The last few tickets are available for this free lunchtime talk on Tuesday 14 April. Sue Pedley will discuss her creative process from initial research and fieldwork through to material choices and final presentation, with time for questions and a walk through the 'Prevailing Gales' exhibition.
Dear Friends,
Please send this to your networks. Project Drawdown is offering full-time, paid (with benefits) fellowships to scientists and engineers working on climate solutions in the public interest.
Deadline is April 17.
drawdown.org/careers/clim...
The Australian Institute of International Affairs Tasmania was delighted to host The Hon. Lisa Singh, CEO of the Australia India Institute, last night. Her presentation covered the emerging role of multilaterals in preserving the rules-based order and building climate resilience in the Indo-Pacific.
The memorial commemorates Tasmanians who have lost their lives at sea and those, irrespective of nationality, who have lost their lives in Tasmanian waters.
As the Dedication for the Memorial states:
The memory of those whom we have lost – we share;
For those who grieve such a loss – we care.
In February 1973, the Japanese fishing vessel Nisshin Maru No. 8 struck Pedra Branca, a small rock islet located off the southern coast of Tasmania, and sank. Only one of the 22 members of the crew survived. This tragedy is commemorated by the Tasmanian Seafarers' Memorial in Triabunna.
The group currently meets at the State Cinema Cafe in North Hobart on the first Saturday of each month. Everyone is welcome to join us, irrespective of their language abilities. All that you need is a willingness to give it a go.
You can find us on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/groups/japan...
The Japanese Language and Culture Exchange in Hobart group has been running for more than ten years. Yesterday, we welcomed our 1000th member. And today we enjoyed one of our largest-ever meetups, with 24 people from around the world coming together to make new connections and to exchange languages.
The Australian Institute of International Affairs Tasmania is delighted to be hosting The Hon. Lisa Singh, CEO of the Australia India Institute, for a talk on middle power climate diplomacy and the potential for an Australia-India partnership.
Registrations: aiiatas.glueup.com/event/9-apri...
The City of Hobart Urban Sustainability Grants are for individuals or groups who are eager to make a positive environmental difference.
You can apply for up to $15,000 in areas such as waste reduction, energy efficiency initiatives and community gardens.
Applications close on 17 April 2026.
There was a wonderful interview with Ashley and Jane on ABC Country Hour in 2024 (the highly-entertaining segment on Japan begins at around 06:15).
I met Jane at their cellar door in the Derwent Valley, but they can also be found at Farm Gate Market in Hobart on the fourth Sunday of each month.
Exporting Tasmanian ale and cider to Japan
Two Metre Tall Brewery, owned and run by Jane and Ashley Huntington, produces a range of ales and ciders using farm-grown Tasmanian ingredients and wild fermentation. They exported their first pallets to Japan in 2020 and now send a container each year.
Late last year, the Tasmanian Tonic Company shipped their first batch of tonic water and soda to Japan. That shipment has just arrived in Osaka and will soon be hitting the shelves. It was wonderful to meet the founders, Dina and Andrew Gregson, at Salamanca Market today and to hear their story.
On Tuesday evening, the Australian Institute of International Affairs Tasmania was delighted to host the Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, Mr Tokuro Furuya. In front of a large audience, the Consul-General shared his insights into Japanese foreign policy under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Yuriko from Southern Caps Mushroom is also a regular. She went to university in Hobart’s sister city of Yaizu, before moving to the Huon Valley and starting a mushroom farm with her husband. They specialise in growing gourmet mushrooms, with a strong commitment to sustainability.
Celebrating Japanese connections at Hobart’s Farm Gate Market.
Masaaki has recently returned to the market after a long absence. His sushi stall sells local Tasmanian seafood and is deservedly popular. The temaki (hand-rolled sushi) is made to order and is some of the best that I’ve ever tasted.
Congratulations to Nadeshiko Japan for their victory in last night’s final of the Women's Asian Cup 2026. The Matildas did Australia proud but, ultimately, it was a breathtaking goal from Maika Hamano that carried the day. Members of the community enjoyed the match together on Parliament Lawns.
The City of Hobart is hosting a free community watch party on Parliament Lawns this evening. Come and watch the Matildas play Nadeshiko Japan in the final of the Women's Asian Cup 2026.
Pre-game coverage will start from 7pm, with the match itself beginning at 8pm.
Today is the first-ever Australian Red Cross Giving Day. From 8am to 8pm AEDT on Thursday 19 March, every donation that you make is doubled.
On 1 March, I was delighted to attend a Lantern Festival Dinner hosted by the Taiwanese Association of Tasmania. Members of the local community came together to reflect on the past year and to celebrate new beginnings. Thank you to Little Poet Patisserie cafe for the delicious vegetarian food!
While Hobart may lack a Chinatown, the stories of early Chinese migrants and their descendants linger across the city.
It was great to meet Taz from Spring Bay Distillery at Salamanca Market. Spring Bay's Tawny Port Cask was named the Best Oceania Single Malt Whisky at the 2023 Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition. This was followed last year with a Gold Medal for their Solera Muscat Cask Finish. Congratulations!
The Australian Institute of International Affairs Tasmania is delighted to present this special event with the Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne, Mr Tokuro Furuya, on 24 March 2026.
Registrations: aiiatas.glueup.com/event/24-mar...
It's such a remarkable Tasmanian institution, isn't it? I take visitors there whenever I can and they always have an amazing time.
On Monday, we visited Maria Island. The island is dry at the moment but we saw several wombats, including a rare white wombat. On Tuesday, we enjoyed a final cheese platter at Coal River Farm. My guests then flew back to Tokyo, where the temperature upon arrival was just four degrees.
‘The Journey’ allows visitors to experience a self-guided tour of Bonorong's new Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Facility, which opened late last year. This is truly excellent. Everything that they do is funded entirely by the entry fees and I can only encourage people to visit for themselves.
On Sunday, we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, the Coal River Valley and Richmond.
Bonorong was one of the absolute highlights of the tour. As well as being an outstanding attraction in its own right, it operates Tasmania’s largest 24-hour wildlife rescue service.
It was great to meet Todd from 7K Distillery at Salamanca Market. Todd lived in Japan for ten years and Tyler Clark, the distillery’s founder, travelled to Japan last year as part of the Tasmanian Trade and Investment Mission.
It was a whirlwind conclusion to the tour of southern Tasmania for my guests from Japan. On Friday and Saturday, we visited Mount Field National Park and the Derwent Valley, Street Eats @ Franko, Salamanca Market and the Huon Valley.
You can always rely on Bruny Island to deliver the goods. Thanks to Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Company, Get Shucked Oysters and Bruny Island Honey for helping to make it a very memorable day for my Japanese visitors.
I’m spending the next six days showing a group of visitors from Japan around Tasmania. And to kick things off, a perfect Hobart moment: the view from the summit of kunanyi/Mount Wellington on Wednesday evening as the French Antarctic vessel, L’Astrolabe, comes into port.