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Articles by Steph Williams
LGAT Awards Honour Mayors and More
Congratulations to everyone who received a Local Government Asso¬ciation of Tasmania Service Award at the recent annual conference. Paula Wriedt, the former mayor of King¬borough Council, was awarded Life Membership. “Life Membership is reserved for individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the sector, and Paula’s advocacy and service make her a thoroughly deserving recipient,” LGAT President Mayor Mick Tucker said.
Something Different From Artists With Conviction
Words: Sara Kirby The phrase started with a strange and colourful painting. A resident at Risdon Prison had been attending classes to improve his literacy skills and, as the months passed, staff noticed a shift in his confidence. He was speaking up more, engaging more readily with others and showing a growing willingness to try new things. One day he arrived carrying a canvas covered in intricate abstract shapes and colours.
LOCAL PEOPLE: Tony Pignata
As the head of football, or soccer, in Tasmania, Tony Pignata OAM is pleased to ride the post-FIFA World Cup wave to benefit the sport here. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I was born and bred in Melbourne to Italian parents. I spend my time between Melbourne and Hobart, commuting. What do you do for work? I’m the Chief Executive Officer of Football Tasmania. I’ve been here now for three years. There’s no denying the current popularity of soccer in the wake of the 2026 men’s World Cup.
Bits and Pieces - August 2026
NEW NEW NEW A familiar space inside Hadley’s Orient Hotel has been given a fresh identity with the launch of the Art Bar at Hadley’s (34 Murray Street, Hobart). Celebrating a decade of the Hadley’s Art Prize, the new concept reflects the hotel’s long-standing connection to the arts and continues the evolution of one of Hobart’s most loved gathering places. Influenced by the seasonal, local flavours of Tasmania.
NEWS: Who Will Shape the Future of Launceston’s CBD?
This winter, the Love Launnie Shopping Passport invited locals to make purchases at 100 CBD retailers throughout May and June for a chance to win prizes. Choosing to support local has had a measurable positive impact. Presented by Launceston Central, a not-for-profit organisation funded by City of Launceston to promote local businesses and events, the Shopping Passport was designed to incentivise and reward shoppers for choosing to shop local.
LOCAL PEOPLE: Ivano Del Pio
Do you love a good dinner party? Well actor and teacher Ivano does too, and he’s welcoming diners into his North Hobart home each month, transformed into Scarpetta. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up in Launceston. The youngest of seven, we moved around a bit. I can recall seven places in the 22 years of living there. One of my favourite places was the Australian Italian Club when it was in George Street in the city.
NEWS: Glenorchy Pool Painted
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.
NEWS: Tawnys Gone-Ies
Users of the Hobart Rivulet Track may have noticed the works to remove invasive crack willows along the rivulet banks. According to the City of Hobart, the crack willow removal project is helping restore the rivulet with locally native vegetation and improve habitat for native wildlife in the long term. There are three Tawny Frogmouths (not to be mistaken as owls!) that regularly perch on a specific branch, and are known to locals.
NEWS: Celebrating Local Arts At The Charts Festival
NEWS: Celebrating Local Arts At The Charts Festival In Tassie’s far northwest every year, for one vibrant month, Circular Head bursts with creativity, history and community spirit. The CHArts Festival has grown from humble beginnings into the northwest coast’s only month-long celebration of culture, heritage and the arts. From 4 September and featuring more than 40 events, the festival transforms towns and communities across the region into creative hubs.
NEW: Dragons Abreast Abroad
NEW: Dragons Abreast Abroad Dragons Abreast Hobart, a club of breast cancer survivors turned Dragon Boat paddlers, is heading to Lac du Bourget, Annecy, France, to compete in a regatta alongside 4,500 paddlers from 36 countries. They want to share with others going through breast cancer that life is not over, and that a whole new world of fun, fitness and friendship is available.
