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Tassie On My Mind, July 2012 -- no place like Tasmania
July 04, 2012
Hello

Tassie On My Mind, July 2012
- no place like Tasmania

Welcome to the July 2012 issue of Tassie On My Mind, a free monthly newsletter keeping you informed of the latest news on what makes Tasmania such an attractive travel destination.

Is there really no place like Tasmania? Yes indeed. In just one location - Australia's beautiful island state, you can join in unique celebrations of food, nature and art.

Read on to see what I mean...

This issue:

  • Whale of a time
  • Chocolate and cheese
  • Excellent exhibitions
  • Sounds good
  • Ballet in Burnie

Plus... your chance to be a part of tasmania-attractions.com!


Whale of a time

I'm describing what must have been the experience of those who have spotted whales off the coast of Tasmania recently. Whales have been seen off Bruny Island, Coles Bay, Maria Island, Battery Point and other locations.

Why all the whale sightings? At this time of year, whales are moving north to warmer waters to give birth.

According to Rosemary Gales of the State Government's wildlife and marine section, information gained from whale sightings could increase understanding of whale behaviour. She said:

"The data we are gathering furthers our understanding of the whales and assists the national recovery efforts..."

In view of the whaling history in this part of the world, I'm very happy to know that whale populations are recovering.

Dr Gales has asked for boats to maintain a safe and respectful distance from whales. Boats moving at less than 5 knots with no wake should get no closer than 100 metres to a whale. Vessels under steam should not approach any closer than 300 metres.

Seen any whales lately? Report sightings to the government's whale hotline on 0427 WHALES (0427 942 537).


Chocolate and cheese

Do you have a soft spot for chocolate and/or cheese? Then come along to these events:

Chocolate Winterfest
Latrobe's annual celebration of chocolate will be held on 8th July. There will be a lantern parade, a decorated chocolate cake competition, a chocolate scrapbooking competition and other unique chocolate inspired events.

Blue Lovers
Grandvewe Cheeses will be running the inaugural Blue Lovers Weekend on the 7th and 8th July. As you might have guessed from the name of the event, the focus will be on blue cheese. There will be complimentary tastings and great food served up. You will also get to learn about the cheese making process.

Yum, I think chocolate and cheese go well together don't you?


Excellent exhibitions

Have you ever been to the Salamanca Arts Centre at Salamance Place, Hobart? You will always find interesting exhibitions taking place there. For example:

Tasmanian Waterways
This is an exhibition of black and white photos by the Hobart Photographic Society Mono Group. What is the theme? You guessed it - the waterways of Tasmania. These photos not only feature landscapes, wildlife and water activities are included too. There's something very special about black and white photos, don't you think?

Dollhouse and Miniature Extravaganza
Presented by the Miniature Enthusiasts of Tasmania, this exhibition showcases miniatures and dollhouses. The main attraction will be Lilliput, a miniature department store. The store will have 20 departments - imagine that! I think a lot of hardworking and talented people would have worked on that.

Visit the events page of the Salamanca Arts Centre website for more information on these and other amazing events.


Sounds good

I'm referring to the Festival of Voices and the Winter Blues Sessions. They offer different kinds of sounds but both have loads of appeal.

Festival of Voices
At Tasmania's leading winter cultural event, enjoy delightful musical events including cabaret, choir and ensemble singing, spoken word, debate, poetry, storytelling and hip hop. Find out more at the Festival of Voices website.

The Winter Blues Session
Love blues music? Then don't miss the Winter Blues Session at the Launceston Blues Club on the weekend of 21st/22nd July. There will be 3 acts, including two from Tasmania - The Fabulous Terrazzo Brothers and the Barflies.


Ballet in Burnie

On 28th July the Tasmanian Ballet Company will perform The Sleeping Beauty at the Burnie Arts And Function Centre.

Not going to be around Burnie on the 28th?

You can also attend The Sleeping Beauty at:

  • Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart on 14th July
  • Theatre North, Launceston on 21st July
  • Gaiety Theatre, Zeehan on 26th July
These performances of one of the world's most famous ballets mark the company's 10th season.

And how exciting, eight of the nineteen performers are Tasmanians!

In 2010, they company performed The Nutcracker (my favourite) and last year, it was Swan Lake.

Sleeping Beauty would definitely be a close second to The Nutcracker in my book. I love happy endings, don't you?

Well that's it for this issue.

It may be winter but that doesn't mean that the fun and action ceases in Tasmania. Not at all. When you consider all the wonderful things you can do in Tasmania, be it whale-watching or attending a special event, there are lots of reasons to come out of hibernation. I hope your winter is eventful in all the nicest ways.

See you in August!


To contact me, click here.

Here's your chance to be a part of
Tasmania-attractions.com!

One Day In Tasmania

What if you had just one day in Tasmania? Where would you go? What would you do?

Share your dream with us. If selected, your dream will appear as a page at tasmania-attractions.com

It doesn't matter if you have never been to Tasmania. I would love to hear your thoughts too. It's easy to find out about Tasmania, at tasmania-attractions.com or elsewhere.

This is your chance. Join in the fun. Share your thoughts with us.

We all gain so much from each other's ideas.

Hit us with your best shot

Your best wildlife shot, that is...

Have you ever been in just the right place at just the right time and snagged a great wildlife photo?

Share that photo with us. We would love to see it. Not only that, we would love to get your tips on how you got the photo.

How did you manage not to scare the animal away? What did you do to prepare for the shot?

If selected, your photo and story will appear as a page at tasmania-attractions.com

This is your opportunity to shine. Let's share our stories around.


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