Kate tastes the fuits of her success

KATE Sutherland’s interest in agriculture started at a young age but at that stage she had no idea where that passion would take her.


Mrs Sutherland has recently announced as the winner of the Fruit Growers Tasmania Award for Excellence for her work at Burlington Berries and her contribution to the industry.


While it is her name on the award, Mrs Sutherland said the success of Burlington Berries was the result of a team effort and she could not take all the credit.


Originally from the United Kingdom, Mrs Sutherland was born not far from London and grew up on her family’s dairy farm.


She studied agricultural science at the University of Wales did an honours degree with the plan of eventually getting involved with the family farm.


However, a backpacking trip to Australia with a friend changed all that.


In 1983 she ended up working on Kahncoban Station in foothills of the Snowy Mountains for a family who had a farm and racehorse stud.


Her husband-to-be Stewart Sutherland had the next-door farm, which was based right on the upper reaches of the Murray River.


What started as a holiday romance progressed and they eventually got married.


The Sutherland family have always been very innovative and started what was one of the country’s first grass seed production businesses at Mansfield.
Stewart and Kate have four daughters, Libby, Sophie, Charlotte and Emma who now all work in the family’s businesses.


A passion for plant breeding and developing new varieties saw them establish the well-known company Upper Murray Seeds.


The Sutherlands came to Tasmania looking for a drought-proof property to continue expand their seed production.


After searching for a few years, they managed to buy Burlington near Cressy, which at the time had been converted to a dairy operation.


Mrs Sutherland said it was a suggestion by a friend and experienced fruit grower from the United Kingdom, about the opportunities to grow soft fruits in Tasmania for international company Driscolls, that started them down the berry growing path.


The Sutherlands decided to give the berry production a go in partnership with their UK-based friends Marion and John Regan.


They originally started Burlington Berries in 2012 with 15ha of strawberries.
“Stewart and I didn’t know much about it, we were completely green,” Mrs Sutherland said.


“We were so naive when we went into this, but we trusted our partners. The good thing about it was we were able to use the counter seasonal production, so we brought all their knowledge over and even some of their staff came over to help train our staff.


“We also inherited all their computer systems and spread sheets, so it set us off in a really good way.”


Mrs Sutherland is the managing director of Burlington Berries.


After being involved with broadacre seed production, Mrs Sutherland said setting up an intensive soft fruit operation was a steep learning curve and they made plenty of mistakes in the early days.


The first strawberries were planted in the ground, which created problems with picking and drainage.


Two years later they bought the neighbouring farm Kilrae and moved the berry growing operation there.


It was then they also installed tabletop production for the strawberries, which increased the picking efficiency by 30 per cent.


The raspberry production also moved to a potted system, rather than having plants in the ground.


Mrs Sutherland said this eliminated the drainage issues and meant they have complete control over the crop nutrition.


“Apart from the wind and the temperature it means you can really manipulate your crop and give it a burst of fertiliser when it needs it depending on transpiration rates and growing conditions,” she said.


“Everyone thinks it’s about growing the plants and, in a way, that’s a given but it’s actually about managing your people profile.”


Mrs Sutherland said by manipulating the production across the season to even out fruit supply, it means they can ensure the workforce is as efficient as possible.


The business now has 68ha under production throughout the season and they can have up to 500 workers on farm.


Workers are employed through the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility scheme and come from countries including Tonga, Timor Leste the Solomon Island, Vanuatu and Samoa.


They use sequential planting, growing condition manipulation in the tunnels and cold storage to help manipulate the plants to produce fruit more evenly across the season.


The business has contining to grow and after establishing 60ha of production at Burlington they are now expanding production on another property between Cressy and Longford.


They have 34ha of strawberries, 27ha of raspberries and 7ha of blackberries.
The farm produces more than 2750 tonnes of fruit annually from 68ha.


This has increased from the 1500 tonnes they were producing off 45ha in 2019.
Tasmania’s berry industry has expanded significantly over the past few years as demand for fruit continues to grow.

However, Mrs Sutherland said last season had been a perfect storm for many berry growers in Tasmania.


She said a late season due to the very wet spring weather had meant a lot of the fruit came on to the market in January when prices are generally lower.


This combined with a long season in Victoria saw about 30 per cent more fruit on the market in January and February.


