NEW NEW NEW

Mona has opened a luxury dive bar, Manky Sally’s (25 Salamanca Place, Hobart). The new Hobart home of Moo Brew boasts a taproom and nano-brewery, and encourages people to settle in with a beer and ogle at – in their words – the mildly luxe decor. Open 11am-11pm, 7 days a week. Lovers of magic and fairies rejoice. The much-loved Hobart Faerie Shop has reopened in Hobart CBD’s Bank Arcade (64-68 Liverpool Street). Spread magic and fairy dust. For even more magic and mysticism, Dragonfae Upheaval, (53 Burnett Street, New Norfolk), a vintage magic shop, has recently opened in New Norfolk. The shop specialises in vintage, mediaeval and alternative wares, clothing and accessories. If you’re keen for some Chinese street food, you’re in luck. Yellow Bear Jianbing (95 Liverpool St, Hobart) serves a range of the popular Chinese mung bean crepes, jam-packed with flavour and texture. Laundry Lady, is a new mobile laundry service offering affordable and stress-free ironing washing and folding. If you’re in need of help with your Mt Washmore, then check out www.thelaundrylady.com.au. Outdoor and sportswear brand, The North Face (116 Liverpool St, Hobart) have landed in Hobart, opening a store right in the heart of the CBD. Open from 8 June just in time for winter. A brand new pet food shop has landed in Chigwell. Jack and Chelo (Shop 1/2 Bucaan St, Chigwell) makes and sells fresh, nutritious pet food using RSPCA-grade Tassie meat and produce. They have a wide range of flavours, so even the fussiest fido can chow down on a wholesome, chef-made feast. Iron Creek Bay Cafe and Bistro (394 Arthur Highway, Sorell) has opened in Sorell for breakfast, lunch, coffee and catering. The menu has something for everyone, whether it be for a quick bite or lunch catch-up with a panoramic view of kunanyi/Mt Wellington. The Produce Pantry at Five Bob Farm (3866 Channel Highway, Birchs Bay) is now open – from the cute timber shed you can stock up on farm fresh produce and Diemen Pepper products.

2023 TASMANIAN VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED  Congratulations to the 2023 Premier’s Tasmanian Volunteer of the Year, Julie Porter. Julie is the driving force behind the award-winning tourism experience onboard the oldest and smallest operating tall ship in Hobart, SV Rhona H. She takes care of all aspects of the ship’s operations while coordinating 34 volunteers from a variety of different backgrounds. The awards acknowledge and honour the incredible contribution and spirit of service of all Tasmanian volunteers and signify the importance of National Volunteer Week, Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. To find out more about the Tasmanian Volunteering Award winners or how you can volunteer, head to www.volunteeringtas.org.au.

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR PASSENGER TRAINS IN HOBART Trains are back in Hobart! Well, sort of. After nine years of silence, the chooga-chooga of a locomotive can occasionally be heard along Hobart’s former freight lines as a heritage train takes passengers for short rides on weekends. Volunteers at the Tasmanian Transport Museum in Glenorchy have refurbished the train and got it going along a short section of South Line in the northern suburbs, with all scheduled sessions fully booked at the time of print. The museum plans to open the lines further, with an end goal of being able to travel all the way to Chigwell.

BUY A BRICK FOR THE HOBART WOMEN’S SHELTER  The Hobart Women’s Shelter plans to build 25 long-term permanent homes for women and children experiencing family violence and/or homelessness. They’re calling out for help with any tax deductible donations. Their Buy A Brick campaign encourages community members to donate the amount of money to buy a brick, a door, a window, etc, and it all adds up. Head to www.hobartws. org.au/buy-a-brick-campaign for more information.

HOBART MAKES STRIDES FOR PRIDE  For members of the Pride community, Hobart is the place to be. Hobart was recently presented with the Excellence in LGBTIQ+ Inclusion in Local Government Award on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). In perfect timing, the accolade also comes with the launch of “Pride Bus”, an initiative of SkyBus and Kinetic. The Pride Bus serves as a moving symbol to the LGBTQI+ community, and a colourful reminder that everyone is welcome aboard. IDAHOBIT is an annual reminder of the impact that discrimination has on LGBTIQ+ people and the community, and celebrates the work that is happening to make a discrimination-free world for LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians.

