Beethoven in Deloraine
Events April Underhill Events April Underhill

Beethoven in Deloraine

On Saturday afternoon, 21 August, Arts Deloraine hosted the first of a four part series of Beethoven Symphonies performed by the wonderful Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra live streamed to the ‘Little Theatre’. The acoustics were wonderful, as were the performances.

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On the WOAD again
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On the WOAD again

From Saturday 23 October until Thursday 4 November, Emu Bay Road will become a public art gallery once again, with artworks being displayed in the front windows of shops and businesses. 

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Lighting up the night at Winterfire
Events April Underhill Events April Underhill

Lighting up the night at Winterfire

This year, the Winterfire bonfire was topped by a phoenix, but one that won’t rise from the ashes of this bonfire, as the fire crew supervises the blaze in front of a crowd of onlookers. Winterfire 2021 was attended by a capacity crowd, numbers limited only by the COVID restrictions set down for the event.

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Rates hike averages 11% for Meander Valley ratepayers
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Rates hike averages 11% for Meander Valley ratepayers

Meander Valley residents will have a sharp shock to their budgets in 2021–22 when their rates go up an average of around 11 per cent. Percentage rate increases in the municipality’s major towns are: Blackstone Heights 8.5; Bracknell 12.8; Carrick 11.3; Deloraine 12.5; Hadspen 12.2; Mole Creek 10.3; Prospect Vale 10.1; Westbury 11.9.

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Prison friction over drilling and woodhooking
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Prison friction over drilling and woodhooking

Woodhookers caught cutting down trees on the Birralee reserve proposed for the state government’s new prison are being investigated by Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service compliance unit. They may be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine whether a prosecution should begin, a spokesperson said.

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Joan Loone AM
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Joan Loone AM

Deloraine has paid its respects to Joan Loone (nee Sandman) who died in July. At her funeral at St Marks Anglican Church, Mrs Loone was described as ‘an icon of the community and family, a great lady.’

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Gutwein admits reserve is ‘sensitive’ while pursuing offset strategies
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Gutwein admits reserve is ‘sensitive’ while pursuing offset strategies

Federal environment minister Sussan Ley has written to the Tasmanian government as a reminder of its responsibility to refer the Northern Regional Prison to her department. Having received no referral from the Tasmania Government, she wrote in response to reports from Tasmanians that several listed threatened species are potentially present on the Brushy Creek Reserve site and may be significantly impacted by the proposal.

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Council meeting on fire over prison public meeting
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Council meeting on fire over prison public meeting

Anti-prison campaigners are concerned Meander Valley councillors will gag themselves in an August 11 public meeting on the Northern Regional Prison planned for Birralee. WRAP spokesperson Linda Poulton said, ‘If councillors are going to sit with tape over their mouths it will be a difficult meeting for everyone’.

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Renee runs for returned soldiers

Spreyton runner Renee Ritson has thanked Meander Valley residents for their donations to Mates4Mates as she ran 133km from Penguin to Launceston. So far Renee’s fundraising efforts on the three-day run have collected $4000 for Mates4Mates, a support organization for returned Australian soldiers and their families.

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Deb White elected to council
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Deb White elected to council

Meander Valley has a new councillor following the resignation of Susie Bower, who is standing for Lyons in the coming federal election. Cllr Deb White was elected on a recount of the 2018 vote but is not a new face on the council.

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Winterfire 2021!

Held annually each year, Winter Fire in Deloraine attracted capacity crowds in 2021. I was one of the 900 guests and 100 workers who attended the event to celebrate winter and the community. The highlight of the evening was the largest bonfire I have ever seen.

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Halls Hut at Lake Malbena registered by Heritage Tasmania
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Halls Hut at Lake Malbena registered by Heritage Tasmania

A bushwalking hut at Lake Malbena in the Walls of Jerusalem in the central highlands has been provisionally registered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register. Halls Hut has become embroiled in the conservation battle over the Wild Drake ecotourism business proposed by Daniel Hackett, who has leased the island in Lake Malbena.

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Exton crash raises questions about Bass Hwy quality
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Exton crash raises questions about Bass Hwy quality

A two-car crash that killed two people on the Bass Highway near Exton has raised concerns about the safety of non-divided sections of the road. The people killed were, sadly, Victorian parents on holiday with their three teenagers during the mid-year school break.

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Gracious Bentley moving on in history
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Gracious Bentley moving on in history

In a Tasmanian winter when the hawthorn hedges at Chudleigh are bare of all but berries, you can see historic Bentley from Mole Creek Road. In other seasons, hedges grown by former owner Phillip Oakden conceal the spreading white home tucked under an unnamed hill and backed by the majestic Western Tiers.

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