Mrs Sutherland said this had made many of the Tasmanian fruit growers stop and take stock.


“We’re in contact with all the major growers and we communicate regularly because we want to grow in a way that’s sustainable,” she said.


“You don’t want to flood the market because that can be a disaster, so you have to grow strategically in line with market demand.”


Innovation is still a big part of the operation at Burlington and Mrs Sutherland say are continuing to look at new techniques and technology which can improve production and efficiency.

Rare day out for our feathered friends

THE gawking and squawking, crowing and clucking reached new heights with the first Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Show ever held at Longford on Saturday attracting an incredible 583 exhibits, 24 of which were beautiful collections of eggs in many colours and sizes.

From the times the gates opened throngs of people squeezed through the narrow isles of the pavilion at Longford Showground to see 39 different breeds of chooks and ducks, with some of the finely feathered fowls barely recognisable compared to the average backyard bird.

The coveted Champion Rare Breed of Show award went to Dysart breeder Mathew Short with his gold partridge Brama pullet, reserve went to Jo Gatehouse of Sassafrass with a Belgian Barbu d’Anvers quail pullet.

Champion Rare Variety of Show was a gold Sebright owned by Rachel Jaeger of Woodsdale and reserve champion was won by Joel Stingle of Westbury with an Indian runner trout drake.

Rachel, a top junior exhibitor now ruffling feathers in open competition, had a great show, taking home a flock of prizes including Champion Rare Variety Bantam and Champion Rare Variety of Show with a gold Sebright pullet, Champion Junior Exhibitor of Show and Reserve Champion Exhibitor of Show with an Araucana hen, Champion Plate of Eggs with four bantam eggs, Best True Bantam, Champion British and Best Sebright.

Michelle Carpenter of Railton did extremely well to win the Novice section and Champion Australian Game Bantam in her first show.

And her three-year-old son Toby was awarded the Youngest Exhibitor prize with his Belgian barbu d’Uccle lavender pullet, which he washed all by himself in preparation.

Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club secretary Jo Gatehouse said that the auction attracted plenty of attention too, with 34 lots featuring mainly pairs and trios of breeds like Brahma, Cochin and Light Sussex as well as game birds and call ducks.

A trio of of Welsummers anonymously donated to the club fetched the highest price of $550, closely followed by a Brahma price pullets and cock bird trio at $510. Only five lots were passed in.

“This annual show, often held in the south of the state and occasionally Devonport, is a great way to promote the breeding and showing of rare breeds, and unlike most breed shows you get to see all the weird and wonderful examples of poultry in the one place,” Ms Gatehouse said.

“If we can continue to educate people and encourage people to take on breeding of rare breeds it’s the best way to preserve those breeds in the future.”

Kelvin Strickland of Longford, vice president of the Poultry Club of Tasmania and secretary of the Rhode Island Red and Sussex Club of Tasmania, is more of a soft feather fowl breeder but he entered five big white Pekin Ducks.
About five years ago Hagley duck breeder Robert Weldon gave his son some eggs and one managed to hatch in the incubator.

It won a waterfowl championship at its first show and he’s kept a few ducks around ever since – especially for their eggs which are large and perfect for sponge cakes.

“Pekins are hard to breed, they don’t like incubation and I usually put the eggs under a Muscovy duck or a fowl,” Mr Weldon said.

“They also only lay for about 10 weeks per year and it’s always at first light – you’ve got to be up early to beat the crows to them.”

For full results visit the Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club Inc website.

Tas ploughers impress

Cressy “Mt Joy” farmer Michael Bayles was the only Tasmanian to make the podium at the National Ploughing Championships held on the Mott’s property at Larpent, outside of Colac in Victoria on June 2 and 3.

The Tassie contingent took a truck and a ute loaded with tractors and ploughs over for the event, but Mr Bayles borrowed something “a bit smaller” than the tractor he normally uses on the farm to take part in the reversible competition.

He used the competition reversible two furrow plough purchased by him and his brother Rob (also the National Ploughing Association president) from Norway, and put in consistent good runs as the only Tasmanian in the reversible competition, while fellow teammates Alan Prewer of Carrick, Darryl Berne, Colin Berne and his daughter Samantha Berne, all of Westbury, and Daniel Gladwell of Elliot, put in their best with the conventional ploughs.

