Healthy Tasmania

29/08/2025

This is one of the projects that has been keeping Penny lately - it's no surprise that it's focused very much on people and their stories.

While most people know there’s an aluminium smelter at Bell Bay, we rarely get to hear what it’s like through the eyes of the people who work there. That’s what makes this new podcast so interesting - it's the human side of making aluminium - and the humans certainly delivered the stories!

The trailer has just dropped, with the first episode out on Monday. Click through now, have a listen, and press follow!!

Thank you to Bell Bay Aluminium for the opportunity to gather these stories and meet the people who shared them so openly.

🎧 Hot Spots: The Stories That Shaped Bell Bay 🎙️

We’ve been quietly working behind the scenes with podcaster extraordinaire Penny Terry on something special to mark our 70th year… and it’s finally time to share it with you!

Introducing Hot Spots – a five-part podcast celebrating 70 years of Bell Bay Aluminium through the voices and stories that bring the smelter to life.

🔊 Get a sneak peek here: https://podfollow.com/hot-spots-bell-bay-aluminium

📅 The first episode drops September 1 – hit follow now so you don’t miss a moment!

16/08/2025

“The best way to get warm over winter.”
– Direct from the Healthy Hobart dancefloor ❄️🔥👢

If you’ve ever wondered whether line dancing could heat things up faster than your heat pump.. the answer is: yes. Yes, it can.

Because keeping active in winter doesn’t have to mean solo workouts and cold starts—it can be music, movement and moments that make you feel part of something.

So if your toes are cold and your motivation’s hiding under a doona, take it from our community: dancing is basically a wearable heater with bonus laughs.

11/08/2025

Who knew Hobart could move like this?

Our Healthy Hobart program over the colder months has seen hips swinging, feet flying and lots (and lots) of laughs as locals turned up with energy and curiosity to learn Salsa and Cumbia, Scottish Country Dancing, and Line Dancing.

Whether you two-stepped in with confidence or shuffled in sideways, your moves (and smiles) made the dance sessions a true highlight of the program. Thanks to our wonderful instructors, our participants and the City of Hobart

And guess what? We’re not done yet.

06/08/2025

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Sure, going it alone sounds efficient — until you’re halfway in and wondering why everything feels harder than it should. Joining others? That’s where the magic happens.

According to Relationships Australia, men are more likely to experience social isolation, while women more often report emotional loneliness.

That’s exactly why community programs like Healthy Hobart and Active Launceston exist — to get people moving, connecting, and showing up for each other.

They’re free. They’re welcoming. And they’re made for going further — together.

28/07/2025

Winter - it really is a great time to get outside.

We know - it’s cold. And the couch is persuasive. But a little fresh air and a few familiar faces can do wonders!

These photos, from a recent Healthy Hobart archery session with the Van Diemen Archers, are a gentle reminder that getting active doesn’t have to mean lacing up runners, lifting weights or 'going hard'. It can mean trying something new, being outside for an hour, and having a laugh with people you might not otherwise meet.

Winter’s not cancelled. Community isn’t seasonal. And movement doesn’t have to look one particular way. Get out there and find your thing!

14/07/2025

Some stories are told in the moment. Others are told in hindsight.

We're thinking about both.

07/07/2025

We were reminded recently how much the space changes the experience.

No wonder our community programs are so loved! They don’t just get people moving, they take people into the most beautiful corners of our communities.

Spaces that are calming, energising, surprising... and sometimes, just what you didn’t know you needed.

Here’s to health, in all the places we find it.

01/07/2025

Ever felt like you’re seen as a problem to fix... rather than a possibility to back?
We reckon communities know the difference.

23/06/2025

If you heard the music from the other side of town, that was us. 💃

Turns out one hour of Cumbia with Salsita can do more than just get your hips moving—it can unite a room full of strangers into a salsa-swaying, smile-sharing, costume-loving community.

✨ There were smiles (lots of them), outfits that deserved their own dance cards, and the kind of energy that makes you forget it’s technically “exercise.” It was movement, it was joy, it was… a lot of fun.

Most importantly? It was community, made in just 60 colourful, music-filled minutes. These free sessions made possible thanks to City of Hobart!

17/06/2025

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to know all the answers when it comes to health and wellbeing in your community — deep breath. You don’t need a degree to make a difference.

Because building healthier communities isn’t about being an expert (we have many many capable experts already) — it’s about being curious enough to ask better questions. The kind that uncover what people actually need. What matters to them. What might work here. Then we get on with it and get it done!

Because if curiosity is contagious, it might just be our most powerful public health strategy.

14/06/2025

Turns out, Scottish Country Dancing isn’t just for castles and kilts. It’s for community halls and curious locals too.

A huge thank you to the team at Tascal Scottish Country Dancers (Hobart) for reminding us that movement doesn’t have to come with gym socks or step counts. Sometimes, it comes with rhythm, joy, and a whole lot of tartan.

Keen to step into something a little different? Join us at the next Healthy Hobart session brought to us by of Hobart:
📍 Lenah Valley Community Hall (18 Creek Road)
🗓 Sunday, 22 June at 2pm
More info on the CoH website: https://www.hobartcity.com.au/Community/Events-and-activities/Healthy-Hobart

Because staying active in winter doesn’t always look like “exercise”. Sometimes, it looks like movement, and a whole lot of fun in a swish of tartan.

06/06/2025

“Winter is not a season, it’s a celebration." - Anamika Mishra
🤵🧥 Celebrate winter, the Tasmanian way!

Winter invites us to slow down, but that doesn’t mean standing still.
It’s a time to connect and to move. Embrace the season with warm hearts and healthy habits - Tassie Tux aka puffa jackets optional, but highly recommended.

☕ Move a little
🧤 Laugh a lot
❄️ Embrace the season, puff and all
🫶 Connect with your community
💚 Celebrate winter, the Tasmanian way