remain skeptical about the fix. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) Tasmania is calling for a guarantee from all political parties that any promised in­creased funding into elective surgery will increase elective surgery capacity and be built into the long-term health budget. And while increased funding to employ additional staff is also welcomed, AMA Tasmania President, Dr Helen McArdle says it needs to be more than election promises. “Rather than just a list of short-term promis­es, what we need is for the next government to deliver to Tasmanians a long game plan, as time and time again, we are seeing the system and the healthcare workers in the system at breaking point and patients not being treated within the recommended time frames whether that be in emergency departments or on the elective surgery waiting list.” Tasmania’s elective surgery waiting list is some of the worst in the country. “With an ageing population, we will continue to see waiting lists for outpa­tients (the step before being put on the waiting list) and elective surgery worsen, Dr McArdle shares. “We have an ever-increasing number of emergency patients needing theatre time which has meant elective cases having to be cancelled.”

And it’s sometimes not until the last minute when surger­ies are cancelled. “There is nothing more distressing for a patient to turn up to have their operation cancelled from the operating theatre waiting bay because there is no theatre time available or bed for them to go to post-surgery. Likewise, there is nothing more frustrating or disappointing for the doctors and nurses to have to cancel surgery,” Dr McArdle said.

COVID has impacted the system, but it is not the sole issue. “We have more surgeons available than there are operating sessions, and operations are cancelled because there are inadequate beds on the wards and in the ICU. We need more theatre nurses, ward nurses and anaesthetists,” Dr McArdle said. “Pre-COVID, we were completing about 15,000 elective surgery cases while we added 19,000 at the same time. Elective surgery was already underfunded before COVID; funding must meet increases in demand as well as the increased costs of running the health system. We need more open and transparent real-time data on elective surgery and the reasons for its cancellations so that promises can be made in election campaigns that will make a real difference and not just a headline from either political party.”