NEWS: Glow Show Wins Gong
NEWS: Glow Show Wins Gong Congrats to Dr Lisa Gershwin, founder of Glow Show Tasmania and former cover star of this mag, for winning the 2026 Tassie Tour Guide Award. The award celebrates the outstanding guides who bring Tasmania’s stories, landscapes, wildlife, culture and communities to life through unique visitor experiences. Sounds very fitting for Dr Gershwin and her brilliant enthusiasm for sharing the wonder of science and all things that glow under UV light in the night.
NEWS: Vale Chris Wedd
NEWS: Vale Chris Wedd Pankind, the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, are sad to share that Chris Wedd passed away 20 July 2026 after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. A former swimmer, water polo player, coach, administrator and learn-to-swim operator whose love of swimming commenced with the opening of the Glenorchy Olympic Pool in the early 1960’s. As Head Coach of the Glenorchy Amateur Swimming Club and then The Hobart Aquatic Club, he inspired generations of swimmers.
Tassie Market Watch - August 2026
LINDA PUB FOR SALE The Linda Pub – or what’s left of it – is for sale. The pub, near Queenstown, hasn’t operated for 74 years and is now a concrete shell. The hotel and adjacent cafe and residence are up for grabs for offers over $300,000. The hotel in the once bustling mining town was built as a weatherboard in 1901 but burnt down nine years later. The exterior was rebuilt using concrete, which remains today despite all interiors having been removed long ago.
NEWS: Rajah Quilt Replica Arrives
NEWS: Rajah Quilt Replica Arrives New Governor Caroline Wells has symbolically accepted a replica of the historic Rajah Quilt at Government House on behalf of Tasmanians. The original Rajah Quilt was created in 1841 by 29 convict women aboard the ship Rajah as they travelled from England to Van Diemen’s Land. It’s the only surviving full quilt made by convicts on a convict ship anywhere in the world.
Bathroom Trends To Tap Into
From feature tubs to brass taps and lush greenery, combining the latest trends and timeless styling tips will transform your bathroom into a bathing sanctuary worthy of a day spa. Feature tubs The freestanding bathtub has gained popularity in recent years, epitomising the changing nature of bathrooms as a space for relaxation and escape from our daily routines.
Never Too Late: Three Tasmanian Mums Answer The Call To Paramedicine
For many people, changing careers midlife could feel like a leap into the unknown. For graduate paramedics Tanya Fitzpatrick, Kate Routley and Allison Pook, it has been life changing. The three women share more than a passion for caring for their community. They are all Hobart mums who chose to retrain as paramedics while raising children and juggling family life, proving that a meaningful career change can happen at any stage of life.
Glenorchy Art And Sculpture Park
Words and pictures: Elizabeth Osborne Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park (GASP) is seven kilometres north of Hobart. There is ample parking in the Derwent Entertainment Centre carpark. The linear park extends from Wilkinsons Point, along the foreshore of Elwick Bay’s east edge, skirting Montague Bay High School, then follows the Brooker Highway to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). The view to the DEC GASP features contemporary art works, walking and cycling paths, open parklands and wetlands.
Abraham Mezze Bar + Mega Nugget Recipe
30 CROSS STREET, NEW TOWN Abraham Mezze Bar is a small vegetarian mezze bar tucked in next to Jackman and McCross in New Town, run by sisters Maggie and Marion Abraham. Drawing on their father Said’s Lebanese heritage and their mother Ruth’s love of gardening, the sisters serve Al-Sham (Levant) inspired small plates built around Tasmania’s seasonal produce, much of it grown in their own kitchen garden and at their Molesworth property. Marion and Maggie.
New Transplant Recipient To Compete At First Games
New Transplant Recipient To Compete At First Games Mandy McIntyre, 52, from Hobart, received a life-saving heart transplant in 2025 after a sudden, unexplained heart condition saw her go from competitive runner to being placed on the transplant waiting list within weeks. Prior to becoming ill, Mandy was an active athlete who regularly competed in running events. A year after her transplant, Mandy has returned to the sports she loves, already completing a sprint triathlon and a half marathon.
