Fun & Fitness

Yarn Spinner

Yarn Spinner is a tool for writing the dialogue and branching stories in video games, and it's made right here in Hobart. It's behind award-winning games like DREDGE, Night in the Woods, A Short Hike and Venba.

It's a fun way to spend an evening after class: write a short interactive story, play it straight away in your browser, then build it into a real game in Unity, Godot or Unreal Engine. Yarn Spinner is open source, so it's free for coursework, game jams and even games you sell later.

• Try it now: write and play a story in your browser at try.yarnspinner.dev, with nothing to install.
• Free tools: the Visual Studio Code extension checks your script for mistakes and shows how your story's nodes connect, and the docs have a beginner's guide.
• Local roots: co-founder Paris Buttfield-Addison completed a PhD in Computer Science at UTAS and has taught computing there since 2008. Yarn Spinner won the Minister's STEM Innovation Award in 2025.
• Meet game makers: Tasmanian Game Makers hosts a free social meetup in Hobart most months (usually 5:30–9:30 pm, the venue changes, everyone is welcome) and runs online game jams. Each April, the Level Up Tasmania showcase at PW1 lets you play 40+ games made in Tasmania.
• Get help: ask the Yarn Spinner team and other writers on their Discord.

UTAS UniGym

The University's own gym is on the Sandy Bay campus, a short walk from class. It's open to students, staff and the public, and students pay the lowest weekly rate. Members can come in any day from 5 am to midnight.

• Gym floor: cardio machines and free weights, plus the High Performance Centre with squat racks, lifting platforms and a full-length sled track.
• Classes: group fitness and spin classes (the spin room has 28 bikes). Book online and download the Hobart timetable from the UniGym page.
• Courts and fields: a sports hall for basketball, volleyball, netball, futsal, badminton and pickleball, two squash courts ($20 per court per hour, racquets for hire), tennis courts, ovals and a dojo.
• Joining: there's no joining fee, but you'll need a $20 access fob if you don't already have one. Watch the short induction video before your first workout.
• Other campuses: there are UniGyms in Launceston and Burnie too, and Hobart and Launceston members can use both.

parkrun

parkrun is a free community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. It's 5 km and happens every Saturday morning. There's no time limit and no one finishes last, so everyone is welcome, whatever your pace.

junior parkrun is a 2 km run for 4–14 year olds and their families on Sunday mornings; there isn't one near Hobart at the moment.

• Before your first one: register once online (free) and bring a scannable copy of your barcode, printed or on your phone. No barcode, no time.
• Easy English practice: every event is run by volunteers, and most groups have a coffee together afterwards. At Queens Domain it's The Serve Cafe at the Domain Tennis Centre.
• Around Hobart: Queens Domain (2 Upper Domain Road), Bellerive (Bellerive Beach Park), Montrose Foreshore (825 Brooker Highway), Risdon Brook (Risdon Brook Park), Kingston Park (Goshawk Way, Kingston) and Pembroke.
• Other campuses: Inveresk Precinct parkrun is right by the Launceston campus, and there's a Burnie parkrun near the Cradle Coast campus.

Eastside Squash Centre

The largest squash club in Tasmania, on Hobart's eastern shore. It has 8 courts, including 2 glass-back show courts that host professional events. Book a court in the app and play any day from 7 am to 10 pm; racquets and balls are included.

• New to squash? Beginners Squash runs every Wednesday, 6–7 pm, coached by Asher de Vries, Tasmania's #1 junior. It's open to all ages: $10 casual, $80 for 10 visits, free for members. Junior coaching is at 4:30 pm.
• Bring: non-marking indoor shoes and a drink bottle. Racquets and balls are waiting by the courts.
• How booking works: book in the GymMaster app (log in with your email; your mobile number is the first password), then press Check in at the door to unlock it.
• Membership: unlimited squash at Eastside and at Parsons Squash Centre in the northern suburbs, plus free entry to the Wednesday in-house pennant and Tuesday night Rockit pennant.

Kingborough Squash Club

"Australia's southernmost squash club" has been running for nearly 40 years at the Kingborough Sports Centre in Kingston, with its own clubrooms. It's friendly and social, and welcomes new players as much as experienced ones.

• Try it: drop in on a Tuesday at 7 pm or a Thursday at 5 pm, or email the club to set up a trial game. Matches are arranged between players of a similar level.
• Mixed pennant: men and women play together on Tuesday evenings. There are two pennants a year (summer and winter, about 16 weeks each), and each ends with a social dinner. It costs $13 a week, or $160 for the whole pennant.
• Bring: non-marking shoes and sportswear. You can borrow a racquet for a trial, and the club supplies balls.
• Coaching: the club has three qualified Level 1 coaches and a junior program.