Hobart 2019
Tea on trend in Tasmania
The AUSTCS TEAm is pleased to announce the dates and venue for the 2019 seminar.
Tasmania is a destination to be reckoned with in 2019. Already famed for its natural beauty, historic sites and one of the world’s weirdest museums (aka MONA), it’s time it took the lead for tea.
AUSTCS 2019 at The Old Woolstore, Hobart
Come September, it will. Hobart plays host to the 2019 Australian Tea Cultural Seminar and we are pleased to announce it will be held in The Old Woolstore, a heritage-listed building steps from the city’s famous waterfront over the weekend of 7-8 September.
The hotel was originally built in the 19th century to, as its name suggests, store and treat wool. It was later used to store other agricultural products, and in the 1950s turned into a Rural Merchandise store, supplying various items to local farmers. In 1997, it became a hotel. Valued by the National Trust, many parts of the building and equipment remain preserved for guests to view.
It is fitting that our venue has such a historic connection to agriculture. In its first year, AUSTCS pioneered a relationship with the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania, which resulted in the society offering Australia’s first tea-only category eligible for agricultural medals at the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards in 2018. It’s a relationship we’ll be developing towards the Hobart seminar and beyond.
Speakers 2019
Your support is important to our work at Australian Tea Cultural Seminar. There are many ways you can contribute towards our causes, and every little bit that you commit goes a long way in helping us fulfill our mission.
Mari Shimizu
International guest speaker
Tokyo-born Mari Shimizu grew up on the umami sweetness of traditional Japanese green teas, but it took a taste of a Chinese tea to introduce her to tea as a profession. Travelling with her father, she “met a cup of Chinese tea in Hong Kong to which my father was assigned”. The magical brew? Iron Kannon, a full-flavoured, older style Taiwanese oolong, reminiscent of a Fujian Iron Goddess (tieguanyin).
Captivated by the scent and aroma of this amber brew, so different from Japanese green tea, Mari decided to learn more and pursued a career in tea. More than 25 years later she shares with the Japanese community the pleasures of Chinese tea and its significance to and influence on Japanese tea culture.
Mari is a certified tea instructor and adviser, writer and specialist tea guide and holds the position of Vice-Executive Chairman for the Japanese branch of the Chinese International Tea Cultural Institute (CITCI). Through her writing, classes and presentations she promotes the teas that have become so significant in her tea journey. She is also the founder of Ecochakai, an eco-friendly Chinese tea festival which is the largest of its kind in Japan.
At AUSTCS 2019, Mari will present knowledge from both cultural aspects of Japanese and Chinese teas, from historical influences of China on Japanese tea culture to how modern Japan is engaging with traditional Chinese teas.
Minna Graham
Ceramicist
Ceramicist Minna Graham has been shaping a career in clay from a young age. With two art teachers for parents, she remembers playing in TAFE ceramics workshops while her dad taught after-hours classes. About a decade ago she became a professional ceramicist, and a couple of years after that she began to pay more attention to making teaware. “My knowledge of tea is growing all the time. I love making teaware as it allows me to be so creative and experimental,” she says.
This year she entered the AUSTCS Ceramic Cup Competition with four designs inspired by nature, in particular “the seasons and echoes of the way the land and flora changes as the year shifts”.
While her unique winning cups – exclusive to AUSTCS attendees in Hobart – are designed for all types of tea, she personally remains partial to a wholesome breakfast brew. “I’m a big fan of milky sweet English breakfast and I’m not ashamed to say it. I also love chai, if it’s a real one.”
Minna works from her studio in Daylesford, Victoria.
Find out more about her work: www.minnagrahamceramics.com
Chloe Holliday
Photographer
Chloe Holliday is a creative individual with a background in graphic design and photography. After completing her graphic design degree, Chloe went back to her roots to follow her lifelong passion for photography.
From humble beginnings shooting nature and landscapes, Chloe has progressed to portraiture and event photography. Her creative background provides her with a unique outlook that allows her to capture beautiful, timeless and intriguing photographs.
