How Tassie’s top TikTok stars found success
It’s the list all Tassie TikTokers want to be on, with a radio duo and eccentric ‘content creator’ now among our state’s most influential TikTok stars. SEE THE FULL LIST, RANKED >>
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TIKTOK has captured the attention and fascination of the next generation of social media users, and plenty of Tasmanians from all walks of life are raking in followers and likes on the platform.
The app is littered with cute videos of wombats scratching up against logs, Thylacine conspiracy theories and the usual two-headed inbreeding jokes predictable enough to make most locals roll their eyes.
But among the cliches are everyday Tasmanians – doctors, fishermen, stuntmen, comedians, researchers and more – who are earning a following for their quirky videos.
Here are just some of Tasmania’s brightest TikTok stars:
1. Jiemba Sands
Followers: 2.4m
Jiemba has been flipping and kicking his way into peoples’ hearts, garnering 2.4m followers and 61.9m likes with his highly skilled yet hilarious stunts.
The 24-year-old has performed tricks with juggling instruments, swing sets, axes and more and found TikTok was a perfect medium to showcase his talents.
“At the start I wasn’t keen on starting another social network but then my first post did so well even though I didn’t have any followers,” he said.
“I kept posting and it grew a lot faster than any of my other social media platforms.”
The Kellevie local uploads regular content under the handle jiembasands and has applauded the app for its short, humorous videos.
2. Jock Mure
Followers: 123.1k
From the prolific seafood family institution behind Mures, 24-year-old Jock Mure has drawn in views from the world over for his unique TikToks.
He largely attributes his success to the weird and wonderful aquatic life featured in his videos which locals may be familiar with, but international audiences can’t get enough of.
“What we have with our fishing industry is quite unique, we probably take our beautiful crayfish and fish for granted in Tasmania,” he said.
“If you show it to someone on the other side of the world miles away from an ocean they would think it’s pretty speccie.”
Mr Mure has 1.5m likes and 123.1k followers under the name jocklecok for his videos of humungous crabs, or clips of him loading fish into his boat set to quirky Super Mario video game audio and other music.
His content took off during COVID-19.
“It’s always a bit of fun thinking of what you’re doing next,” he said.
“I personally feel like Instagram and Facebook are more about close friends, whereas I think TikTok is a chance to have a bit of fun and I tend to see it as a bit more of an opportunity to put anything out there.”
3. Jane Miller
Followers: 99.2k
Also known as hangonletmeaskmum, Jane Miller is a Queenstown TikToker packed with personality.
Her skits lip syncing to famous, poignant, and sometimes obscure, comedy routines have garnered her a whopping 3.9m likes and 99.2k followers on the platform.
Her other TikToks are relatable posts about her adorable pet dog, and memorable stories from her personal life.
4. Zane Connor
Followers: 82.3k
21-year-old Zane is a ‘content creator’ from Tasmania — who has one video that has reached 1.5 million views and 108k likes.
“I started my page around three years ago,” Zane said.
“I livestream usually two or three times a week of a night time. That’s my favourite part, engaging with my followers … also I think I might be the only verified user in Tasmania which is really cool!”
5. Jimmy and Nath
Followers: 48.3k
The hilarious duo from Hit Hobart 100.9 Jimmy and Nath were somewhat offended not to make the Mercury’s initial line-up of TikTok stars, calling up the paper directly for an interview on Wednesday morning demanding to know why they were snubbed.
The tongue-in-cheek interview saw the pair beg to be added to the list – even offering in jest to commit a crime in a TikTok video in exchange for front page coverage.
While we haven’t accepted the controversial deal just yet, to give credit where credit is due, we can confirm Jimmy and Nath are among the brightest and most eccentric TikTok stars in Tasmania.
The pair have attracted audiences far and wide for their hyper-local jokes about beer, absurd musical comedy, boisterous personalities and quick wit.