Samantha was particularly impressive as the only female among the ploughers and her level of improvement showed with her confidence and the result of her plots.

Michael, who has represented the state close to a dozen times and went to Estonia with Colin Berne in 2017 for the World Titles, said he takes pride in how well he can plough, whether it’s in a competition or at home on the farm.
He recently purchased a smaller tractor that he aims to use in competitions going forward.

“There’s a fair bit of turning and a smaller tractor is easier to maneuver and operate,” he said.

“My plot involved ploughing to a triangle shape which means about 19 furrows in you have to come back to the opening split – there’s a fair bit in it.

“Meanwhile you’re being judged on 10 criteria, including straightness, open split, consistency over the full 100m length, how well your plough turns the grass over, depth according to what’s been requested, and how you roll the plough over at the end of the plot.

“You’ve got three hours to plough the quarter acre plot.”

Supporting the team was an additional five people helping with judging, scrutineering and stewardship – Kathrine Bayles, Emily Gladwell, Chris Williams, Peter Gladwell and Ros Bonner.

Although the Victorian competitors were the strongest in the competition the Tasmanians showed their ploughing skills were also top notch in the wet and slippery conditions, with Prewer finishing in seventh spot on day 1 and Gladwell moving into sixth on day two.

Everyone enjoyed catching up with fellow ploughman from Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia and the dirt was washed off and everyone spruced up for the presentation at the end of the competition.

Daniel Gladwell was presented with the Gordon and Helen McGee Perpetual Trophy as an encouragement award for a Tasmanian competitor – in honour of the late Gordon McGee who was a ploughman from Bishopsbourne.
Next year the Championships will be held in Western Australia for the first time.

The Tasmanian Ploughing Association will hold a meeting on Wednesday, July 26 at Deloraine where they will discuss organising a practice day at Mt Joy and also fundraising to get a team to WA next year.

Arts group gets visual

The Longford Cultural Group continues to keep the Town Hall buzzing while promoting the arts in northern Tasmania with its popular annual combined visual art exhibition Contemporary Landscapes held in conjunction with the Launceston Art Society.

To be held from July 28 to August 6, with the official opening on the 29th at 11am, the exhibition includes a People’s Choice Award with a prize of $150 voucher from Launceston Art Supplies and another $150 workshop voucher from the art society. There is also a judged award with a $300 prize for the winner.

There will be art in a variety of mediums including watercolour, oil paintings, acrylics, pencil and pastels, with the second weekend being boosted with crafts from local artisans covering stunning woodwork, jewellery and textiles.
Around 70 exhibitors will have their stunning works on show throughout the event, including Longford artists Elizabeth Russell-Arnot, with her stunning jewellery made from computer components and Julie McPherson with small canvases featuring beautiful nature-based ink drawings.

All art and crafts are available for purchase and entry is by gold coin donation. Opening hours are 10am to 4pm for the duration of the exhibition.
Longford Cultural Group committee member Dee Alty said that community arts is an important part of what makes a town a desirable place to live and visit.

“The Town Hall is becoming a cultural hub in the Northern Midlands and the Longford Town Hall Committee have worked hard towards this by fundraising to make the space fit for purpose,” she said.

“The council has provided a picture hanging system suitable for exhibitions, the State Government has funded sound baffling, Longford Rotary has donated funds towards the stage lighting.

“All of these changes have allowed us to host important exhibitions like this one and many more into the future.”

(Caption: Longford artists Elizabeth Russell-Arnot (front), Julie McPherson and Dee Alty getting ready for the Longford Cultural Group and Launceston Art Society Contemporary Landscapes exhibition at the Longford Town Hall.)

Businesses get savvy on social media

Northern Midlands Business Association coordinated a free breakfast for local business people on July 12, along with an informative session on social media basics, delivered by Taihlaura Denman-Francis of Kingthing Marketing, on behalf of the Tasmanian Government’s Digital Ready Program.

During the session, attended by 15 local business owners and stakeholders, various topics were covered, and individual businesses assisted on how to make the most of social media.

Some of the key messages were around the importance of being on social media, the top platforms and when to use them, content ideas and how and when to schedule posts on social media and tips for increasing followers and engagement.

