The Australian Tea Cultural Seminar (AUSTCS) is foremost a meeting point for tea lovers – industry professionals, educators and enthusiasts alike – to seek to answer questions such as:
- Does a tea culture already exist in Australia?
- If 'yes', what is it? How can we grow it?
- If 'no', then are we mature enough to create a genuine and recognisable Australian tea culture? From which foundations?
- From what other tea cultural influences?
- How can Australian tea lovers support fellow Australians to experience the best this beverage has to offer?
- How do we help members of the Australian community to understand the benefits of tea from a health perspective?
- How do we encourage tea education to flourish from school and beyond?
During the two-day event, a community of tea lovers will hear from specialists who have relevant experience and expertise in different realms and begin a discussion on what tea culture in Australia looks like and how we can grow it for the benefit of the tea-loving community.
Tasmania is a destination to be reckoned with in 2019. Already famed for its natural beauty, historic sites and one of the world’s weirdest museums (aka MONA), it’s time it took the lead for tea.
Come September, it will. Hobart plays host to the 2019 Australian Tea Cultural Seminar and we are pleased to announce it will be held in The Old Woolstore, a heritage-listed building steps from the city’s famous waterfront over the weekend of 7-8 September.
International guest speaker
Mari Shimizu
Tokyo-born Mari Shimizu grew up on the umami sweetness of traditional Japanese green teas, but it took a taste of a Chinese tea to introduce her to tea as a profession. Travelling with her father, she “met a cup of Chinese tea in Hong Kong to which my father was assigned”. The magical brew? Iron Kannon, a full-flavoured, older style Taiwanese oolong, reminiscent of a Fujian Iron Goddess (tieguanyin).
Captivated by the scent and aroma of this amber brew, so different from Japanese green tea, Mari decided to learn more and pursued a career in tea. More than 25 years later she shares with the Japanese community the pleasures of Chinese tea and its significance to and influence on Japanese tea culture.
Mari is a certified tea instructor and adviser, writer and specialist tea guide and holds the position of Vice-Executive Chairman for the Japanese branch of the Chinese International Tea Cultural Institute (CITCI). Through her writing, classes and presentations she promotes the teas that have become so significant in her tea journey. She is also the founder of Ecochakai, an eco-friendly Chinese tea festival which is the largest of its kind in Japan.
At AUSTCS 2019, Mari will present knowledge from both cultural aspects of Japanese and Chinese teas, from historical influences of China on Japanese tea culture to how modern Japan is engaging with traditional Chinese teas.
For further information, please visit the website.
