Successful Launch of Walking West Hobart map 20 March

This week we publicly launched the new Walking West Hobart map in the new Phoenix meeting room at Goulburn St school.  All the "mappers" (the Sustainable Tranport group members who had created the map) were present, together with a number of residents and also children from Goulburn St school and Lansdowne Crescent school.   It was also great to have supporters from neighbouring sustainable living groups and Lissa from Sustainable Living Tasmania there too.  The Hobart City Council, who had funded the printing of the map, were represented by Aldermen Rob Valentine and Leo Foley.

Margaret eloquently welcomed everyone and outlined the reasons for the map and the origins of the idea.

Di gave more detail on some of the learnings of the mappers as the project evolved, the extensive walking we did, and most importantly, how much fun we had!   Rob Valentine officially launched the map obo the Lord Mayor.

 
Then Margaret distributed large bundles of the map to the children for use in classroom exercises.

Then it was time for devonshire tea, fruit and juice, and a buzz of conversations.   Southern Cross interviewed Margaret and we hope there was something in the Mercury the following day.  All in all, a very successful launch, hurrah!

Update from GAF 19 March

March Produce exchange

Apples, plums, lemons, greens, herbs, much conversation and three kinds of chocolate were traded in a well-supported March produce exchange. A highlight was the arrival of the "gournet gatherers" with a crate of jams, sauces and chutneys. If you have excess produce you'd like to donate, or know of any crops in public space that need harvesting, Amanda and Steven would like to hear from / trade with you: gourmetgatherer.blogspot.com

The next produce exchange will be on Saturday 14th April. If you'd like to volunteer to hold the space, bring a blanket, crowd-control, please contact Miriam or Annie. Is 4pm too late once the clocks have gone back?

Where to from here?

Miriam and Annie, after three and a half years, are both ready to lay down the day to day running of GAF. Would anyone - or two - like to volunteer for this role? Any ideas about future directions? Does GAF need to compost down, lie fallow, be pruned, have its roots manured, have a growth spurt? Tell Miriam or Annie what you think.

First showing of Growthbusters - the movie - in Hobart 21 March

This is a new American documentary examining our worship of growth: urban growth, population growth, consumption growth & economic growth.  Bound to be startling, thought provoking....  I haven't seen it, but I'm hoping it has some ideas for solutions!

It's being presented in Hobart on March 21 by the Stable Population Party, who will be putting on drinks and facilitating some discussion of the issues.  It's on at 7.30pm for 8pm, at the State Cinema, North Hobart.  

Some links to see more about it:

http://www.populationparty.org.au/templates/pop/page/page_html_standard.php?secID=207See the trailer, learn more, buy the film, at http://www.growthbusters.org/

Tickets are $20 (plus booking fee) and only available by advance booking through Moshtix

Launch of the Walking West Hobart map - Tues 20 March

Hello all WHEN members and supporters

If you are not already on our email list (let us know through our webadmin address at the bottom of the page if you would like to be added!), you will have missed our note about our launch, so here are the details:

The sustainable transport group of the West Hobart Environment Network has been working for a year to develop and produce a map of West Hobart to encourage local recreation and access to services on foot. The printing has been supported by a grant from Hobart City Council and Alderman Rob Valentine will launch it for us on Tuesday 20 March at Goulburn St Primary School. Students from Goulburn St and Lansdowne Crescent schools will collect class sets for lots of walking explorations of the local area. We have already delivered a map to just about every house in West Hobart - we have certainly done lots of walking! If you haven't got yours please come to the launch and collect one.

We would love to have your support at the launch.

The brief event will begin at 1.30 with signing in at the Forest Rd entrance to the school and the launch at 1.45 pm followed by refreshments.

You can view the map here:

http://westhobartenvnet.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/walking-west-hobart-map-is-now-on.html  

RSVP to steadmanma@gmail.com

Help Build the Southern Region's Vision

The three levels of Government – Federal, State and Local - are coming together to clarify and build on what the people of this region want for their future, and developing a plan to achieve that vision.  

We are building a Regional Economic Development Plan for Tasmania’s southern region that will inform the priorities of all levels of government. This plan will reflect the expectations of our local communities and ensure the regional visions that are built, are based on local needs, opportunities and capabilities.  
You are invited to attend any of eight public sessions in the region, to have your input. The dates, venues and times are listed below.   

Light refreshments will be available at each session. To join the conversations, at any of these venues, please call Business Point on 1 800 44 00 26 , or click on one of the session links below.

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  COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SESSIONS

Hobart




Tuesday, 27 March, from 5:00 – 8:00pm at the Hobart Town Hall, 50 Macquarie Street, Hobart


Wednesday, 28 March, from 7:30 – 9:00am at the Hobart Town Hall, 50 Macquarie Street, Hobart
________________________________________________________________________


The evening session will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm over finger food to be taken in table groups as we work together. While the exact content of each conversation will vary, we expect that they will typically comprise of four main components:
1. Where we are now – draft Regional Economic Development Plan.
2. Economic success in the region.
3. Opportunities in the region.
4. The regional vision.
The morning session will be held from 7:30am to 9:00am over muffins and coffee to be taken in table groups as we work together, and will comprise two main components:
1. Update from the previous night.
2. Regional priorities.