Looking South: Hobart, Antarctica and the Photographs of David Neilson
Words by Emily Quintin Our city has always been shaped by water, but its relationship with the sea doesn’t stop at the mouth of the Derwent. Look south from Hobart and Antarctica is out there, just beyond the horizon. For most of us it’s a place we know through images, research updates and the quiet movement of ships through the port. It can feel distant and abstract, but here in Hobart, Antarctica has a way of showing up in everyday life if you know where to look.
The Tassie Book Club - August 2026
The Tassie Book Club – August 2026 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.
LOCAL PEOPLE: James Briant
As founder of Black Square Chess, James has taken the game from a handful of after school classes to over 200 schools across Tasmania. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up in the bustling community of South Hobart but also spent half my time out at Penna near Sorell on our family farm. At the moment, I live in Howrah with my partner and my dog, Archie. Absolutely loving the close access to the beach and running tracks nearby. What do you do for work?
LOCAL PEOPLE: Patrick O’connor
Principal lawyer and CEO of the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service, Patrick works to reunite families separated by conflict and supporting victim-survivors of family violence on temporary visas. Where did you grow up and where do you live now? I grew up in Sassafras in the Dandenong rangers, about an hour and a half out of Melbourne and now live in Hobart. What do you do for work? I work as the Principal Lawyer and CEO of the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service (TRLS).
Bits And Pieces - July 2026
NEW NEW NEW Pork knuckle and pretzel lovers will be loving the new Bierhalle (124 Davey St, Hobart) in the space once home to the Aberfeldy, Bridie O’Riellys, Hotel Soho and more recently, The Chowk. It’s the work of Chris Cooper, who is behind Preachers as well as co-owner of Boodle Beasley and Last Rites Brewing. New Town is welcoming Abraham Mezze Bar (30 Cross Street, New Town), the definition of a neighbourhood bar.
NEWS: Wildwater World Champion
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.
NEWS: Kettlebell Champions Return With 7 World Records
Annette Counsell, 58, and Lenka Pelco¬va, 36, have just returned home from the World Kettlebell Sports Championships in Moldova with 15 medals between them and Annette also broke seven world records. The two traveled with the Australian national kettlebell team, competing with lifters from around the world, over three days. A kettlebell is a cast-iron or cast-steel weight, shaped like a ball with a handle.
Tassie Market Watch - July 2026
FIRST HOME BUYERS GRANT DOWN $10,000 The 2026-2027 budget has passed the Tasmania Parliament. First-home buyers in Tasmania are facing the end to two major offerings from their state government. The 2026 Tasmanian state budget confirmed extensions on two popular first-home buyer incentives will be wound up, rather than extended, at the end of the financial year. The temporary boost to the state’s $10,000 First Home Owners Grant – which took the handout to $30,000 in 2021 – is no longer available.
2026 Tasmanian Architecture Awards Winners
Tasmania’s most outstanding new architecture has been revealed in the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2026 Tasmanian Architecture Awards. The 31 awarded projects represent the cutting edge in architectural innovation from the state’s sharpest design minds. The Homestead Renewal at Wybalenna by Taylor and Hinds Architects. Pic: Adam Gibson The winners for 2026 act as a roadmap to the new building projects that are shaping Tasmania’s contemporary built environment.
Dine & Wine: Tassie Duo Take Young Gun Award
Just outside Launceston overlooking the Tamar River, winemakers Lauren and Matthias Utzinger have been working away at their vineyard since purchasing it in 2018. They were recently awarded the Young Gun of Wine Award, a prestigious recognition of their efforts. Matthias started his winemaking apprenticeship as cellar hand in Switzerland, followed by a degree in viticulture and oenology at the University of Changins.
The Hobart / Launceston Magazine
Words: Annia Baron I was thirteen years old and the infectious beat of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” was thumping hard from the chunky speakers on each side of the DJ. Inside the school community hall, students were celebrating the end of term with a supervised disco, and I was buzzing with excitement. My romantic crush had arrived at the party, and I knew that this would be the night I would have my first kiss.
