What a wonderful weekend for island and bird enthusiasts!

Friends of Tasman and Maatsuyker Islands recently held their third off‑island ‘pop‑up’ event, Everybody’s an Artist! — an action‑packed celebration across the weekend of 15–16 August. We were thrilled to share the event with Wildcare’s Friends of Melaleuca and the newly- formed Pacific Black Duck group.

Day One: Creative energy

The Creators Workshop set the tone for the weekend, buzzing with activity thanks to three talented artists who generously volunteered their time and expertise:

Gwen Egg invited participants to capture moments, moods and memories of islands, oceans and seabirds through collage and assemblage.
Penny Dilger guided attendees step‑by‑step through the process of carving and printing single‑colour linocuts to create bold, striking designs on paper and card.
Ailsa Fergusson encouraged everyone, young and old, to think creatively and construct imaginative 3D artworks, including pop‑out cards.

Participants left feeling inspired, focused, and proud of their creations. We joined these sessions and had a wonderful time — and even picked up new skills along the way.

Day Two: Exhibition and Symposium

On Sunday, the Geilston Bay Boat Club was transformed into a vibrant exhibition space showcasing works from 23 exhibitors across a range of mediums. For a full rundown of the exhibitors, view Friends of Tasman Island’s Wildcare News article here.

A highlight of Day Two was the Islands and Birds Symposium, moderated by Dr Sally Bryant AM, Director of Protect Tasmania.

Sally opened the symposium with an overview of Tasmania’s islands — their extraordinary endemism, the significance of their birdlife, the threats they face, and the encouraging progress being made to reverse past impacts and prevent future threats.

A panel of speakers, chaired by Sally, offered a rich mix of science, conservation and lived experience:

Dr Sue Robinson (Invasive Species Branch, Biosecurity Tasmania) shared her recent work with Aboriginal landowners and volunteers from the Friends of Bass Strait Islands to remove cats, rodents and invasive weeds, such as mirror bush and boxthorn, to restore native bird habitat.
Mel Wells described her PhD research about Little Penguin health around lutruwita/Tasmania, and her earlier work training Maremma dogs to protect penguin colonies.
Els Wakefield reflected on 25 years of bird observation with her late husband Bill — a remarkable effort culminating in her publication 'A Life with the Birds of Tasmania'.

Sally Bryant, Els Wakefield, Sue Robinson & Mel Wells Credit Erika Shankley

The audience asked many thoughtful questions, especially considering the recent confirmation that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) has reached Tasmania, which the panel answered with clarity and expertise.

Thank you

Our thanks to Georgie Carr, whose creativity and coordination brought together artists, speakers, and Wildcare volunteers to shape such a fabulous weekend.

We’re also extremely grateful to the artists and symposium speakers for sharing their skills and expertise, and to all the volunteers whose enthusiasm and support made everything run smoothly.

And finally, thank you to everyone who attended. It’s your attendance that makes these events special.

Article prepared by: Marina (Min) Campbell & Peter Blackwell.

Photos by: Amy Saunders, Erika Shankley.

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