Homecoming for Her Excellency and Mr Warner

Richard Warner and Her Excellency, Professor Kate Warner, with
Derwent Valley mayor Martyn Evans at Willow Court on Monday.

HAVING visited New Norfolk on Saturday to officially open the 2016 Relay for Life, Tasmania's Governor Kate Warner returned to the Derwent Valley on Monday for the latest in an ongoing program of municipal tours.

It was something of a homecoming for the vice-regal couple, who had 44 years of married life in New Norfolk before moving to Government House in December 2014. Mr Warner had spent all his life on the family property, Valleyfield, just outside the town.

Professor and Mr Warner's tour started at Norske Skog Boyer, which the governor later described as an immaculately presented industrial site. The governor congratulated the mill on achieving 75 years in business and noted that while some of the machinery dated back to 1940, the mill had also invested in a complete rebuilding of one of its two paper machines, converting it from newsprint production to high-quality coated paper.

Governor Warner cuts the Relay for Life ribbon on
Saturday, assisted by Ellie Hayton.

The couple then visited two classrooms at New Norfolk Primary School before touring the Derwent Valley Child and Family Centre (also called Ptunarra). The governor contrasted the modern and welcoming facility to the rather more utilitarian "child welfare clinic" in Circle St that she had attended as a young mother with her two daughters.

Lunch was had at Woodbridge on Derwent, followed by a civic reception hosted by the Derwent Valley Council in Bronte House at Willow Court. The couple then toured the 1830 barracks building and some of the grounds before returning to Bronte House for afternoon tea with the assembled guests. The couple returned to Government House in the late afternoon, where the governor chaired a meeting of the Executive Council.

This morning the governor and Mr Warner attended the Derwent Valley Council’s International Women’s Day Service at St Matthew's Anglican Church, followed by a lunch in the church hall.