From the bright lights of Melbourne to Tasmania via King Island, Peter and Anastasia Stefanidis are “here for keeps” and want to make Launceston a better place with their new cafe Flying Sparrow.

The cafe on Margaret Street has been a dream of the Stefanidis’ since they moved from Melbourne. 

“We had a cafe in Melbourne for 12 years. We wanted a sea change so moved to King Island,” Mr Stefanidis said.

Mr Stefanidis was offered the role as the cook at the King Island Hospital, so they packed up their family, and moved to the island. However, it was the thought of breaking up that family unit that prompted the move to “mainland” Tasmania.

“We thought we’d thought about education and we had it all figured out,” Mr Stefanidis said.

However, when it was time for their eldest child Anton to go to college they didn’t want to send him to boarding school.

The building on the corner of Margaret and Brisbane streets caught Mr Stefanidis’ eye.

“We just had a feeling, we had a vision,” Mrs Stefanidis said.

Mr and Mrs Stefanidis said Launceston has become their home and, despite the fact they were born and bred in Melbourne, they don’t see themselves leaving any time soon.

“We want to be here forever, a place for people and Launceston, really,” Mr Stefanidis said.

“We want to do Launceston proud, even though we are from Melbourne, Launceston is our home.”

The pair said they considered both Hobart and the North-West Coast, before deciding to settle in Launceston. The quirky cafe offers healthy options for the students and businesses in the area, and has already received positive feedback from its patrons.

“We got someone come in and say ‘thank you for making this place beautiful’,” Mrs Stefanidis said.

“It was an eyesore for some time, so I think people are grateful that we are here.”

The pair have made quite an impression wherever they go, the family has a scrap book filled with well wishes from their former patrons.

“I think that is what made us stand out at our cafe in Melbourne, it was the personal touch,” Mrs Stefanidis said.

“If we hadn’t seen a customer for a few days, we would always wonder if they were alright and we’d find out,” Mr Stefanidis added.

“I think we just do it naturally, its the way we were brought up. It is the respect you have for everybody around.”