Local People: Judy Martin

by Stephanie Williams

From the remote mining town of Rosebery to the boardrooms of Washington, Sandy Bay local Judy has lived a life less ordinary. Her latest passion project, Tubs of Tasmania, might just be her most inspired idea yet.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up in Rosebery on the West Coast. Dad was a mine geologist and Mum a teacher. I spent a lot of my childhood going underground with Dad. I went away to boarding school in Launceston. I did my nursing training in the early ’80s at the Royal in Hobart, then left in 1985 after completing nursing. I’ve had an amazing life and career thereafter, living in Melbourne, Darwin, Alice Springs, Sydney, Cairns, Canberra, Malaysia.

I met my husband in Darwin in the mid ’80s when he was a young, gorgeous Naval Officer. After working and living all over, we returned to Hobart in 2011. He’s now an expedition cruise ship captain – I get to go often – and also an invited guest lecturer on five and six-star cruise ships, which I accompany him on once a year.

What work do you do? I’m on the board of the Global Ageing Network, based out of Washington. I was Chair during COVID, which was a very busy time – deeply engaged in policy responses internationally to the aged care crisis caused by the pandemic across the world. I also manage and run international study tours for aged care executives.

What sparked your Tubs of Tasmania project? Definitely COVID! My international work suddenly changed from travelling to overnight online sessions with colleagues from around the globe – my travel bug wings were well and truly clipped. I decided to search for an outdoor tub, somewhere we could escape to for a few days. It worked – for both of us! So then I looked for another tub experience, then another. Friends were following our personal tub stays on Facebook and asking me to do private little itineraries for them. Over the next few years my Excel spreadsheet became very long with all these gorgeous Tasmanian gems. Then in 2025 my daughter finally said, “Mum, you need to make a website!” I thought about it and thought, why not?

How can operators get involved? Tubs of Tasmania has always been a passion project rather than a full-time commercial venture. The subscription for joining goes back into promoting Tubs of Tasmania as a collective offering and building awareness of, what we’ve coined, Australia’s First Tubs Trail.

Who do you admire? My husband! I admire people who quietly get on with making a difference, often without recognition.

Favourite podcast or TV show? Schitt’s Creek would have to be up there, as well as Downton Abbey, and any good courtroom drama.

Secret vice? My obsession with searching for outdoor and unique tub stays. I’m never tired of finding new ones. Once I start looking and scrolling it’s hard to stop. I can be here for hours researching and adding to my Excel spreadsheet.

What are you reading now? The Mushroom Murders.

What was your first job? In school holidays it was the Geology Department of EZ Mines in Rosebery. My first formal post-school job was at the ANZ Bank in Zeehan–even though I was hopeless at maths!

What are your daily news and social media habits? I check my Tubs of Tasmania Instagram. I love seeing other beautiful Tassie stays highlighted, although I’m not really a social media guru, just ask the young professionals who assist me with posts! I still like reading proper old-fashioned newspapers on weekends.

Your favourite place for…

Breakfast? Seagrass at Sandy Bay Beach. Imagine that setting in Sydney or Melbourne – you wouldn’t get an impromptu booking on weekend mornings!

Lunch? Somewhere with good coffee and a relaxed waterfront atmosphere.

Dinner? Friday night pizza on Sandy Bay at Little Pizza with my husband, our little Cairn Terrier Stella, and a bottle of Tasmanian rosé in summer and pinot as we head into autumn and winter. And Don Camillo–I love being welcomed as a local by Dino and the staff.

Dream holiday destination? I love discovering new places and Antarctica is high on my agenda and I’d love to go back to Botswana.

Favourite Tasmanian secret? Oh my goodness, so many! Definitely all the tub experiences I’ve uncovered since starting Tubs of Tasmania. The Wall in the Wilderness is, to me, one of Tasmania’s most extraordinary experiences and unlike anything else in Australia.

Parting words? I feel enormously privileged to have had such a varied career and life experience, from very remote Australia to international work. I think the biggest lesson has been that you don’t always need to have all the answers. Sometimes you simply need to be willing to listen, work with people and find a way forward together. And check out www.tubsoftasmania.com.au.

Love this

Extras

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

Stay up to date with everything happening at the Hobart Magazine.

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!