SCHOLARSHIPS TO SUPPORT FIVE HOBART STUDENTS  A handful of Hobart high school students have won an educational scholarship to help them continue their studies. Cameron Browning, Charlotte Gye, Lucy Bouwmeester and Olivia White from Clarence High, and An Le from New Town Campus of City High each received the Harding Miller scholarship, which helps female students who may lack opportunities to achieve their academic potential and dreams. Each recipient will receive more than $20,000 worth of assistance over four years in the form of equipment, computers, internet connections, textbooks, tutoring and coaching. The Harding Miller Foundation had over 700 Year 9 students apply for the scholarships nationally this year. The foundation shared that while many students have high academic potential, they may not have access to the things they need to make the most of their time in school. The scholarship helps to support each recipient’s basic needs in order to stay in school and to have the option of going to university in the future.

TWO HOBARTIANS ON MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY LIST  Two of our fine local writers have made it onto this year’s Miles Franklin Award longlist. The Miles Franklin Award is one of the highest literary awards in the land. Robbie Arnott is there for his very Tasmanian Limberlost and Adam Ousten’s unique Waypoints is listed too. The shortlisted finalists will be revealed on 20 June and the winner announced on 25 July. Fingers crossed for both!

HOBART’S FIRST EVER RIVULET REPORT IS IN  The first ever report into the health of our four major city rivulets has been released, and the results are mixed. The report found all four rivulets (New Town, Sandy Bay, Hobart and Lambert) were healthier upstream than downstream, with the Hobart and New Town rivulets degrading gradually from the naturally forested headwaters in Wellington Park to their urbanised mouths at the River Derwent. The research involved used tiny native waterbugs to work out the health of the waterways. City of Hobart Water Portfolio Chair Councillor Ben Lohberger explained, “Waterbugs, sensitive to negative impacts on water health such as pollution and erosion, are like canaries in the coal mine, with their numbers and diversity declining as rivulet health declines.”

The rivulet surveys, conducted in spring 2022, identified a drop in ecological health on New Town Rivulet directly below the Girrabong stormwater outflow and identified that invasive willow trees were potential culprits behind a clear drop in ecological health in Guy Fawkes Rivulet, South Hobart.

The report recommends getting rid of willows from Hobart’s rivulets, revegetating rivulet banks and increasing canopy cover over waterways. This will create habitat for waterbugs and other aquatic wildlife, such as platypus. It was also recommended that surveys should be carried out annually to create a cache of information to refer back to over time.

CLARENCE COUNCIL SHIFTING AWAY FROM AUS DAY EVENTS  Clarence Council recently agreed to move future community events, citizenship and awards ceremonies away from 26 January, in light of the recent amendment by the Federal Government to the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code. Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley said Council understood this was a sensitive issue for many people, and there were varying opinions and views about 26 January in the Clarence community. “Starting from 2024 the ceremony will now be held three days either side of that date [26 January], as now allowed by the Federal Government. We also requested the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group to conduct further research into how we may recognise and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on 26 January (while it continues to be a national public holiday) and we look forward to receiving their recommendations.” Last year’s Clarence Citizen of the Year Awards were moved to May, to coincide with National Volunteer Week celebrations, due to Covid disruptions. Mayor Bromeley said that could become standard practice.

FREE E-BIKE CHARGING IN CBD  Did you know you can charge your e-bikes for free in the CBD? There are now two e-bike charging bays installed near the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre entrance for the public to use. If you’re in the city and need a charge, head up the hill – just make sure you’ve got enough charge to tackle the hill!

