A ‘heavy heart’: community loses North West Pride
After connecting community, supporting change and advocating rights for over five years, a northwest Tasmanian organisation has announced a pause. Read their heartfelt message to the community.
North West Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from North West Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A huge LGBTQIA+ support group has announced it will be taking an “extended break” to its social media following.
North West Pride has long been an organisation which connected LGBTQIA+ people through events, launching over five years ago.
The statement, posted to their Facebook page on March 3, stated it was a “hard” decision and one made with “much reflection and a heavy heart”.
While no specific reason was given, it stated it was “necessary at this point for a variety of reasons”.
While the events will be paused, the Qmmunity newsletter and Queer Life Stories will continue.
Other initiatives from the group like Working It Out’s monthly Pride Coffee will continue.
There are some events taking place before operations are wrapped up, the group’s post said the last event will be a way to celebrate “meaningful connection, community and love”.
The statement ended with a thanks to the community for their “unwavering support”.
The LGBTQIA+ community has been hit with some hard events so far in 2025.
Working It Out chief executive officer Olivia Hogarth said the Tasmanian LGBTQIA+ community has felt the impact from behaviour in the United States.
“Most people are aware of the climate in the United States with the new president and various policies and executive orders attacking the rights of transgender people and intersex people,” she said.
“The pausing and review of gender affirming care for children under 18 in Queensland – while it’s not impacting here, people in Tasmania are still concerned about how that might impact our state and other states.”
Ms Hogarth said they are hearing from support groups anxiety is high in the LGBTQIA+ communities.
“Just knowing how people are affected by what’s going on elsewhere is really impacting people’s sense of safety and wellbeing,” she said.
Community support is critical when people feel “under attack and under threat”.
Ms Hogarth said people want to be surrounded with people with similar experiences for a sense of safety.
“To be able to go into those spaces knowing that they’re not going to be faced with judgment or question or doubt or even outright attacks from others,” she said.
Ms Hogarth said if people needed a way of connecting, Working It Out has activities in North West, North and South Tasmania.
Working It Out also offers free, confidential in-person and online appointments. For more info visit https://www.workingitout.org.au/
An unexpected oasis in suburbia
This thoughtfully-renovated 1901 weatherboard home – complete with a luxurious outdoor bathing pavilion – provides a relaxing oasis for guests and a great base for exploring Tassie’s North-West
Luxury Stanley villa with a million-dollar view
“This house is fancy,” my eight-year-old exclaimed, eyes wide as we stepped inside the luxury two-storey Stanley villa that would be our home for two nights. “Is this how millionaires live?”