Tassie On My Mind, October 2009
- The good, the bad
and the far from ugly
Welcome to the October 2009 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.
Ever seen that Clint Eastwood movie "The good, the bad and the ugly"?
Well maybe you haven't. It was made many moons ago. However it's considered by many to be a bit of a classic. So it would still be making the rounds.
In any case, I will tell you how the good, the bad and the far from ugly have featured lately in Tasmania
This issue:
- The good and the bad
- Far from ugly
- I love Corinna
- Tasmania and Queensland lead the retail charge
- Tasmanian native makes it home
The good and the bad
What am I talking about?
The weather of course... We've seen some record weather in Tassie of late. For example, last month Hobart experienced its second wettest September on record.
Now we all know that bad weather can bring you down... Outdoor activities get cancelled too.
But there are many upsides.
More rain means more food sources. Hence Tasmanian wildlife is expected to have a record breeding season. This will help bring up the numbers which have been diminished due to drought.
And of course all this rain means the fishing will be good too. Why? More water means more room to move for fish. And that in turns means access to more food.
According to Anglers Alliance Tasmania chairman Richard Dax, "This is the best start for a season that we've had for 10 years. We'll see fish getting fatter than they've been in years ...". Not just more fish, but more fat fish. Hmmm... This is terrific news, particularly since
fishing is definitely one of the things to do when in Tasmania.
More rain also means more energy. Hydro Tasmania has noted increased energy stores after a record quarterly downpour.
Yes, the rain certainly brings many valuable benefits.
Far from ugly
Strahan got a mention in a book featuring ugly Australian towns. West Coast mayor Darryl Gerrity has said that "Smalltown" was the first book in a long time to describe the West as ugly.
According to the publishers, Penguin Books Australia, the book describes "the peculiar collision of beauty and ugliness that characterises our far-flung towns" and is "a beautiful book about ugliness."
I would need to read the book before I pass judgment I suppose. But right now I can't for the life of me understand how Strahan could be described as ugly in any way.
I found Strahan to be attractive in a quaint sort of way. And I had a wonderful time there.
Not to mention the unforgettable Gordon River cruise.
And I do mean unforgettable in an extremely positive way!
I love Corinna
Have you heard that song? I think it should be sung in honour of the Tasmanian town of Corinna.
Why?
Because in September last year, Corinna introduced its bottled water-free policy. It was the first place in the world to effectively ban bottled water.
The Bottled Water Alliance had recognised the New South Wales town of Bundanoon as the first town to ban bottled water. Bundanoon launched its bottled water-free policy just this month. The Bottled Water Alliance are now reconsidering their decision.
Corinna Wilderness Resort general manager Garry Sullivan has a terrific attitude. He said:
"For us it is all about controlling the use of plastics, not about being the first. I think Bundanoon should be recognised for its stand, and the great work being done by the Bottled Water Alliance should be too."
In 2008, the Corinna Wilderness Resort recycled 200,000 aluminium cans. Plastic drinking straws were replaced with paper ones. Plus only milk from cardboard cartons was used. Looks to me like they are truly serious about caring for the environment.
Tasmania and Queensland lead the retail charge
Last month Tasmania and Queensland set an example on what to do when there is a global financial crisis hanging about. Spend money!
In Tasmania and Queensland, retail trade grew by 1.4% in August, more than any of the other states. In Tasmania, most of the expenditure was on food, dining out and household goods.
According to Richard Dowling, Chief Economist at the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tasmania led the way in annual retail growth. The island state recorded an increase of 6.6 per cent compared to the national figure of 5.9 per cent.
Well I can certainly understand how easy it is to spend money dining out in Tasmania. Especially when there is such high quality local produce available!
Tasting the local produce in Tasmanian is something I highly recommend.
Tasmanian native makes it home
After a wonderful holiday in Tasmania, we all want to take home a souvenir or two. But what if it's a live Tasmanian native forest bat?
A Sydney couple had been holidaying in Tasmania, including Cradle Mountain National Park. Now that makes perfect sense to me.
I've had some lovely adventures in Cradle Mountain National Park myself.
When the couple returned home, they discovered a Tasmanian bat in their suitcase. They promptly notified the authorities. I have to praise the couple for doing this instead of simply releasing the bat in Sydney.
Thankfully, a student from the University of Tasmania was available to help the bat get home. The bat was flown to Hobart airport, then returned to Cradle Mountain. According to the student, Lisa Cawthen, "I think he instinctively knew that he was back home and immediately flew high into a roof crevice of one of the huts to sleep,"
Well we all know there's no place like home. Thank goodness the Sydney couple understood that too.
Well that's it for this issue.
So what do we have to look forward to in Tasmania this month?
How about Australia's largest craft fair? Yes indeed. The Tasmanian Craft Fair is on from Friday 30th October to Monday 2nd November. You can check out 200 stalls at 12 venues. It will be brilliant, especially if you are into craft. There will also be Tassie gourmet foods available to sample - yummy...
See you in November!
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