Two Rivers Bicentennial Track
Words and pictures: Elizabeth Osborne The historic town of New Norfolk, in the Derwent Valley, is the location of the Two Rivers Bicentennial Track. The two rivers the track follows are the Lachlan and Derwent Rivers. The track is a gentle circuit walk of approximately six kilometres. It’s clearly signed and well maintained. A quirky garden display at Derwent Valley Community Garden New Norfolk is a 45 kilometre drive north west of Hobart along the Lyell Highway.
The Hobart / Launceston Magazine
What’s On Tassie 6 Explore North West Tassie as private properties unlock their gates for Permission to Trespass, until the 15th. Long table feasts, creative workshops, markets, whisky tastings and more. 7 Head to Du Cane Brewery for Pub Juggling, a social juggling club for jugglers and non-jugglers. 5:30pm-7pm. 8 Winter in the Vineyard: A Vine Pruning Masterclass is at Clover Hill Vineyard, Lebrina today from 11:30am- 3:30pm, plus a tasting masterclass and cheese platter. Various dates.
NEWS: It's Flickerfest Time
NEWS: It’s Flickerfest Time Flickerfest, Australia’s largest Short Film Festival, returns on its National Tour to The Peacock Theatre in Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart, showcasing the Best of Australian Shorts and Best of International Shorts programme highlights from their recent Bondi festival competitions.
NEWS: Calamari Crisis?
NEWS: Calamari Crisis? With stocks of calamari now classified as depleted in the south east waters and depleting in the north, scientists and fishers are working together to try to help. The University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) will lead a three-year research project tracking what drives the squid to spawn and when. Divers will count calamari eggs on the seafloor, and underwater cameras will be combined with AI trained to pick out calamari egg clusters.
NEWS: Vinnies Winter Appeal
Like so many charities, Vinnies is seeing record demand for support in Tasmania. They’ve just launched their 2026 Winter Appeal, and warned that more people than ever are cutting back on basics to afford to keep a roof over their heads. A recent national survey commissioned by St Vincent de Paul found that 55 per cent of Australians have reduced their spending on essentials like medication, groceries and bills to pay for their housing.
NEWS: A New Way To See Tolosa Park
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.
NEWS: To Boyer And Beyond
The rail corridor between New Norfolk and Boyer will be revived, with a new plan by The Derwent Valley Railway to bring the dormant space back to life with heritage rail services. The railway has secured a 3.1km lease, granting them the first official access to the section in about 20 years.
NEWS: Music And Wine Bringing People Together
Cassandra Charlick is a relative newcomer to Tassie, and is hitting the stage as part of the Festival of Voices Salamanca @ 6 series, on 9 July. Your upcoming show When I Grow Up asks whether we ever really know what we want to be. Is it personal? It’s totally drawn from my life journey. Music plays an integral part in all of our lives, and so many of our memories are tied to songs that make up our individual soundtracks.
NEWS: New All-Terrain Wheelchair For Free Hire In Hobart
NEWS: New All-Terrain Wheelchair For Free Hire In Hobart There is a new all-terrain wheelchair available for free hire to explore the Queens Domain’s tracks and trails. Disability advocate David Cawthorn said the TrailRider helps break down barriers to outdoor recreation for people with limited mobility. “Getting out into nature improves physical health, mental wellbeing and social connections, and this initiative ensures more members of the community can share in those benefits,” he said.
What's On In Hobart & Around the Island
What’s On In Hobart & Around the Island – June 2026 June 1 Local blues and Americana legend Billy Whitton plays the Mona Lawns from 1pm-3pm 2 Photographer Rex Cox’s lunchtime talk Hobart in Time of War explores our waterfront during the Boer War, WW1 and WW2. 12pm-1pm, TMAG. 3 Head along to The Criterion House today for a heartwarming performance featuring retired people graduating from a recent acting course. 1:30pm, gold coin donation.
THE OFF SEASON: Explore Outdoors
THE OFF SEASON: Explore Outdoors Outside, winter is felt before it is seen. The air sharp, the light low, the landscape more defined. Be drawn out this winter, into forests, rivers, snow and sky. Rug up and be a part of the elements – there’s so much waiting for you. First up meet Poppy Seed, the naughtiest goat on Little Things Farm (ltss.com.au), if you can find her that is. She’s on the loose, snatching feed buckets, slipping through fences and leaving cheeky clues everywhere she goes.
