From backyard plant preservation to bold theatrical performances, Hobart's young changemakers are turning climate ideas into real-world action.
The City of Hobart’s Youth Climate Action Fund, delivered in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, has awarded funding to 20 projects that tackle climate change in the Hobart local government area.
With up to $7500 available for each initiative, the fund supports young people aged 15 to 24 in bringing their climate solutions to life in schools, streets, homes and communities.
For Harry Lush and his team of young scientists, the grant will help launch a bold new citizen science project aimed at saving some of Tasmania’s most threatened plant species.
“A lot of Tassie’s native flora species, especially in our alpine regions, make up something called the Gondwana relics,” he said.
“With changing climate, increasing temperatures, decreasing rainfall and the increasing frequency of bushfires, some of these plants are projected to be gone in the next 100 years.”
Harry Lush is hoping to protect Tasmania's rare plants through backyard biobanking.
Their project, dubbed ‘Backyard Biobanking’, aims to preserve these species by placing them directly into the hands of the community.
It would invite people to store plants like pencil pine, Huon pine, and Nothofagus species on their properties – ensuring they are safe in times of habitat disturbance.
“I think we owe it to the land that we live on to look after it and protect it from our own actions,” Harry said.
For other grantees, creativity is the key to climate connection.
Dekota Mark is using art to spark a deeper connection with our oceans.
Dekota Mark and her team are leading a project called ‘Art for the Sea’ – a marine education initiative which will aim to build awareness of ocean health.
The project will invite participants to explore issues like marine pollution, overfishing and climate impacts before expressing their understanding through art.
“It’s all about breaking down the barriers that formal education might introduce in the marine education sphere and trying to foster connection to the oceans through the use of a universal language like art,” Dekota said.
“Hopefully that creates a sense of care and curiosity for them to go forward and want to make a change for our oceans and our climate.”
Back on land, a group of five young people in New Town are set to harness the power of performance to inspire climate action.
Josh Madgwick is mentoring young performers to inspire climate action through theatre.
Working with Kickstart Arts, which is coordinated by Josh Madgwick, the youthful group will use the funding to write and stage a theatre production for children with a strong environmental message.
“It’s really aiming to inspire younger people and children to take action in their environment,” Josh said.
“For young people in particular, connecting with characters in real life is really powerful.
“So when you have people who are between 18 and 21 talking to that younger audience about climate change, it feels more peer-led than maybe a message coming from an older person like me.”
Josh, Dekota and Harry represent just three of the 20 innovative projects being funded by this year's Youth Climate Action Fund in Hobart.
These are just three of the 20 innovative, youth-led projects that will roll out across Hobart in the coming months.
Stay tuned to Hobart News and our socials to hear more about the initiatives as they develop.
Meet all 20 of our Youth Climate Action Fund recipients for 2025:
- Nepalese Association of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment in Australia - EcoRise: Empowering Youth
- Kickstart Arts Inc - Little Jobs - Climate Theatre Development
- The Sustainability Learning Centre - Echoes of Tomorrow: A Climate Story Production
- Student Living University Gardening Society - Native Food Garden
- Youth Led Group, led by Dekota Mark - Art For the Sea
- Youth Led Group, led by Finnian Gregg-Rowan - Building Care and Resilience for Country & People
- Sustainable Living Tasmania - Wasting Away
- Downshift Music Tasmania - Downshift Music Festival
- Nipaluna Nursery Inc - Urban Pocket Forests
- University of Tasmania - Circular Creativity Student Workshops
- Sustainable Living Tasmania - Bike and Hike
- The Tasmanian University Environment Society - The Environment Society 2025 Climate Program
- Sustainable Living Tasmania - Switched ON
- Youth Led Group, led by George Clancy Lester - Habitat for Hobart - Native Pollinator Workshops
- Industrie Ballet & Alignment - We Are the World
- The Gondwana Project Inc - Backyard Biobanking for Tasmanian Flora
- Nipaluna Nursery Inc - Youth Capturing Stories of Climate Mentors
- Sustainability Team at the University of Tasmania - Hobart Youth Science Communicators Network
- Tasmanian University Student Association - Moo-ve Over Milk at TUSA Food Hub
- Hobart College - E-bikes and EV Chargers @ HoCo