Tasmania is a place I have always wanted to visit. The history of the state is one of the reasons (I love history, especially Australian history) and I love mountains and green grass. Get plenty of that in Tassie!
I can’t tell you how much the landscape captivated me – the colours of the trees are amazing – burnt red and oranges of autumn against the vivid green grass and grey sky, were such a treat for me. Our country, at the moment, is a dull brown with sandy spots and bright blue skies – not a sight for this time of the year.
So, after thinking that Kate, Anthony and I had landed in Ireland (or somewhere else where there is a lot of green grass!), we set off for Agfest. After talking to James, from rural Youth, who organises Agfest, I learned that there are around 70,000 people pass through the gates over the three day event. Everywhere you looked there was produce, farm machinery, clothes, dog trials, helicopter rides, restored machinery and every other thing that you could imagine!
The setting is wonderful – large trees, with trunks thicker than you could put your arms around and tall… They were massive!
So I had six signings over the two days in the Angus and Robertson tent and they were really successful. I met some wonderful people, Gabbi Bresnehan, included. She is Tassie’s Rural Woman of the Year for 2010 and is off to Canberra in a couple of weeks to go up against all of women from the other states. Good luck, Gabbi!
I climbed a couple of silos over the two days – demonstrating some safety features – that was fun – and watched some dog trials with Anthony and Kate.
And I must tell you that I met Rachael Treasure face to face! I was ecstatic to have that happen. I lugged my copies of her books over, so she could sign them and was able to spend half an hour or so, with her. That was so exciting for me – to actually meet the person whose books I loved and had inspired me to think that I could handle writing, farming and being a mum, all together, was amazing.
I just also have to add, I stood next to Kieran Perkins! Too star struck to ask for his autograph though!
Thank you for sharing your Tassie adventure – great pics too, by the way. 🙂 xx
I love your blogs, they make me feel I am along there with you Best Wishes Pauline
Hope you had a great time here in Tassie – we were thrilled we had the chance to meet you. I think I recognise the first picture as Scottsdale??
Hi Kylie, yes, that’s Scottsdale. We took a drive over there on Sunday – the roads scared us!
I’m pleased you like the blogs, Pauline.
Great to see you here again, Anne-Marie!
Yeah, thought I recognised that red dirt!! That paddock is just opposite the school farm. The paddock belongs to Trevor Hall a local angus breeder, who lends his lovely Quarterway Angus stud heifers to school for cattle handling. Didn’t like the road?? Been travelling it ever since!!
It was so great meeting you at Agfest on the Saturday.
I just got to the first book Red Dust this weekend just gone and could barely put it down, read it over the two days and loved it. Can’t wait to get stuck into Blue Skies 🙂
Hi Kellie, great to meet you too. I’m really pleased you enjoyed Red Dust and I hope you so, Blue Skies, also! let me know!
That’s what I love about Canberra – we have the bush all through the city – more bush than city – and kangaroos jumping around the streets. But we also have all the deciduous trees that give us spectacular blossoms, autumns and stark winters.
My father’s team was awarded a wooden spoon by Kieran Perkins in a swimming competition once – not a celebrity moment to brag about!!
Ha – a Rachael Treasure fangirl moment from another writer!!