TEENS MAKE 65 SICK TRICKS FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS  Two Hobart skater girls, Charlotte and Zailee, are throwing down skating tricks at 65 iconic Hobart locations as part of the 65 for CF Challenge 2023, which raises money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis Tasmania (CFT). The two passionate 13 year olds have made it their mission to make the lives of people with cystic fibrosis a little easier, especially as one of the teens, Charlotte, lives with the condition. The girls have been popping ollies all over Hobart, including Town Hall, Salamanca Market, the State Cinema, Hobart Airport’s tarmac and even inside the premier’s office. The dynamic duo hope to smash their target by the end of June. To support the girls and the 65 for CF Challenge 2023, head to www. givar.com/campaigns/shreddingforcft

VINNIES CONTAINER DONATION TRIAL BEGINS IN HOBART  Scouts Tasmania and St Vincent De Paul Society are working together to run a container donation trial in Moonah. If you’d like to contribute, you can donate eligible containers to designated bins located at the Vinnies Shop in Moonah (at 98 Hopkins St). If enough donations are gathered, Vinnies hope to be included in the upcoming container return scheme to raise funds for their community work. That’s right, nearly half a century after South Australia started theirs, the Tasmanian Government is nearly ready to launch Recycle Rewards ‘to reduce litter and increase recycling while also supporting the development of our circular economy.’ Consumers will receive a 10-cent refund for every eligible container they recycle through a refund point. The scheme was due to start in the first half of 2023, but has been delayed. Members of the public are invited to have their say on the Draft Container Refund Scheme regulations by 5pm on 14 June. For more information go to www.nre.tas.gov.au/environmental-management/recycle-rewards.

TWELVE BONG SALUTE FOR THE GPO HOBART CLOCK TOWER TWITTER ACCOUNT  After many years gracing the Twittersphere with its prominent bongs on the hour, every hour, the GPO Hobart Clock Tower Twitter account has, alas, bonged its last bong. The account was shut down recently after several years of diligent round the clock tweets. The Hobart Clock Tower provided a uniquely Hobartian perspective that was both poignant and current, with cutting edge statements such as “Bong, Bong’’ and “Bong, Bong, Bong, Bong.”

LIFELINE TASMANIA IS MINDING YOUR BUSINESS  Recognising and supporting good mental health and wellbeing is an essential part of creating a safe and healthy workplace. Lifeline Tasmania provides the Minding Your Business program that offers free phone counselling support to small business in Tasmania. When you or your staff face difficult life challenges, or just a bunch of stress, you can call and make  an appointment. This is an easy win for small businesses to support staff in a professional, caring way that can go a long way to keeping a wonderful culture in your small business. Contact Lifeline Tasmania on 1300 003 313, training@ lifelinetasmania.org.au.

HOBART CLOSER TO BEING A  CITY OF LITERATURE  We’re a few words closer to becoming a UNESCO City of Literature, with the City of Hobart recently endorsing the idea and planning to submit a nomination to the UNESCO Creative Cities Program. Launceston is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, so really it’s about time we had our own UNESCO title.

OATLANDS WINS BIG  Congratulations to Oatlands who was announced as the joint winner of this year’s Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards in the Heritage and Culture category. The Midlands town shares the win with Gascoyne Junction in Western Australia. Meanwhile, Australian Traveller magazine recently named its top ten ‘emerging towns’ to visit in Australia, with only one town making the cut from Tassie…Oatlands, again!

GET YOUR BRUSH ON: TWICE A DAY KEEPS THE CAVITIES AT BAY

Taking care of your teeth should be a no-brainer. However, studies have linked poor oral health to a host of general health and wellbeing issues. We spoke to dentist and Hobart Young Citizen of the Year recipient, Gavin Quek, about why looking after your pearly whites is more important than ever.

You’re an advocate for improving the oral and dental health of Tasmanians. Why? Bad oral health, whilst being largely preventable, is still significantly prevalent. Almost a third of all Australian adults have untreated tooth decay. Over 40% of children aged 5–10 years had experienced caries (decay) in their baby teeth. I hope to empower and educate as many people as I can through my advocacy to improve oral health outcomes and reduce the burden of preventable oral health problems for Tasmanians.

Why is good oral health important? Oral health is an essential component of overall health and well-being. Poor oral health can lead to a range of problems, such as tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss, which can cause pain, difficulty eating and speaking, and contribute to other health problems.

What are the main health issues that can come from neglecting your oral health? Briefly, gum disease and diabetes have been causally linked. Chronic oral infections and inflammation have also been linked to higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older patients. Gum disease also leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Pregnant women with oral health issues are more likely to experience premature delivery and low preterm birth weight babies. There is new research constantly emerging associating oral health with overall health. Recently, the FDI World Dental Organization released a Whole Body Health Diagram which is designed to share latest research linking oral health with overall health.

