Instead, I took a few days of annual leave and explored a part of Tasmania with my host son from Switzerland.

We spent a couple of days on the North-West Coast, which happens to be where I was raised, discovering Cradle Mountain, walking around the top of the Nut and tiptoeing through the tulips at Table Cape.

It was a really special few days, because I was seeing my home area for, what felt like, the first time again and relived some beautiful memories attached to these special places. 

While I was out and about, the newsroom was busy researching a story that was finally published on Thursday.

I say finally because it wasn’t a simple story to write.  It could have been easy, we could have published the fact neighbours and the owner of a property was in a dispute over a development application.

But, we didn’t. We did our research. Our journalist, Matt Dennien, spent many hours reading past articles, council reports and agendas getting to the bottom to why a house in an area known for its built heritage could be demolished.

It’s important to note that the house has been legally approved for demolition. That’s not the debate. However, the issue helped to discover that about 600 sites and areas had been identified as having heritage significance to Launceston, yet after 11 years no actions have been taken.

Some houses on that list have been demolished, legally.

About 20 hours of work went into the is one story, which you can read here.

We have many follows to publish, two you can find below, because our built heritage is a conversation we need to be having in our city.  Not just protecting what is already listed, but identifying future heritage properties and also allowing the properties that could be of significance in the next century be built.

In an earlier email, I wrote to thank you for supporting local journalism. I believe this story, and those to follow, are examples of what you support on a daily basis.

We would like to offer you an opportunity to see how we produce and publish our stories by attending an information session and morning tea on October 26 at 10.30am at our office in Launceston.

For more information or to RSVP please email jen.woodward@fairfaxmedia.com.au.

I look forward to meeting with you.

Until next week,

Courtney