Celebrate Neighbour Day - March 26

Neighbour Day will be celebrated on Sunday March 26th. It's the chance to catch up with all those people who live around us. We briefly chat with our neighbours when we bump into them at the shop or at the bus stop or while picking up the kids and we say "We must catch up" but never quite make it happen. This is the opportunity to make it happen.

If you go to the website www.neighbourday.org there should be details with posters and invitations available.

It's really just an excuse to tell your neighbours that "your barbie will be alight from lunch time onward, so drop around with your food and drink and we'll sit back and enjoy West Hobart's lifestyle for the afternoon"

Cheers

Paul Turvey

Peak Oil, Local Resilience and Financial Crisis

13 March:          Public Lecture - Peak Oil, Local Resilience and Financial Crisis

Speaker:  Nicole Foss, Co-Editor of The Automatic Earth

Venue:     Stanley Burbury Theatre, University Centre, Sandy Bay campus

Time:       7.00 – 8.30pm

Learn to speak fluent spinach via step-by-step guided lessons

This year the Botanical Gardens are once again running their garden skills programs – cost effective gardening for the home, community or farm. Hands on learning with professional experts.  $15 per person, per session. Bookings are essential, so please confirm your place. Ph 6236 3050

Here’s a calendar through to mid April

February 24

Building the vertical garden; DON’T MISS THIS !
Practically build a simple and cost effective vertical garden structure using recycled materials. This is the ultimate garden for those with limited space, or for the person who just wants something different. Tips and tricks on everything you need to get started.

March 2
Practical pest identification NEW!
Join us for a hands on journey of discovery with our expert entomologist and teacher Laurie Miller, to uncover the fascinating world of pests and predators in the garden. A must for all gardeners!

March 9
Practical hot composting (by demand)
Actually build a free standing hot compost heap and learn the truths about real compost for your own backyard.

March 16
The basics of dry stone walling NEW!
Learn how to create a dry stone wall with our expert onsite. This old world technique can really lift the appearance of a garden or rural property. This session will be a practically applied activity.

March 23
Discover the basic skills of identifying plants.
Our expert horticulturist / botanist will guide you through all you need to know about identifying plants both in the Garden and in the wild. Discover plant names, identifying features and plant keys.

March 30
Practical bee keeping; maintaining a hive 
Special Times / 1pm till 3:30pm cost $20 pp
Understanding bee hive set up maintenance and management. How to get started and what you do to maintain a hive. Participants will investigate real hive on site at the Gardens.

April 20
Building a roof garden; DON’T MISS THIS!
What a fantastic way of using a wasted space! Learn the basics of small scale roof gardens, how
they are made and what you need to create your own successfully at home.

April 27
Maintaining your berry crops in autumn and
winter
All you need to maintain your berry crops to ensure bumper crops for the seasons to come. Autumn
maintenance, pruning and practical requirements.

"No Dig" and container gardening, 14 March

A representative of Hobart City Council's "Still Gardening" Team will be speaking at the next West Hobart Neighbourhood Watch meeting.  The meeting will be on Wednesday 14 March starting at 7:30pm, in the Lawrenny Court Hall, 131 Hill Street, West Hobart.

Topics will include how to have a "no-dig" garden (especially good if you have a West Hobart clay that's hard as rock in summer but sticky as glue in winter) as well as gardening in containers and pots.

The Walking West Hobart map is now on the streets!

The attractive Walking West Hobart map has now been printed and we are keen to get it out to people as soon as possible.  So, the team will be out letterboxing and within the next two weeks the map should be turning up in every letterbox in West Hobart!  It looks terrific and will be very useful to both locals and visitors as they walk the lanes and byways of West Hobart. Small supplies will be provided to gathering places such as coffee shops and health centres in WH :)

An official launch is being organised, and details will be advised soon.

We have the map available for downloading from here.

If you have any feedback about the map, pls comment below!   If you find any errors in the map, pls drop us a line and we will take this into account if we should produce a second edition.

DIY energy savings around the home - a new website

Take a look at this new website:  Tas Energy Savings which is dedicated to describing useful products and materials required to make important energy savings around the home. The website focuses on DIY projects and explains each project (insulation, hot water cylinder improvements, lighting, draughts, windows, controlling standby energy and energy meters and miscellaneous products). So take a look and see what else you could be doing to save money, water, energy :)

Next Produce Exchange -- Saturday 4 Feb

Can you help us promote our produce exchanges? There's an A4 poster attached to put up in local shops/notice boards and a page of smaller fliers you can cut into four if you are able to drop them into your neighbours' letterboxes.

 

Hope to see you at the next one on the 4th Feb. Even if you don't have any excess produce, come along for a chat, we'd love to see you.

Gardens and Food - produce exchange and working bee

Loganberries, early tomatoes, new potatoes, strawberries, salad greens, apricots, beans... Celebrate summer bounty and afternoon tea at the first produce exchange for 2012.

