On 5 December 2025 Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania, was pleased to undertake an official visit to the Dorset municipality in the North-East of the State.
Accompanied by her husband, Emeritus Professor Don Chalmers AO, Her Excellency travelled to several towns in the region and visited businesses, schools and community facilities.
“As Governor, it is part of my role to visit all 29 of Tasmania’s municipalities during my term, and these visits are always a highlight of my Vice-Regal program,” Her Excellency said.
“I am delighted to have undertaken my 29th municipal visit in Dorset today, where we enjoyed meeting residents of all ages as we spent time in Bridport, Derby, Branxholm and Scottsdale.”
Her Excellency started her day in Scottsdale, visiting the May Shaw Aminya aged care facility, where she met residents and heard about refurbishments to create a more dementia-friendly space.
She then headed to Bridport Primary School, where she met with staff and students, toured the school’s classrooms and other facilities and watched the kindergarten class rehearsing for their end of year concert.
While in Bridport, Her Excellency also visited the Bridport Visitor Information Pavilion and met with volunteers from Bridport Innovations who work to enhance their local community through running the Pavilion and promoting the region.
She then had the chance to learn about potato production, as she travelled to a property near Tomahawk where potatoes are being grown in the delicate sandy soils to be processed into chips.
Her Excellency and Professor Chalmers then headed to Derby, where they stopped for lunch at Lot40, a café and bar which is also home to a brewery and gin distillery.
While there, they met with Dorset Council staff and members of the Blue Derby Foundation and heard about the world-class mountain bike trails in the Derby region.
Following lunch, Her Excellency then visited the Derby Schoolhouse Museum, where she learned about Derby’s rich tin mining history and met with the museum’s dedicated volunteers.
She then travelled to Branxholm, where she visited the CMTP sawmill, before heading to the Scottsdale Aquatic Centre, where she met with staff and lifeguards.
Her Excellency ended her day with a civic reception at the Scottsdale Mechanics’ Institute Hall, where she met members of community, service and sporting groups as well as local business owners.
“It has been a pleasure to be in Tasmania’s beautiful North-East, and I thank everyone who has made us feel so welcome,” Her Excellency said.
“Today we have learned much about Dorset’s industrial heritage, as well as current industries and growth sectors, such as mountain bike tourism which is certainly putting this region on the map.
“I have also enjoyed meeting with many locals throughout the day as we toured schools, facilities and attractions, and have been impressed by their commitment to caring for each other and looking after their community.
“It was wonderful to finish my program of municipal visits in Dorset, and I thank Mayor Rhys Beattie and the Dorset Council for their kind hospitality in hosting us.”