Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the last nine months, Dairy Australia has been searching for the 'Legendairy Capital of Australia'. The 2017 winner is the dairy town of Ringarooma, located in my electorate of Bass, about 90 kilometres north-east of Launceston. Ringarooma is home to just 230 people, but its passion for dairy dates back to the 1860s, when the land was first opened up to farming. It's amazing to see old photographs which underscore the sheer toil and effort which was necessary to convert native forests into productive pasture, in an age before mechanical assistance. The valley now has 20 dairy farmers producing around 52 million litres of milk each year. Ringarooma was nominated for this prestigious title by Marcus Haywood, a local share farmer who this year was the joint winner of the Tasmanian Young Dairy Farmer Encouragement Award. Marcus, with his partner, Simone, backed their community for the title of Legendairy Capital of Australia.

Communities like Ringarooma need to be celebrated. Ringarooma is a tight-knit community that has well and truly earned the title of Legendairy Capital of Tasmania and Australia. These titles have delivered the community $2,500 and $7,500 respectively in grant money. The community plans to invest the grant money to renovate a recreational area for students at the school and restore the school's 100-year-old dairy. Ringarooma has shown what an inclusive community can achieve when they work together. Inclusive communities are healthier and more sustainable. Congratulations, Ringarooma—you truly are 'legendairy'.