Writing about my many jobs in Tasmania a few years on is an odd thing, but caught up in the madness and busy lifestyle that I lead, I have a few final stories from Tasmania, where I spent five amazing months back in early 2010 while on a Working Holiday Visa in Australia. Yet…
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Living in Tasmania it’s not an exaggeration to say you see as many animals as you do people. Another of my cauliflower farm stints was a day working out at Sharman Farm in Kindred. Where? Yes, I had no idea where Kindred was either until I was asked to work there, as was what happened…
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I worked in Forth a few times while staying in Tasmania. And on a range of things as it turned out. The village itself is tiny. One main street with a petrol station/shop, plus the token local pub the “Bridge Hotel”, which by no coincidence is right next to the Forth Bridge, over the Forth…
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It was a pleasure to have worked on the world’s first broccoli harvester – we were the first ever team to use it. There are two broccoli harvesters in existence, the brainchild of Joe Cook, our employer. The broccoli harvester was made by Tasmanian company Dobmac. They operate in Tasmania and New Zealand. Dobmac Website…
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To be honest I only remember hearing the name “Walabadah” and thought it was some kind of joke. I don’t reckon I’ve even spelt it right there you know. But the fact is there is a farm close to Cressy called Walabadah and I worked there cutting broccoli. It happened to be the last field…
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Next up was Formosa Farm in Cressy. Located just off the main road from Cressy to Poatina, this farm meant a drive along a very narrow mud path and then down a steep hill, which in wet conditions was pretty dangerous! Ironic name too, I thought. The irony only to be lost on those not…
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A rough map as to where Lakehouse Farm is…it is actually quite a historic place to have worked in Tasmanian history, although when you’re spending your days slogging away cutting broccoli, the glamour of such as location eludes you. Lakehouse farm was a wee bit of a drive – it was in the middle of…
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Once I moved to Poatina, Woodside was the first broccoli farm I worked on in this area. That’s the entrance to Woodside farm, with my colleague Jenny sitting on the back of my car having her lunch. The entrance to Woodside farm. The lonely road that Woodside Farm is on – a tranquil road which…
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After four months I’ve finally gotten round to condensing this one and finishing it off. Nine parts in total on what was an excellent day on board the steam locomotive along the West Coast Wilderness Railway. I did it alone which was probably the only bad thing – wish I had someone there with me…
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Imagine the surprise and disbelief of me driving through Hobart in Tasmania in May 2010 and seeing a van with the word “Tayto” on it!!! The Northern Irish crisp! And next to the sticker on this white van was another sticker with “Norn Iron” on it. I thought for once in life my eyes were…
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