Tasmania

Sixth child dies from Australian bouncy castle tragedy

The children fell 10 metres (33 feet) to the ground after an inflated jumping castle was lifted into the air in a gust of wind at an end-of-year celebration at a primary school in Devonport in the northwest of the state on Thursday.

"We all feel this terrible loss," Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein said at a media conference.

Three boys and one girl aged 12 years and one boy and one girl aged 11 have now lost their lives. Two children remain in critical condition, police said, and one is recovering at home.

Five children killed and four others injured in Australia bouncy castle fall

The accident - caused by a wind gust - happened on Thursday at a primary school fun day in Devonport, Tasmania.

Police said the children had fallen from 10m (32ft), with two boys and two girls among the victims.

The children were in grade six, meaning they were probably 10 or 11 years old. A fifth child died later in hospital.

"A wind gust had reportedly caused the jumping castle and inflatable balls to lift into the air," Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine said.

Four children die, several critically injured after jumping castle blown into air in Tasmania

Several grade 6 children fell from a height of 10 metres, causing serious injuries, when wind blew the jumping castle into the air at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, in the state's north-west.

Five children are in hospital, four of them critically injured.

"These children were meant to be celebrating their last day of primary school, instead we're all mourning their loss," Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said this afternoon.

Victoria and Tasmania strike deal to bring in 1,500 Pacific seasonal workers

The Tasmanian Government will quarantine workers from the Pacific Islands in government-designated facilities over the first half of 2021, with costs borne by the Victorian Government and agricultural industry.

A statement said in return, the Victorian Government will facilitate Tasmania’s commitment towards getting Australians who are overseas home, which currently stands at 330 travellers.

Tasmania’s berry industry excited about arrival of Vanuatu seasonal workers

More than 100 Ni-Vanuatu workers landed in Hobart yesterday (Wednesday).

Fruit Growers Tasmania CEO Peter Cornish said the new arrivals will be helping a number of leading berry producers in northern Tasmania to harvest strawberries, blueberry, blackberry and raspberry harvesting work.

The workers will undergo 14 days isolation in a Government-run quarantine facility before being released into the community.

During the quarantine period, workers are tested for COVID-19 throughout this period to make sure they do not pose a health risk to the Tasmanian population.

Almost 400 die in Australia's worst stranding

Since Monday, hundreds of long-finned pilot whales have been found beached on Tasmania's west coast.

Rescuers had managed to save 50 by late on Wednesday, and they were trying to help the remaining estimated 30 whales.

Tasmanian government officials said the rescue effort would continue "as long as there are live animals".

"While they're still alive and in water, there's still hope for them - but as time goes on they do become more fatigued," said Nic Deka, regional manager for Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service.

Australia whales: 90 dead in mass stranding off Tasmania

The mass stranding on the west coast of the island was discovered on Monday.

Marine biologists are scrambling to save the remaining pilot whales in a tricky operation likely to take days.

It's unknown what drew the whales to the shore. Whale beachings are common in the region, but one of this size has not been seen since 2009.

Scientists from the Tasmanian Maritime Conservation Program said the whales were found in three groups across Macquarie Heads - a remote tip of the island with limited vessel and road access.

Vanuatu steps up to the plate to offer overseas workers

A delegation from Vanuatu has arrived in Tasmania to hold talks with the State Government and fruit growers.

The High Commissioner of Vanuatu Kalfau Kaloris said the delegation wanted to increase the number of people taking part in the Pacific Seasonal Workers Program.

"Today's (Tuesday) visit to Tasmania will give us a better idea of how we can increase the export of our workers into the state," he said.

"We have a very good relationship with Australia and around 1,000 workers from Vanuatu take part in the program, but we want that to increase," Mr Kaloris said.

Australia storm leaves one dead and homes in danger

The storm continues to batter southern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

A body was found in the swollen Cotter River near Canberra on Monday morning.

Erosion at Sydney's Collaroy Beach has forced the evacuation of multi-million dollar homes, which are now in danger of collapsing.

Flood warnings have been issued across several states, with northern Tasmania facing its worst flooding in decades on Monday.

 

Man killed by shark while diving off Australian coast

The adult woman had returned to their boat with scallops that the pair had collected then became concerned that her father, in his late 40s, had not surfaced after her, Inspector David Wiss told reporters in the state capital of Hobart.

"His daughter became worried and went down and checked on her father," Wiss said. "She saw a very large shark. She saw her father being attacked by the shark."