You were recently awarded Hobart’s Young Citizen of the Year award. What does this mean for you and your work? It was a humbling and surreal experience to be even considered for the award. It inspires me to further continue advocating for oral health and hopefully making a positive difference in my community. I hope to be able to spread oral health to a wider audience in the future. I also hope to inspire others to get involved in ways meaningful to them and to create positive change in their communities.

Gavin’s top tips to improve oral health between dentist visits:

• Brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste
• Floss in between teeth daily
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet, aim for less than 24 grams of sugar daily.
• Ample hydration with tap water, instead of sugary, acidic drinks
• Stop smoking. It’s a risk factor for gum disease and oral cancer.

TASMANIAN CLIFF-HUGGING HOUSE SNAGS HIGHEST NATIONAL AWARD  A spectacular, cliff-hugging Tassie home has been named Australian Home of the Year by the Housing Industry Association (HIA) – the highest residential building award bestowed each year by HIA. The award-winning home at Tinderbox was designed by Studio Ilk Architects and built by Tasmanian builders, Lane Group Construction, who anchored the house to its windswept, cliffside location by a series of heavyset stone pavilions. The house boasts an abundance of floor-length glass windows that create a serene atmosphere for the owners and their guests to enjoy, connecting them to the magnificent, rugged coastline of the Derwent River from all public and private living areas. Described by Housing Industry Association (HIA) judges as ‘a once-in-a-lifetime build’, the home also won the HIA Australian Custom Built Home award at the HIA 2023 National Conference.

SINK OR SWIM: DERWENT WATER QUALITY WORSENS  The quality of the water at some favourite swimming and fishing spots has been judged and graded in recent long-term water quality ratings for Hobart’s beaches and bays. Some Clarence beaches showed improvement in health whilst a Taroona beach and city docks didn’t perform as well. Ursula Taylor, CEO of the Derwent Estuary Project, said water quality is tested at 38 beach and bay sites between New Norfolk and Kingborough each week between December and March. “Water samples are analysed for specific bacteria (enterococci) which indicate the presence of faecal contaminants from stormwater run-off and other sources. Each site is classified as having Good, Fair or Poor water quality in accordance with state and national guidelines, based on five years of data,” Ms Taylor said. Water quality at Bellerive Beach (west) was previously rated ‘Fair’ and is now ‘Good’, and Howrah Beach has improved from ‘Poor’ to ‘Fair’. On the down side Hinsby Beach and Prince of Wales Bay have both dropped from ‘Good’ to ‘Fair’ while Victoria Dock moves from ‘Fair’ to ‘Poor’. Environmental Health Director Paul Hunt reminded water users about the risks of swimming anywhere along the Derwent estuary after heavy rainfall. “After periods of wet weather a number of beaches may experience poor water quality,” Mr Hunt said. “I would strongly recommend that people avoid swimming in the Derwent for several days after any significant rainfall, and always avoid swimming near stormwater outlets and urban rivulets.” The 2022-23 Recreational Water Quality Report can be found on the DEP website, www.derwentestuary.org.au.

BLYTHE STAR SHIPWRECK LOST NO MORE  The CSIRO research vessel RV Investigator recently found the location of the wreck of the Blythe Star, nearly 50 years after it sank off the southwest coast of Tasmania. The coastal freighter was en route from Hobart to King Island when, on 13 October 1973, it suddenly capsized and sank. All ten crew members escaped on an inflatable life raft but tragically three of them died before the group found help. The survivors were rescued 12 days later. The ship’s disappearance sparked the largest maritime search ever conducted in Australia at the time, with no trace of the vessel found. The wreck of the MV Blythe Star is located about 10.5 kilometres west of South West Cape in 150 metres of water. The vessel is intact and sitting upright on the seafloor, with its bow pointing northwest. The wreck is covered in minimal growth of algae and seaweed, the stern is damaged and the wheelhouse was not seen. Researchers saw crayfish, schools of fish and even fur seals on and around the wreck. Hobart will host an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tragedy in October this year.