Brumby’s roots firmly planted in Tassie

TASMANIAN musician Monique Brumby is coming home — for the short term, and eventually for the long term.

The acclaimed singersongwriter is in Hobart for her upcoming New Year’s Eve performance at the Taste of Tasmania festival.

But Melbourne-based Brumby is also getting the feel for home, where she plans to return after two decades living interstate.

“Tasmania is my heart, soul and spirit home,” she said. “And my family is here … I hope to move back in the not too distant future.”

Brumby, who was born in Devonport and grew up in Hobart, said she finds herself most creative when in Tasmania. “Eighty per cent of my music has been written here,” she said.

Brumby said she would like to come home permanently in about five years, but in the meantime she will have to be content with frequent visits to family.

“I love the landscape and the spirituality of Tasmania,” she said.

Brumby performed her first original song in public at the Salamanca Market 25 years ago, so she is looking forward to offering more of the same on New Year’s Eve.

Yesterday Brumby and Taste of Tasmania festival director Brooke Webb took a tour of the flowers and herbs being prepared to create a giant plant wall that will form the Taste sign.

Ms Webb said the 15mlong Taste sign would be made of flowers and edible plants, including towers of strawberries, to give people a welcome that captivated all their senses.

The sign will be a fragrant and tasty mix of apple mint, thyme, rosemary, parsley, catnip and statice flowers.