For small business owners interested in further learning, the Digital Ready program offers one-on-one consultations for four hours per calendar year.

Additionally, the program’s website provides a free eight-part training course in social media that can be completed at your own pace.

Northern Midlands businesses should book these sessions as soon as possible, as they are booked out until August and Tasmanian Government funding for the program currently expires at the end of 2023.

(Caption: Taihlaura Denman-Francis of Kingthing Marketing talks to NMBA members about the latest trends in social media.)

Milestone for Dolphin mine

GROUP 6 Metals has reached another milestone at the Dolphin Tungsten Mine having now made its first shipment of about 13 tonnes of tungsten concentrate.


The processing plant achieved commercial production earlier this month.
The company expects to receive 85 per cent of the proceeds from this sale and the first shipment export will trigger payment under an offtake agreement the producer secured before production.


The company has already secured offtake for just under 60 per cent of the mine’s production for the first four years.


As previously reported, Group 6 Metals is now looking to grow its operation with an extensive drill and blasting program set to restart operations at the Dolphin open-cut mine and provide additional run of mine ore to the plant.


Drilling has now commenced on the north cut back of the open cut ahead of the initial blasting, with the company expecting “Run of Mine” (ore in its natural unprocessed state), to be delivered to the plant by early August to increase throughput and ore head grade.


The company said that this first shipment of concentrate is a significant step towards building cash flow to support the next phase of the company’s growth.


“Commercial sales at the DTM are well timed as the tungsten price remains strong and global forecast demand for tungsten is growing,” chief executive and managing director Keith McKnight said.


“We are very pleased with the performance of the plant, which is producing concentrate grade well above the target grade of 63 per cent considering the ore currently being processed is the lower grade remnant ore at 0.3%WO3.
“Once we commence processing of ROM ore, we expect higher grade ore which increases concentrate production for the plant.”


Resources Minister Felix Ellis, has congratulated Group 6 Metals Limited (G6M) on dispatching its first batch of tungsten concentrate from the Dolphin mine on King Island.


“King Island has the highest-grade tungsten deposit of significant size in the Western world.


“Essential to steelmaking, electronics and defence manufacturing, tungsten is a critical mineral the world cannot do without.


“The successful processing of more than 10,000 tonnes of ore into concentrate ready for export is a significant achievement for G6M and is a real credit to the whole team at the mine.”

Foul weather makes footy heavy going

A THICK, pale grey cloud blankets the sky during the afternoon of play today, a decent crowd attends, and the pressing of August seems to have coaxed many semi-retired gentlemen into shorts.


There were some schoolies and some returns from injury for both sides.
Michael Laskey v Jeremy Summers started in the centre ruck to open the game as a sheet of drizzle appears. Sukma Bowling in his return to AFL, gets the first look at a score but only manages a behind. Tyler Smith in front of David Vellakoop brings the ball to ground but Luke Graham mops up with a quick shot on goal and gets the major for North.


Quickly it turns to wet weather football, heavy drops falling straight down with little breeze which is less than ideal conditions for reporting.


Charlie Raff lines up for Currie 40 out in front which had a nice curve on it but edges straight into the post. Bowling and Josh Bellchambers link up for a turn over which they get into Laskey for Currie’s first goal of the game.


Beau Mullins in defence for North saves one but it appears North were not ready for the turnover and unequipped to capitalise which Currie immediately makes them pay for with another goal.


The rain has all but stopped but left the ground and ball slippery making things kind of unsteady that sees bodies sliding into knees, opponents hard to hold on, speed hard to gain and marks near impossible.


Currie are caught snoozing in defence with hardly a man manned up, which gives Luke Graham an easy mark which comes off the side of the boot, he gets another chance a few minutes after from a similar position after a free which he takes quickly and snaps for North’s second.


I’m not sure if it’s the fullness of their beards or the lightness on their feet but the Tyler Smith v Justin Summers make a terribly satisfying physical match up.


Bellchambers continues his second half of the season charge for Keating votes and pops another one through for Currie, and they quickly get a fourth without so much as second glance to see them up by 13 points at quarter time.


The second quarter contest around the ball, perhaps aided by the weather is excellent wet weather football, players in deep and tight, a long period of contested ball in the Currie forward line is well fought and eventually results in a Currie goal.


