Celebrating Australia Day by doing something traditionally Australian.

The New Norfolk Pacing Club’s Australia Day meeting is a typical country race meeting, where the locals gather for a picnic on the grass, a few drinks, food, and a flutter on the horses. The event is a social occasion as much as race meeting where people gather to meet old friends rather than just bet on the races.

The spectator area at Kensington Park

It is hard to find overt displays of nationalism, most people did not need the reassurance of a design printed on a piece of cloth or fancy slogans, they know what being Australian is and they just do it.

In an online globalised virtual world national identity is problematic, with the rapid spread of cultural influences from Youtube and Facebook. The urban dwellers try to make sense of all this cling to symbols and slogans, and sometimes these seem more important than the ideals they are meant to embody.

Relaxing at the picnic table between races

This event is about Australians enjoying themselves in a largely community based event. This is symbolic of the country where everybody helps out, most of the people putting on this event are volunteers, and putting something back into their community this is the way of rural communities.

There are some professionals involved, mainly in administrating the racing because of the gambling and money involved in this aspect of the day. This mixture of professionals and volunteers illustrates the pragmatism of the Australian character in the country. They get on with it and make the best of changing circumstances.

One example is the ancient looking judges tower, hiding in this dilapidated looking structure the professionals have brought in a computerised video photo finish system that would be at home in any capital city race track.  The race results are still displayed using numbers printed on metal plates hung out the window of the tower.

The Judge's Tower

The feature race sponsors are an indication of the character of the area, the Norske Skog New Norfolk Pacing Cup. Norske Skog are the current owners and operators of a large local paper mill,  producing about forty percent of Australia’s newsprint from plantation grown radiatia pine. The Boyer mill produced Australia’s first newsprint in 1941, highlighting  the sustainable nature of the paper mill.

Just after the start of Norske Skog New Norfolk Pacing Cup

Apart from the serious harness racing with feature races, the kids got in the act with their own small sulkies and ponies.

Pony racers at Kensington Park

The number of bookmakers fielding on the day reflects on the changing nature of Australian gambling. The bookmaker is a dying breed being replaced by tote outlets in clubs and pubs and on the internet. The serious punters don’t go to the races anymore.

There is plenty of room in the Bookies area

A traditional treat for yachting enthusiasts is the King of the Derwent race on the second of January. This allows the ocean racing yachts from the various events finishing in Hobart a chance for an afternoon’s sail in the Derwent estuary for a fun race without all the regular crew.

For land based spectators this is a good opportunity to see these boats in action, as the course in the Derwent River estuary normally offers good vantage points. One of the crowd favourites is along the Sandy Bay foreshore as the boats head to a mark south of the John Garrow Light.

King of the Derwent- Wild Oats XI

This was one of the recommended spots in the morning paper, so a good crowd turned up only to watch the fleet sail in almost the opposite direction to the other side of the river.

One comment from a disappointed spectator “The paper said this was a good spot. If I had known they weren’t coming this way I would have gone to the other side of the river to watch.”

Those with binoculars or super telephoto lenses had some idea of what was happening, but for most even the maxi yacht Wild Oats XI was mainly a distant grey spot.

Despite the grey overcast skies, it was a warm and pleasant afternoon at Sandy Bay beach with a parade of other watercraft to interest the spectators.

An old yacht on Derwent River

Jet Ski

Pride Panther speedboat on the Derwent River

Cruising on the Derwent in an the style of a bygone era

Sightseeing on the Derwent in a hurry

A grimy Grimsby trawler, the Saxon Onward, sailing up the Derwent

This celebration of Tasmania’s fine food and wine keeps growing and improving.

With a host of extra visitors on the waterfront for the finish of the various ocean yacht races to Hobart, including the Sydney to Hobart, the city council started The Taste festival 23 years ago.

It runs over the peak of the festive season for seven days from 28 December and ending on 3rd January.

Taste of Tasmania - fresh fish

Originally known as the Taste of Tasmania, the festival’s reputation has grown and despite inspiring other regional  food festivals, this is referred to by the locals as “the taste”.

The Hobart City Council says their aim is for the festival to feature some of Tasmania’s best food and beverages, while providing a fun and safe environment for friends and family and to celebrate the essence of summer in Hobart.

“Taste Festival organisers have been working tirelessly to bring this event together, making the most of the completely refurbished venue and the opportunities it presents to increase the Festival’s area and address traditional issues such as seating and shaded areas,” said Damon Thomas, Lord Mayor of Hobart.

It started in an old shed on the wharf, formerly used for temporary cargo storage before the container revolution. The large empty space offered an ideal venue for temporary stalls and seating.

People flocking into the Taste's old shed revamped

A substantial facelift for the venue in the past two years, added more food and beverage areas, new flooring and glass doors leading out onto the waterfront and Salamanca Place sides.

Other detail improvements to the old shed are not as noticeable.  The new roof adds a lighter look to the interior of main venue with lighting and ventilation infrastructure making this more of a purpose built exhibition hall.

Inside the Taste of Tasmania

There is also a range of sheltered seating outside the main hall with a view of the docks and the city.

Sitting on the edge of the dock on a sunny day at the Taste

The Taste Festival is mainly about food and provides a chance for small speciality producers to reach a wide range of people. These usually are carefully grown or produced foods and wines that are not available in the large quantities the national supermarket chains require.

At the Taste Festival you can buy your cheese straight from the man who probably made the cheese.

Cheese in slices or whole rounds

One of the features of Tasmania food is freshness and soft fruits and berries taste better when freshly picked.

Cheese cakes with fresh fruit or berries

Local wineries offer a wide range of cool climate wines to try.

Wine to taste

The influence of a wide range of ethnic groups in Tasmania is evident in the many ways to prepare and present the fresh local produce.

A wide range of food styles is a feature of the taste of Tasmania