Congratulations boys – you’ve won us over! Now please stop calling us at 6 o’clock in the morning …
6. Dr Kiran Thapa
Followers: 34.9k
In Orielton sits a 40ha plot of land, a quarter of which is inhabited by vibrant purple gomphrena flowers.
Dr Kiran Thapa’s plans to grow the world’s largest Gomphrena field are firmly underway, and global audiences are following his journey via TikTok.
The entrepreneur was surprised and humbled to have 34.9k followers and 703.6k likes.
“People started loving my content over quarantine, Tasmania is a beautiful place and it’s everyone’s dream to come here,” he said.
“My TikToks are about the challenges I go through setting up the farm, it’s an emotional rollercoaster – I had a struggle with the wallabies coming into the field.”
Dr Thapa said the flower was very rare in Australia.
In his home country Nepal, Gomphrena is exchanged as a blessing, while also being used in teas to control blood pressure.
He hoped to expand farms across other Australian states some day, taking social media audiences with him for the ride.
“I’m not an artist or writer, I never expected this following, but as I walk down streets people who have followed me will stop by and ask me about it,” Dr Thapa said.
“TikTok is expanding, it’s a great tool – especially for business.”
His advice to burgeoning TikTokers was to share your talents and like-minded people will follow.
People can keep up to date with Kiran’s journey via drkiranthapa.
7. Jane Hamilton Foster
Followers: 19.1k
Comedian and actor Jane Hamilton Foster was sitting on about 7000 followers when her tongue in cheek video explaining clotheslines in her own humorous Aussie style to a confused American boosted her following seemingly overnight to 19.1k.
She has since accrued 297.9k likes on her videos.
“I was just being silly, but dealing with the small issues can become really big on TikTok sometimes if you let them,” she said.
“Australians commented saying ‘everyone’s got a Hills hoist’, there was some conspiracy theory about whether or not it came from Mr Hill or he stole the patent.
“Then there were people in the Netherlands and Canada saying they had to use clothes driers because their washing froze.
“People from all over the world came together over laundry.”
Ms Hamilton Foster, who goes by the username Miss_JaneHF on TikTok, hoped the app would give her exposure for her acting and comedy career.
“It’s growing and keeps getting more and more addictive, I was on it all day it’s terrible,” she said.
“They want viewer retention, so they make the videos short and they push through the ones people instantly connect with.”
8. Justin Gall
Followers: 12.5k
This 19-year-old TikToker has garnered attention for his car tricks, namely his comical, bouncing torque wheelies which he takes off-road and through unexpected locations.
A recent post of Gall doing wheelies through a Coles parking lot with a Forrest Gump-inspired narration garnered 257.7k views.
Gall’s account is named justingall49 and has so far raked in 12.5k follows and 133.3k likes.
9. Dahlia Foo
Followers: 6176
A seal researcher from Tassie has earned 704.7k likes and 6176 followers for her educational and lighthearted videos.
The account dahliafoo showcases funny seal videos with perfectly timed captions and music, as well as relatable content with friends from Tasmanian swimming pools.
The TikToker and UTAS graduate has also published scientific papers on seals.
10. Cameron Grant
Followers: 2690
A heartfelt video from Tassie-born and Melbourne-based Cameron Grant showed him surprising his Nan for Christmas after spending months apart during COVID-19.
The feel-good TikTok clocked 204.7k views and tugged heartstrings across the world.
Mr Grant’s account the — catspyjamas now has 85.8k likes and 2690 followers.
11. Nathan Warner
Followers: 1428
Emergency doctors might not be the most obvious picks for internet celebs, but nathan — warner went viral with his video about his “useless” PPE gear that he bought to prepare for COVID-19.
The punchline was that Tassie got on top of the virus far quicker than anticipated, so none of the extreme gear was needed.
Mr Warner has 34.1k likes and 1,428 followers, with his viral PPE video reaching 209.9k views.
His recap of the recent cars stuck in the snow at Mt Field was also popular among TikTok users reaching 42.2k views.
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