THE OFF SEASON: Christian And Elle-May Watson
Since 2023, Christian Watson’s hand-drawn animated skeleton, Mr Skelly, has amassed more than eight million followers on social media platforms. Elle-May Watson captures the world through her camera lens. Together, they’ve built a creative life in Tasmania that’s as inspiring as their art. Mr Skelly was first sketched in 2023. What was the spark?
THE OFF SEASON: By The Fireside
For as long as we’ve been human, we’ve been drawn to the glow of a fire. And there’s no better time or place to huddle around and watch those flickering flames than Tassie in the Off Season. Maybe that’s roasting marshmallows with the kids, settling in with a glass of something local or simply the comfort of being near others, the fire still calls us in, just as it always has. Vines in Winter Rest Winter settles gently over the vineyard at Maclean Bay Wines (macleanbaywines.com.au/off-season).
THE OFF SEASON: A Cosy Retreat
It’s all about how you settle in. This Off Season is an invitation to slow the pace and reconnect with the important people in your life, where shared moments take shape around firelight, comfort and unhurried time together. A Starlit Family Camp-In Experience the quiet rhythm of a winter night at Wesley Dale (wesleydaletasmania.com).
THE OFF SEASON: Come On In
Baby, it’s cold outside! We love that crisp, cool air, kids’ rosy cheeks and the rawness of Tasmania in winter. We also love heading indoors. Winter has a way of drawing people together, as we gather in warm, welcoming spaces. Across the state, cosy corners and simple comforts offer the perfect excuse to slow down and settle in for the Off Season. Become the landed gentry of Hobart Town, captured for posterity at Olde Time Portraits (oldetimeportraits.com.au) in Blackmans Bay.
Love Where You Live - And Watch Its Value Grow
With recent changes to capital gains tax in Australia shifting the spotlight onto the family home as a smart financial asset, more Australians are asking the question: what can I do to make my home worth more? The good news is, you don’t need a massive budget or a full knockdown-rebuild to make a real difference. A few well-chosen upgrades can add serious value – and make your place a whole lot more enjoyable to live in along the way.
Richmond Park Track To Brinktop Bushland Reserve
Words and pictures: Elizabeth Osborne The historic town of Richmond, in the Coal River Valley, is the start of the Richmond Park Track to Brinktop Bushland Reserve, an easy three kilometre walk from the town. Richmond is a twenty-minute drive, north east of Hobart, along the Tasman Highway, with ample parking in the Richmond Bridge carpark.
Tassie Market Watch- June 2026
EAST COAST EXCELLENCE: FOUR TASMANIAN PROPERTIES JOIN THE WORLD’S LUXURY ELITE Freycinet Holiday Houses has achieved a milestone that places Tasmania’s east coast firmly on the world luxury travel map, with four of its properties earning coveted inclusion in the Airbnb Luxe collection, one of the most exclusive and difficult-to-achieve designations in the global short-stay accommodation industry.
The Woman Cracking The World Open
Zoe Jacobson has gone from oyster packer to Australia’s fastest shucker – and with a spot at the World Championship in Galway and a brand new oyster bar taking shape back home, she’s just getting started. How did you become the fastest oyster shucker in Australia? Short answer…a lot of grit and determination! I was raised on my family’s farm, surrounded by livestock like sheep and cattle, which helped shape my strong work ethic and appreciation for hard work.
The Hobart / Launceston Magazine
Words: Annia Baron It was an ordinary day in the palliative care section of the nursing home and as usual, a semi-circle of silver haired ladies and gentlemen resided in the communal area watching TV. A music concert began streaming on one of the channels and like the flick of a switch, a sudden wave of commotion swept through the scene. A grieving woman, who frequented the hospice to spend time with her mother, unexpectedly got up from her chair and felt compelled to dance.
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