Now that our mural is finished, we are concentrating on a backyard makeover, Clive and the team have been doing fantastic work beautifying the space, including completing the grotto, painting the side wall, and installing a new garden next to the greenhouse.

We are in preparation mode for the Care Farming Open Day (see flyer below), huge thanks to the SAP team for their signs for the walking tracks and Jude for her wonderful artwork for the map of the tracks and other features at Oldina. Everyone welcome at the Oldina Community Farm on the 26th April for this event.

Our focus at Ecofest on the 5th and 6th of April will be promoting our current projects: Care Farming (including the Open Day), Community Mondays, and the Grow meetings. We will also be putting the word out for volunteers, currently we are seeking volunteers at Oldina, particularly those with handyperson skills, and volunteers to assist with administration and publicity/promotions, including use of social media. Another reason for visiting our stall is hearing the latest about our Community Based Income campaign, see below for an update.

Our Volunteer project is going well, we will soon be announcing some training we are funding which will be open to all volunteers in our community. We will also soon be annoucing the date for our ‘Volunteer Expo’, where prospective volunteers can learn all about the range of organisations in Waratah-Wynyard that host volunteers, and where they can meet the representatives of those organisations. We will also have the amazing Jodhi Gough from ‘The Drum Collective’ doing a drumming session during the Expo. We envisage it will be held during Volunteer Week (19th to the 25th of May).

Movie screening – Larapinta End to End

Paul Pritchard, author and disability educator who was left paralysed in the right side of his body while climbing the Totem Pole in 1998, was accompanied by an all-disabled team who completed the iconic Larapinta Trail, once of Australia’s most challenging multi-day desert treks.

The film has been massively engaging viewers, encouraging discussion and debate, not only about ‘dignity of risk’ but wider human rights issues.

Larapinta End To End has been wowing audiences in Europe and Australia and has been entered into 23 film festivals so far. Paul Pritchard, author and disability educator who was left paralysed in the right side of his body while climbing the Totem Pole in 1998, was accompanied by an all-disabled team who completed the iconic Larapinta Trail, once of Australia’s most challenging multi-day desert treks.

The film has been massively engaging viewers, encouraging discussion and debate, not only about ‘dignity of risk’ but wider human rights issues.

Larapinta End To End has been wowing audiences in Europe and Australia and has been entered into 23 film festivals so far.

An extra treat for us is that Walter van Praag is one of the stars of the film, Walter lives in Devonport and has been a long time active supporter of our CENTs (Community Exchange Network Tasmania) project. We hope he will be attend our screening on the 10th of May.

Social Activation Project update

Wynyard Food Hub – ROC Volunteering

The SAP Team have been continuing helping out at the Wynyard Food Hub – ROC. They assist with the clean up and tidying up of the ROC at the end of their week operations. This happens every Friday.

Oldina Track Signage

They are continuing on with creating signs for the LWT Oldina Community Farm Walk to the Grandmother tree and other beautiful and significant spots. Melinda Cleland has volunteered her time and donated materials to cut out the signage fonts and pictures for these signs with the SAP Team, using her Cricket Machine. They are coming along fabulously. They are learning the skill of design, wood burning, drawing and how to make a sign stand out.

Lobster Ponds Volunteering

The Team assisted at the Lobster Ponds with food service, kitchen hand work and clean up. They had a great time serving up a delicious meal provided by the Lobster Pond volunteers to a bus load of visitors from the main land. The visitors were very impressed with the service and food provided for their visit to the Ponds. We received many compliments.

Youth Week Event

The Team is super busy organising all of their activities for the Youth Week Event which will be held on Thursday 10^th April from 3-5pm at the Wynyard Community Centre and Skate Park area.

Skill they are learning:

• Event planning, organisation of events, event coordination, event administration, and event facilitation.
• Poster design and creation 
• Marketing – They are doing their own Radio promotions at Coast FM, flyer drops, contacting media outlets.
• Organising their own activity – all aspects from conceptions, decision making, organising materials, marketing and more.
• Designing their own logo and t-shirts whilst acquiring skills in this area.

What they will be delivering on the day:

• Nintendo Switch: Jarrik will have his Nintendo Switch available for people play Mario Kart
• Sharman’s Art Corner: Colby will set up a space for people to come and draw and check out his creations and can assist people with ideas for their art pieces
• Chill Out Zone: We will set a space for people to Chill, bean bags, rugs and cushions all set up under the 150yr Old Oak Tree
• Suggestion Box – Let your voice be heard! We are asking youth to put in suggestions for what they would like to see to benefit them in the community.
• Community Art Work: The Team has 2 large out door canvases for the community to add their hand print too in many different colours. The Team would like these are works to be hung on the Live Well Tasmania’s Community Centre fence. If you are there on the day, please come and say hi and add your hand to our piece to be displayed for all the community to see. 

Community Based Income (CBI) update

Lately for the CBI campaign we have been focussing on working with our local councils particularly via the Cradle Coast Authority, due to the significance of local government for the campaign. We are promoting the fact that a CBI would help provide much needed resources to help Councils deliver their large amount of strategies and plans. All Councils tend to have plans relating to improving life for everyone, often with specific plans such as Age Friendly plans, Youth plans, Community Wellbeing plans and so on. An important source of contribution that people could earn the CBI for is community projects that help deliver the outcomes sought by the plans.

Of course we know there are many challenges in North-West Tasmania such as lower educational attainment levels, a dispersed population, and many health challenges. By specific planning towards a positive vision of a strong, resilient and sustainable region, we can also help address these challenges via the CBI.

See https://cbitasmania.org.au/ for more information.

Invitation: What does a connected and respectful community mean to Tasmanians?

Exciting news! We have been invited to collaborate with Relationships Australia Tasmania (RA Tas) in a meaningful initiative celebrating 75 years of Relationships Australia Tasmania.  Through 75 community conversations across the state, they area exploring one key question:

“What does a connected and respectful community mean to Tasmanians?”

This is an opportunity to share your ideas and contribute to positive change.  Help shape the vision for a more connected and respectful Tasmania. Enjoy a free afternoon tea during your session!

 About the Workshop

The session includes a short video and a group discussion.   

Date: 19th May, 3pm

Where: 28 Saunders Street, Wynyard

As a thank you, all participating groups will be entered into a draw to win one of two $500 gift cards, with winners announced in June 2025.

Why It Matters

Connection and respect are the building blocks of thriving Tasmanian communities. Through these workshops, we aim to foster a Tasmania where:

Every individual feels valued                      Every relationship is nurtured                       Every community thrives

Our Relationships, our connections with others, provide us with emotional support, strength, and resilience through our lives, improving our physical and mental well-being, and creating a sense of belonging. As much as relationships support us, they can also challenge and test us in ways that we may not be prepared for. At Relationships Australia Tasmania, we help Tasmanians to process, repair, build or re-build respectful relationships with themselves, and with others. We believe that connection and respect are the building blocks of thriving Tasmanian communities, that’s why we’ve set ourselves the vision of: ‘A Connected and Respectful Tasmania’.