September 6, 2024

Wild weather

It's raining in Tassie - again


The last week has certainly been challenging for lots of people across Tasmania. I’d like to think it may also have prompted some of them to consider that possibly, just possibly, all those predictions about our changing climate causing an increase weather extremes may actually be correct. The incredibly strong winds and torrential rain we’ve experienced have been a long way from normal.

 

Widespread power cuts and localised flooding, along with loss of internet connection has been the experience of just about everyone to a greater or lesser degree. For us it was the latter, and never have I been more grateful for the solar panels and battery that allowed us to at least keep the lights on. Controversial though gas now is, also grateful for the gas stove that allowed us to cook. Not so for many of our neighbours – some of whom were still without power five days into this unusual weather pattern.

 

So many trees down, blocking roads, damaging fences and properties. The cost of the clean up will be significant, and while the assistance amount being offered by the state government is welcome for those who went three days or more without power, it probably won’t go far enough to compensate for the spoiled food in fridges and freezers that will have been thrown out.

 


Our community has been brilliant – a true coming together and helping out wherever possible. I hope that’s been the experience of other communities as well. Meanwhile the rain is continuing to fall, so rivers are rising and more flooding will be almost inevitable.

 

The TasNetwork folk and emergency services have been excellent though – and kudos to them for working in appalling conditions to restore power and services to those in the more rural and isolated areas.

 

But while it’s been bucketing down here in Tassie, there are bushfires raging in parts of NSW. The scientists warned Australia was in the frontline when it came to experiencing the impact of climate extremes. Governments failed to listen – or to act. Will this wild weather event finally prompt them to do so? We can but hope.

 

 

 


One of several trees down along our road

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Magni

Fiona's gift

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 14, 2026
It’s taken far too many months for this marvellous model to grace the dedicated desk space in my office. When Fiona comes to visit next she will be very surprised, and hopefully gratified, that her amazing creative talent is finally on display. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and during the insanely busy time when I was helping to run the flower farm, working part-time in a school library, doing a spot of journalism on the side, and fighting the proposed pulp mill that is the subject of the manuscript I’m hoping to get published, Fiona cleaned my house each week. There’s only so much a person can do after all, and it has to be said cleaning our house during those manic years was fairly low down on the list of my priorities. But Fiona is a woman of many talents and she certainly possesses one that I so don’t have: sewing and dressmaking. So over the years she’s also made a few garments based on the pattern of a favourite garment that I was particularly fond of, and she’s also done some clothing alterations for both of us. My skills with needles and thread are limited to sewing on buttons, and taking up hems on John’s too-long pairs of jeans. Anything else is beyond me. But this fabulous model is the pièce de résistance – along with the beautiful crocheted knee warmer she gave me last year. This was when winter was approaching and so determined was I to finish writing the book, I decided to get out of bed at the insane hour of 5am and get in a solid hour’s writing in before dog walking and the demands of the day took over. Fiona was also one of many Tasmanians who needed to be circumspect about her opinion of the pulp mill. It was a project that polarised people, including families and friendships. She was one of several who passed on snippets of useful information, but on the basis of anonymity so it couldn’t be sheeted home to her.  Needless to say Fiona will be one of those whose contribution will be acknowledged – when this book is finally accepted by a publisher.

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