Time: Saturday January 7th, 4-5pm.

Place: by the children's playground in the park next to Lansdowne Crescent school, near bus-stop 16 and the junction of Lansdowne Crescent / Petty St.

Bring: garden produce, a thermos, and a contribution for afternoon tea.

Exchanges will be held on the first Saturday of the month until our gardens wane in autumn.

Working bees at Lawrenny Court are convivial and productive; an ongoing pleasure for all involved. Come and join us at 3pm, Monday 9th January. We meet in the hall at 131 Hill St.

 

Please RSVP by Sunday evening so we have an idea of numbers for tasks, catering, and can let people know if we have to cancel.

Eenee Eco Food Loop

Eenee Eco is making a list of Hobart restaurants that compost their food wastes.    Here's what they say:

Would you like to help improve and maintain the high quality of food in Tasmania? Then you've found the information you need! All the restaurants and cafes on this tour recycle their organic waste through commercial composting, helping maintain and improve the quality of our local soil and therefore the food you eat! Will you accept the challenge of visiting all of them? 

If you are a business or home owner and would like to find out more or sign up for your own organics recycling check out our website: 
http://www.organics.recycling.eenee.com/

Update from GAF - from meeting 26th November

The next working bee at Lawrenny Court is on Monday 5^th December at 3pm. There are already half a dozen residents keen to have help with their gardens this month. Come and meet your neighbours, enjoy an hour’s convivial gardening and finish with afternoon tea. Meet at the hall, 131 Hill St. Please RSVP by Sunday 4^th so Lawrenny Court has an idea of numbers for work and scones, and we can let you know if we have to cancel.

Greg Summers enchanted us with the information that while an ounce of silver is worth $US31, brussel sprout seeds are worth $US364 an ounce.

The produce exchange / shared afternoon tea will be held on the first Saturday of each month, beginning on January 7^th in the little park / playground on Lansdowne Crescent. If there are gluts at other times, we can link members via our mailing list. 


Is anyone interested in bulk purchasing of manure or mulch? Does anyone know a good source of either of these commodities, or where you can get compost worms cheaper than 3 cents a head?
We all love visiting gardens. Would anyone like to be visited? Tidiness is absolutely not a criterion. We can bring afternoon tea to share.


If anyone would like a working bee, please let us know.

Headhunting! Does anyone have any skills they’d like to teach? We’re approaching one member who’s successfully possum-proofed a garden, and an artist who might be willing to show us how to make creative garden artefacts, like bean-tepees that don’t fall down.

Have your say on Wellington Park

Hi all, the Wellington Park Management Trust has released the Wellington Park Management Plan Review seeking feedback from the community about how the park is managed.  West Hobart has a strong connection with the park, as it runs from the other side of Knocklofty right up to the mountain - so we have a big interest!    
You can fill in the response form and rank what you think of the suggested directions and add whatever other comments you wish to make.  Closing date for comments is  Dec 9th.

Steering Group meeting 22 Nov 2011

Today we discussed future directions for WHEN, in the context of the imminent 'Changing Gears' weekend at Nubeena, and the current environment of economic scarcity, which is making increasing numbers of people concerned about their and their family's futures.  Is the timing right for raising the issues of food security and Peak Oil, and for promoting positive responses such as Re-Localisation? 

We discussed possibilities for West Hobart around local food production, including creating a community garden, and promoting Community Supported Agriculture.  We discussed engaging with the retired community through assisting with energy audits and growing food.  A more visible and fairly central meeting place would be great, a sort of community centre to provide a base for projects and meetings.

The group agreed to go ahead with adopting a more formal structure for the group, so that there is a more visible public organisation representing the broader interests of the West Hobart community.

We will hold a public meeting in early March 2012 with the theme of Localisation, at which we will launch the new Walking West Hobart map and present a positive approach to developing solutions to issues which may be worrying people. 

Community Supported Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture - a better way to bridge the gap between producers and consumers!
The Community Supported Agriculture Toolkit for Tasmanian Communities will be launched tomorrow (Monday 21st) at the Botanical Gardens in Hobart (a very brief launch) and information sessions will be held later in the week in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.
To find out more, go to: http://csatoolkit.channelliving.org.au/launch.html 

Next GAF meeting: 26 November

Our next Gardens and Food group meeting will take place in conjunction with a 
shared supper and produce swap (broad beans?) on Saturday 26th November. 
Would anyone like to host this gathering? If you would, please let us know
by Wednesday 23rd.

Some agenda ideas so far: summer /autumn produce exchange, working
bees, bulk buying manures and mulch, sharing garden space (Miriam has
just harvested the garlic she planted in a borrowed plot at Lawrenny
Court), feedback on soap and candle re-skilling workshop, slide show/
dinner re Miriam's trip and discussion of some of the big issues the
world faces.

Enquiries: Annie March 62310378

Sustainable Living Exp 2011

It's on again, presented by Sustainable Living Tasmania of course, and it's terrific!!  Get down there and take the opportunity to talk to experts in a wide range of fields and businesses, listen to presentations and watch demonstrations!  Today is the second (and last) day.