THIS WEEK'S COMMUNITY NEWS

Discover Cygnet’s handmade creations on studio art trail
Easter in Cygnet will be full of activities for residents, and for those of you lucky enough to be visiting this beautiful area.
As part of the Cygnet Easter Le Weekend Festival, which will be providing musical performances, exhibitions and expert talks about our French connections, the Handmade in Cygnet Studio Art Trail 2025 will take you on a tour through the stunning countryside, directing you to various artists’ studios along the way.
You will have the rare opportunity to experience artwork from within the artist’s own environment and you will have the added bonus of speaking directly to them about their work. The picturesque town of Cygnet will be the heart of the trail, where you will find all the information you need at the Scout Hall in Burtons Reserve, together with a display of your first introduction to some of our local artists, just to whet your appetite! From Gypsy caravans to award-winning painters, you will experience a wonderful variety of creativity and expertise which will surely have you coming back again in the future.
Studios will be open Easter Sunday and Monday, from 10am to 4pm.
Please get in touch at handmadeincygnet2025@gmail.com, visit our website https://handmadeincygnet.com, our Facebook page at Handmade in Cygnet or instagram at handmade in cygnet.
Jessica Miller

Small windows from the past
In collaboration with the Cygnet Living History Museum, the Friends of the Allport are presenting an exhibition curated by Dr Anita Hansen in the Lovett Gallery from Wednesday 16 April until Wednesday 30 April.
Small windows from the past: the Petit drawings from the Baudin expedition of 1802, displays some reproductions of drawings of Tasmanian Aboriginal people from 1802.  
The exhibition also includes several statements by Aboriginal community members in response to the work.
For two centuries the dominant narrative around the Baudin voyage and its published engravings has been through European eyes. For the first time these original drawings have been observed, admired and critiqued by the community they depict. We extend our gratitude to those who have contributed their voices.
In late 2017, two previously unknown collections of original drawings relating to the Nicolas Baudin expedition to Australia, 1800-1804, came to light. Both collections contained original drawings made by Nicolas-Martin Petit and Charles-Alexander Lesueur whilst they were in Tasmania as members of the Baudin expedition in 1802. Neither collection had previously been recorded in any of the catalogues of the art from the Baudin voyage and were acquired by The Silentworld Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation with a focus on supporting and promoting Australasian maritime archaeology,
history, culture and heritage.
The original drawings by Nicolas Martin-Petit were acquired a few years ago by the Allport Library and Fine Arts Museum. It is an exceptional collection of original portraits of indigenous Tasmanians, including two named individuals. In some cases, these portraits are the earliest known versions, pre-dating those held in the Lesueur collection in the Le Havre Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle in France.
The exhibition will be on at the Lovett Gallery (behind Cygnet Town Hall, 14 Mary Street) from 17 to 30 April, 11am to 3pm daily. Free entry.
Cygnet Living History Museum

Speed limit change for Channel Highway
The speed limit on a 5.6km stretch of the Channel Highway between Cradoc and Huonville will be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h to improve safety.
New signs will be installed from 14 to 17 April.
It will match the speed limit on the section between Cradoc and Cygnet, which has a considerably lower crash rate.
Roads Tas

What is YouFo?
YouFo is an exciting and innovative sport that brings a fresh twist to traditional games like frisbee and lacrosse. At its core, YouFo is all about fun, movement, and connection. Players use specially designed sticks to throw and catch an aerodynamic ring, creating fast-paced, dynamic gameplay that’s both challenging and accessible.
Whether you’re an expert or just looking for a fun new sport to learn or to stay active, YouFo is perfect for all ages and skill levels. The game encourages teamwork and coordination – making it a great activity for families, friends, and community groups.
And the best part? It’s completely free to play!
Thanks to the generous support of Health Consumers Tasmania, YouFo sessions are completely free. We’re incredibly grateful for their commitment to supporting community health and wellbeing through inclusive programs like this.
There’s no need to book, just turn up. Sessions run at Dover District School, Mondays, from 3pm to 5pm and at Huon Valley PCYC, Tuesdays, from 3pm to 5pm.
So come along, pick up a stick, and give YouFo a go – we promise you’ll have a blast!
Huon Valley PCYC

Cancer funding appeal
With state funding for Cancer Council Tasmania (CCT) under threat, organisers of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea at Middleton next month are appealing to supporters to dig deep.
The CCT relies on community organisations for a significant measure of support, but the Middleton event on May 10 (10am at Middleton Hall) has a double importance.
It marks the 30th birthday of the council and is being held amid fears that the state government is planning to reduce its grant funding.
Over the years, supporters down the Channel have helped raise vital funds for the council through this annual event, much of which has been used for breakthrough cancer research programmes and for running a number of key support groups. These groups have been of benefit to many residents in the Channel, providing an opportunity for those affected to discuss treatment issues at CCT’s facility in Sandy Bay.
More than 11 Tasmanians are diagnosed with cancer each day The CCT is a not-for-profit organisation with the majority of its funding coming from the Tasmanian community. Almost $20 million was invested in cancer research last year.
Peter Laud

