It certainly once was a city of makers. It made most of the country's fine paper for a while, at one of the country's biggest paper mills, located through most of the area in the picture above. I used to work there, in the Research Laboratory, back in the days when research, and science generally, were still thought worth the effort (rather than just exporting woodchips or other raw materials).
I found that where the main paper machine building used to be, there's now a Bunnings Warehouse! It's a pretty big and impressive Bunnings Warehouse, but still..... it's only another hardware store, selling the products of today's real makers, the Chinese.
I called in at the Maker's Workshop, the embodiment of the 'City of Makers', and it is indeed a worthy establishment. There are several local artists and craftspeople-in-residence, there is homage paid to the makers of yesteryear, and I wish them luck.I wasn't sure, though, what to make of the publicity blurb from Crystal Cruises, one of many cruise companies calling in on Burnie these days:
In fact, Burnie is famously the “city of makers,” boasting a proud heritage of craftsmanship and homegrown specialties that are known worldwide for their artistry and flavor. Juxtaposed with the surrounding untamed Tasmanian brush, Burnie’s creative industries give the town a hand-made ambiance, that welcomes travelers to indulge in its wares.
That wasn't really the Burnie I used to know. I suspect it isn't really today's Burnie either.
What else was Burnie famous for? Well, sometimes during my lunch break I'd go to the Fern Glade Reserve, and have my lunch while watching platypuses. It was a renowned platypus-watching spot.
Didn't see any the other week. Seems they might have gone missing. I did see locals with fishing rods though. Hope they haven't fished out all the platypuses!
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