Chloe is the official event photographer for AUSTCS 2018.
Tea Essentials Talk
About this Event
When you pour hot water over your favourite tea leaves, do you ever wonder about their story? Whether you’re just discovering tea or have enjoyed a lifetime of drinking it, Tea Essentials covers Camellia sinensis in a manner that’s sure to gratify those thirsty for tea knowledge.
Presenter David Lyons will cover the origins of tea, what it is, how it is grown and processed and some of the things we should consider when purchasing and brewing these precious leaves.
This popular foundational talk has sold out at the Sydney and Melbourne Tea Festivals and is now available to Hobart tea lovers for one morning only.
This event is sponsored by Art of Tea, Hobart
Supported by The Old Woolstore, Hobart
Seminar Time Table
Day 1: Saturday 7 September 2019
The Old Woolstore – Merino Room
11am
Registration – attendees to register and receive delegate pass.
11.30am
Greetings and housekeeping, followed by 'Welcome by Tea'.
12 noon
Opening address by AUSTCS founding director David Lyons, followed by continuation of 'Welcome by Tea'.
1pm
Ceramic cup talk
1.30pm
Break for networking lunch in The Old Woolstore restaurant.
2.20pm
Delegate photograph session.
2.30pm
Continuation of ‘Welcome by Tea’.
3pm
Tea culture migration from China to Japan: presentation by international guest speaker
Mari Shimizu + Q&A.
3.30pm
Continuation of ‘Welcome by Tea’.
4pm
Break for afternoon tea.
4.30pm
Annual General Meeting – all members welcome. Voting for the AUSTCS 2021 host location will be held at this meeting.
5.15pm
Presentation of volunteer working group strategies, activities and outcomes.
5.30pm
Seminar closes for the day.
Day 2: Sunday 8 September 2019
The Old Woolstore – Merino Room
8.30am
Tea and coffee on arrival.
9.15am
Announcement of the 2021 host location.
9.30am
Brand Tasmania – tea, taste and terroir: panel featuring Dr Gordon Brown (Dry Ideas), Peter Norris (Heritage Honey) and Kristy Booth-Lark from Killara Distillery + Q&A
10.30am
Break for morning tea.
11am
Member strategy session for 2019/20 activities.
12.30pm
Break for networking lunch in The Old Woolstore restaurant.
1.30pm
Stream 1 – Drover Room: Matcha workshop and Japanese tea forum with Mari Shimizu and guests. Supported by DoMatcha.
Stream 2 – Merino Room: Trade initiative for business members and interested enthusiasts.
3pm
Break for afternoon tea.
3.30pm
Trade initiative presentation of strategy + Q&A.
3.45pm
Closing address by Hobart host Samantha Brown and founding director David Lyons.
4.30pm
Seminar closes for 2019. See you in Brisbane for AUSTCS 2020!
Our Partners
DŌMATCHA®
Dō (pronounced ‘doh’) is the Japanese symbol for ‘way’ or ‘journey’. DōMatcha means ‘The Way of Matcha’. Discovering the way of matcha is a journey well worth taking; a journey that brings people together in celebration of health and the simple beauty of life. We invite you to share in our journey and discover DōMatcha!
DōMatcha® is 100% authentic Japanese matcha, directly from Kagoshima and Uji, Kyoto. This is where matcha originated and where the most premium quality matcha is produced. Our supplier is based in Uji, Kyoto and has been in the tea business for 300 years. Our brand is also supported by the famous Japanese tea master Mr. Kazunori Handa, whose family has been in the tea business for 400 years.
DōMatcha® is cultivated, harvested and processed very carefully every step of the way to keep it fresh and rich in flavour, the Japanese way! Very little machinery is used in the process to assure top quality and to stay true to the ancient roots of Matcha.
Find out more at www.domatcha.com.au
Become a partner
The Australian Tea Cultural Seminar offers an opportunity for businesses or groups to become a Partner of this unique event. This is an event where your company or group can be highlighted as a forward thinking and imaginative entity. Take this opportunity to help shape the future of Australian tea culture.
