On 10 August 1853, a Jubilee Festival was held in Hobart to mark the cessation of convict transportation to the colony. To avoid it being closed down, organisers told the government it was to celebrate 50 years of settlement in Tasmania. The Jubilee anthem rang out across Launceston’s Princes Square and the people sang: “Our land … Continue reading
The Tasman Bridge disaster occurred on the evening of 5 January 1975, in Hobart, the capital city of Australia’s island state of Tasmania, when a bulk ore carrier travelling up the Derwent River collided with several pylons of the Tasman Bridge, causing a large section of the bridge deck to collapse onto the ship and into the river below. Twelve people were … Continue reading
Asylum-seeker children aged under-15 continue to be denied the right to attend schools in Tasmania, despite the state government’s strong desire to educate them “outside the wire”. After criticism from the state Children’s Commissioner, it was yesterday announced that up to 150 children aged 15 to 17 would be allowed to attend Hobart Polytechnic colleges … Continue reading
The first children’s commissioner to be given free access to child asylum seekers in Australian detention centres says many fear “going mental” with worry and severe boredom. Tasmanian Children’s Commissioner Aileen Ashford this morning said many of the 137 boys held in an immigration detention centre at Pontville, near Hobart, told her they feared “going … Continue reading
Thousands of residents and tourists are stranded across parts of Tasmania after bushfires destroyed more than 100 properties and cut off communities. The bushfire threat has been downgraded but authorities are warning residents to remain on alert as fires continue to burn. There are two watch and act warnings current for fires at Forcett and … Continue reading