Luke Morris takes a strong mark on the lead, kicks for goal that is just touched on the line.


But Currie lock it into their 40 and quickly get another shot and behind. Matthew Button is doing some nice ball winning in the centre for North, but Currie continues to push forward. Campbell Keller gets a free just outside the square and capitalises. Riley Badenoch in North’s defence takes a nice intercept mark, out to Ned Hunter who kicks to Bellchambers for a clean intercept mark.


Jak Youd gets a goal and it’s a fiesta for Currie today. North lines up from a free after the half time siren but are unable to capitalize to see them down by 31 points at half time.


North have some work to do in the second half if they fancy staying in this game. But the rain has decided to move in, it’s that pesky house guest who has now purchased a futon from Buy/Swap/Sell, set up camp in your sunroom and doesn’t get your less than subtle hints they’re not welcome.


It’s settled in so I’m sure things are happening out there that I, and therefore you, are not privy to. I open the window and get wet, defog the windows, as is my dedication to this report.


Things are happening, I can see Joel Williams (Mole) take a nice mark (hard to do right now), and kick it forward, where it hits a contest and comes back out. Bodies go to ground and Currie gets a point.


North kick forward to nothing, and you can’t do that around Dillon Beecroft who mops it up swiftly, sends it forward for Currie who immediately makes North pay.


Alex Goldsmith runs nicely from a pack with the ball and gets it into Justin Summers, Brett Noonan is ready for a clean shepard while Justin Summers ensures the last goal of the term to give North something to go into the last break with.


North start the last quarter 31 points down and are immediately hungry to go forward but can only manifest a point.


Alex Goldsmith intercepts for North, back into Hunter, to Jeremy in close to North goals with a contest only to have Bowling and Raff see it come out.
But North have set up the centre wall, Jeremy puts it back forward but cannot capitalise on the scoreboard. The thirst is eventually quenched and North get a goal.


All of the play in the last quarter so far has been played in the North forward line. Youd gets a shot on the run but kicks it short straight into Vellakoop, shortly after he gets his chance to redeem himself and doesn’t miss this opportunity for Currie’s first goal of the final quarter. Jeremy at centre half kicks the ball into the man on the mark, Justin muddles with the ball and eventually gets it in for a behind.

Richard Sutton, in his first appearance on the ground, marks 40 out but isn’t willing to conjure up some magic from his youth and jabs it forward to a contest. Justin takes a mark cleanly and North go forward, they make it look like hard work but eventually find goals. It is completely still, rainless, the noise of the whistle carries across the ground, these are the conditions, perhaps minus the slip that the rain has left, you dream of in winter.

Currie go forward, Jakawenko has a shot from the pocket but centers it, I think it was to Mole but Bowling mops it up and gets a clean shot on for a goal.

Justin Summers gets a shot on from the pocket for North, as the siren goes. He goes back to take it and manages a point, but North win the final quarter. At the conclusion, Currie win by 30 points.

With one game left in July and three  games left of the home and away season, here’s the interesting part; any team, at their best, can beat anyone else. August will test who has their ducks lined up; who is able to bring their best in the premiership season, who can have their best players ready and can put their best four quarters together. Each team at their best, is good enough to take out the 2023 premiership.

FOKI starts its lineup for 2023

ORGANISING a music festival is more than just a weekend full of fun with over 200 volunteers helping to create a great atmosphere and making sure everything runs smoothly.


For the 10th time, the Festival of King Island is in full organising mode for the first weekend in February 2024.


A very small committee started planning for the next festival just after the last one finished.


They look back, reflect and always wonder if there is anything that can be done better, or can they improve certain things?


Then it all starts again – new poster designs, merchandise, and most importantly, which performers are to be invited for the next Festival.


With a bit of a naughty twist organiser Kim George says: “We want everybody to have a FOKI’n good time – and so we cater for a range of musical genre,”
While most festivals focus on a single style of music, FOKI loves to bring a number of different styles together (folk, rock, Australiana, blues, pop, or jazz), with the focus being that all the punters, no matter what age, have a good time.


Although there are still some organising months ahead, a few new names can already be added to the 2024 festival poster.