Free Huon Valley jobs expo
The Southern Employment and Training Network (SETN) is hosting a free Jobs Expo on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, at the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre.
This exciting event will feature over 37 employers, training providers, and support services, all coming together to connect with local jobseekers and career explorers. Whether you’re looking for work, considering a career change, or seeking training options, this is a fantastic opportunity to speak directly with those offering real pathways.
The public session will run from 1pm to 3.30pm, offering attendees access to:
• Local employers with current job vacancies;
• Training organisations and apprenticeship providers with upskilling opportunities;
• Service providers offering support to connect with local programs, including driver training.
Transport assistance may be
available through Area Connect for people in the Huon Valley who need help getting to and from the event. For those in Kingston, an Area Connect bus will be available from Goshawk Way car park in Kingston at 12.15pm, arriving at the expo at 1pm and returning from the venue to Kingston by 3pm – bookings are required. To discuss your transport options or to book a seat on the Kingston bus, contact Shaun, our local coordinator, on 0476 558 119.
SETN is proud to be part of the Tasmanian Government’s Regional Jobs Hub Network, helping local businesses find the right people and supporting Tasmanians to move into meaningful employment.
For more information, contact Cassie Synnott from SETN on 0402 988 946 or email info@setn.org.au
Southern Employment and Training Network

Kingborough Environmental Fund recognised
Kingborough Council has proudly celebrated the achievements of the Kingborough Environmental Fund (KEF) at a conservation covenant in Oyster Cove.
The Mayor, Paula Wriedt said the Environmental Fund is an important initiative which supports the conservation of biodiversity and threatened species within the municipality.
“When land is developed in Kingborough sometimes native trees and plants, important for a healthy environment, are cleared,” Cr Wriedt said.
As a last option, the Environmental Fund receives financial offsets from developments that cannot avoid removing important native plants and habitat, and when it’s not possible to protect bushland on the site.
This is where Kingborough’s biodiversity offset scheme allows economic growth and development to occur while balancing out any residual impacts of biodiversity loss at a different location.
The offset funds collected when the land is developed are then reinvested by the council into local environmental projects, including the protection and restoration of bushland on private land.
A key part of the fund is supporting landowners to create conservation covenants, which protects the same types of vegetation and habitat as were impacted by local developments.
The bushland is then protected in perpetuity and landowners are supported by the Environmental Fund to undertake restoration work to improve the health of the covenant.
Since 2018, the Kingborough Environmental Fund has protected over 240 hectares of bush.
The fund has also supported native plantings on six hectares of land across several sites in Kingborough.
After six years of implementation, over half of offsets received into the Environmental Fund have been spent.
We have also met around 75% of our targets, and a significant portion of the remaining offsets will be directed towards the stewardship of these conservation covenants, including weed control, revegetation, and fencing.
Landowners who protect their patch of bush through conservation covenants benefit from council rate rebates, land tax exemptions, and stewardship support, including weed control, revegetation, and fencing.
The council’s Biodiversity Offset Policy governs how financial offsets come into the council, while the Kingborough Environmental Fund ensures that these financial offsets are spent on like-for-like projects in an open and transparent manner.
“I’m really proud of the outcomes that this fund has achieved, and I hope to see it continue into the future,” Cr Wriedt said.
Local landowner Suzanne commended the council for their work on the program.
“We have been delighted to be involved in the Kingborough Environmental Fund and we commend the council’s officers on their strategic approach with the program,” Suzanne said.
“The attendance on the day was fantastic!”
For further information or to find out how offsets have been used please see www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/services/20844-2/kingborough-environmental-fund/
Kingborough Council

Pre-election film screening for humanity
On Wednesday 30 April, Cygnet for Palestine presents our final film event in the Cygnet Town Hall Supper Room, followed by an important Q&A: “Palestinians Don’t Need Sidewalks – Genocide – Resistance – Complicity”.
This recently completed documentary was filmed in the illegally occupied West Bank, Palestine. (UNHR – “The landmark ruling of 19 July 2024 declared that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful). The Australian doco team from Sydney will join us for a zoom Q&A after the screening. If we were showing this film in Germany or the USA it would very likely be censored.
On 9 April we ran the Oscar-winning film No Other Land in the Cygnet Town Hall Supper Room to a full house. The same film was shut down in a Melbourne cinema that same week. Freedom of speech is under attack across Australia from university
campuses, art galleries to our mainstream media.
With only a few days left to the election, Wednesday’s film and Q&A will focus on our respect for our freedoms and our humanity. While maybe 60-70% of Australians will vote 1 for the Liberal-National Party Coalition or Labor, these major parties fervently support the apartheid state of Israel.
Amnesty International’s research (5 December 2024) has found that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide against Palestinians. A UN Commission report states (10 October 2024)... “Israel has perpetrated a concerted policy to destroy Gaza’s healthcare system ...committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities.”
Are we complicit in this genocide given our trade and military support to Israel? The Q&A will be an opportunity for your questions. We need to hold politicians and ourselves accountable. If we don’t, Australians may curse themselves forever after witnessing unforgivable atrocities reported daily on our screens. We can’t say “we didn’t know”!  
Tickets are available through Humanitix. All funds raised will go directly to the West Bank and to the displaced from Gaza, Palestine. Endorsed by Amnesty Southern and Friends of Palestine Tasmania. Doors open 6.15pm.
Robert Alcock
Cygnet for Palestine

Kingborough Council public holiday arrangements
Office closures
The Kingborough Council Civic Centre will be closed on Good Friday, 18 April and will re-open on Wednesday, 23 April. The Civic Centre will also be closed on Friday, 25 April for ANZAC Day.
Kerbside waste collection
All kerbside collection services will continue as normal, including collections scheduled for Good Friday, 18 April, and ANZAC Day, Friday, 25 April.
Please ensure that all bins are out by 6am.
Waste management sites: Barretta and Bruny
The Barretta Waste Management Facility and the Bruny Island Waste Transfer Station will be closed on Good Friday, 18 April. Bruny will also be closed on Tuesday, 22 April.
Both sites will operate normal public holiday hours for the remainder of the Easter period and on ANZAC Day, Friday, 25 April.
Council emergency services
For all after-hours emergency services including roads and stormwater, please call the after-hours number on 6211 8200.
Kingborough Council


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