The Bad Dad Orchestra is a nine-piece band from Hobart, formed in mid-2015 from a concept devised by the band’s late guitarist Liam Guthrie, that evolved quickly into a powerhouse combination of some of Tasmania’s premiere contemporary musicians.


The band approached the FOKI organisers a few years ago wanting to come to King Island.


The organisers were able to find them a spot in next year’s line-up.


Critics have likened The Bad Dad Orchestra’s sound as classic Australian pub-rock with a modern twist, while others have named it a unique brand of soul.
Since establishing, the band has featured in some of Tasmania’s most popular festival line-ups, like Falls Festival, Party in the Paddock, Bruny Island Blues and Roots Festival.


From the Gold Coast, FOKI will welcome a folk, alt, and rock-influenced three-piece band. Is Man Kind.


The members of Is Man Kind have been playing music for years, though this act only came together at the start of 2021.


Prior to this, lead singer and music mentalist Mars Sahara, and his son, and drummer, The Doctor, were a duo powerhouse.


To add a bit of that sexy pizzazz from a key’s player is Captain Jack.


Combining they produce a sound that morphs the influences of The Doors, Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, and Santana with a hint of Chris Isaak. And their musical statement.


“Music for us is about providing a show, not just the noise, so everything we do is about giving people an experience to remember.”


A bit of an international flavour will be provided by brothers Joel and David Havea.


For Joel, listening to old Tongan music has always transported him to that place. Born to a Tongan father and a Dutch mother in the friendly island’s capital of Nuku’alofa, Joel was raised in the rich cultural landscape of Melbourne.


Since relocating to Europe, Joel has played hundreds of solo and trio shows in over 20 countries, spanning four continents.


In the process, he has become a fixture on the festival and club circuit, with performance highlights including Dubai Expo 2020, Bardentreffen World Music Festival (Nürnberg), Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg), London Folk Festival, Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival (Australia), Copenhagen Songwriters Festival (Denmark), and the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.


Those visitors who enjoyed Bobby Alu in 2018, will enjoy Joel Havea too.


The FOKI 2024 list of performers will grow during the coming months, with some returning performers and of course some local bands.


To secure your spot on the foreshore of Currie Harbour, go to foki.com.au and book your discounted early bird tickets now.

Relax and let the birds come to you

RECENTLY, while my partner was in a meeting, I sat in my car surrounded by tall King Island scrub. There was a home nearby with a small orchard nestled in the grass.


It was a cool, calm and very cloudy day, and to begin with I wasn’t really looking for birds – they came to me.


I was parked in an open area, about half the size of a footy oval, with King Island scrub all around.


The island native vegetation is mostly regrowth from earlier forest stands.
This regrowth creates a mosaic type setting of trees all in together. As they grow, the race to the canopy intensifies.


Some species grow more quickly such as the Eucalypts with Blackwood trees and Wattles almost keeping up.


Other trees which grow slower are the Banksias, Casuarina, Mountain Willow, Swamp paper bark and the Manuka or prickly ti trees.


There are a number of these species in the understory which are in various stages of growth as well as smaller trees and shrubs like boronia, heaths, ferns, orchids, mosses, lichen and numerous other plant species.


Some are plentiful while others are less common. This amazing selection of plants is ideal habitat for the local birds where many different species live.
On this day, I didn’t have my binoculars or camera, only a notebook. In 20 minutes I recorded 15 different birds.


There was one on the roof of the home fossicking about in the gutter, some were exploring the apple trees, probing in the bark and around the fruit, others hopping about in the grass searching for insects or seeds, while other birds were busy dashing in and out of the foliage high up in the tree tops.


A cacophony of bird songs drifted to me from among the undergrowth, calls were heard in the distance and by others flying overhead.


While thoroughly enjoying the solitude I realised the songs came from all directions. Then I thought, ‘How did I learn which songs belong to which birds.’


The location of where we choose to look for birds is a good indication of which birds we will see.


The birds in our backyard will be different to the shorebirds on the coastline as will the birds of the bush or birds on farms, farm dams and lagoons.


All these locations are great.


Here on King Island there are numerous species of birds to see in any of their natural environments, with some being extremely difficult to observe.


Migratory birds are far more mobile, so aren’t here on King Island all all times of the year.


You can learn to identify a bird if you write down a few notes, for example, the place where you saw your bird.


Was it bigger or smaller than a bird you already know. Include everything you can before it disappears.


Colour of legs, feathers, size of beak, was it flying, swimming, walking, running or just trying to hide from you?


And if you happen to have your camera, that makes the identification much easier and quicker.


As for me, I remember the totally relaxed feeling of being in the bush surrounded by this tranquility and quietness with bird songs all around me. It was lovely to have some time out and just live for the moment.

Bass Strait freighter shipshape

EASTERN Line Shipping has just completed its five-year survey maintenance and a makeover.


Managing director and ship owner, Warren Dick is pleased that what should have been straight forward and was not and is now completed and he is able to return to a full shipping service for the island.


“We had the King Islander, booked in, some months ago for its five-year, survey requirement,” he said.


“It was, first booked in Adelaide but two weeks before it was to be docked there, they cancelled our docking, which, as you can imagine, put things into quite a disarray.


“We had to find a place that was able to take the King Islander’s size and weight.”


“We did finally, find a company and place in Yamba.


“Failing that, it was looking like having to take the ship through to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea,” Mr. Dick told King Island Radio.


Mr. Dick also said now was the perfect time to use overburden from the Dolphin tungsten mine to make Grassy harbour a true “all-weather” port. He could not understand how the Government could call the port “all-weather”.


“We have a facility in Tasmania, but that was totally booked out till the end of 2024, which is why we booked Adelaide and then faced issues when they cancelled.”


“The five-year inspection involved pulling the ship up out of the water and pulling most of the shafts, props and rudders off.”


“They are inspected by a competent surveyor. “Everything under the water line must be inspected and all the ballast tanks.”


“We also did quite an extensive fit out of the vessel, including lots of valves to keep it up to a high standard.”


“Anti-fouling was applied, and we sandblasted below and above the water line; redesigned and, strengthened a door; anchor winches were taken off, and completely stripped down and new bearings, brake pads and two new anchor winch motors fitted.”


“It’s a large vessel and it does take a lot of sandblasting and a lot of painting. But it does look quite nice now.”


“Knowing how valuable the boat is to the island and to the farmers on the island, because livestock needed to be transported, it became very, very frustrating.”


“The delays impacted business severely, but not only our business, it’s impacted other people on the island as well.”


“Farmers were concerned that the feed for their animals was starting to get a bit light on and they needed to get animals off the island. There was also general freight that we needed to get off.”


“On behalf of Eastern Line, I do apologies for the time that it did take. It did not sit well with me at all. At the end of the day, I’m responsible for it, and I don’t blame anyone else for the delays even though it was out of my control.”


“I take responsibility, but it was just very disheartening to work very hard and give a very, very good service for the people of the island, and to be undone by a third party’s inability to do their job properly.”


“Everything is back to normal, and we have picked up two extra knots and the boat is running better than it ever has.”


Mr. Dick is quite clear on his thoughts regarding the Port of Grassy and to the discussions around the need for a safe all-weather harbour.


“In my view, and in a lot of other people’s view, Grassy Harbour is not an all-weather port.”


“If it were an all-weather port, TasPorts wouldn’t have parameters on it.”


“It’s daylight hours only and wind restrictions, and there’s swell restrictions.


“Anybody that knows that harbour, knows very well that a south-westerly wind can pick up the swell up to a metre and over a metre in some instances.”


“I’m not quite sure where the government is getting their information from on that because if it was an all-weather safe harbour, you wouldn’t have restrictions on it.”


“The people of King Island know Grassy Harbour. I find it a little bit unusual that we have government people telling parliament that it’s an all-weather safe harbour.”


“I think to myself, maybe some of the politicians ought to get down there on a 30 knot, south-westerly blow, and have a look at the breakwater.”


“Have a look at the swell that goes in there.”


“They might realise then that the mine, has got overburden that they need to get rid of. When it’s available is the time to do something.”


Independent MLC for Murchison, Ruth Forrest has asked the government on multiple occasions to consider using the Grassy tungsten mine’s overburden to develop an all-weather safe harbour.


This proposition has been rejected by the government saying that the port is a safe all-weather port, and that demand does not indicate the need for development.


“I agree with what Ruth is saying, we should not let the opportunity go by,” Mr. Dick said.