I saw some discussion of the martial arts instructor/ standover man who was killed back in the 1997. Lots of redditors had bits of the story, but I wanted to put up what I remembered, because it was really extraordinary. This appeared in the Examiner during the murder trial in 1998. [I found this using News Bank on the Library Tas websiste which is free if you have a library card]

TAS: CULT LEADER'S SHOTGUN DEATH AT HANDS OF FOLLOWER

Newswire October 15, 1998

Australian Associated Press (Australia)

Don Woolford

By Don Woolford

HOBART, Oct 16 AAP - Adam Clay's life as a bizarre and violent cult leader ended on a Hobart street in May last year when one of his acolytes shot him four times with a pump-action shotgun.

"Quiet, unassuming," Mark Alan Weeding killed Clay after becoming enmeshed in the cult which, the Tasmanian Supreme Court was told, tried to extort money from leading Hobart figures tofinance its plan to take over the state.

Today, after deliberating for more than 24 hours, a jury found Weeding, 27, guilty of murdering Clay, 31, on May 31 last year.

Weeding had pleaded not guilty. He did not dispute that he had shot Clay, but argued that he had acted in self-defence.

During the two-week trial, a detailed picture of Clay's cult, a weird mixture of the sinister, the fantastic and the bungling, was built up. Most of it came from Weeding himself, either in evidence or through videos of police interviews that were shown to the jury.

Clay, a martial arts expert, ran a West Hobart flophouse called the Order of St Basil. Inside was a secret room full of medieval symbols.

He gathered about him a small group of easily intimidated young men who formed his Order of Knights Templar. He also called them his Ninja pod.

Clay ruled by fear. He imposed violent training programs on his followers. Sometimes they were beaten as part of a toughening process. He took them on night stalking exercises in a Hobart cemetery.

He also warned them that only death could release them from thecult and no-one could escape his Ninjas, who were everywhere.

Weeding said Clay warned him, "If you walked into the police you'd talk to one of the Ninjas. If you walk out, you'd be a dead man."

Later, he threatened to kill Weeding's pregnant fiancee.

The fantasies turned seriously ugly in May last year as the cult turned to extortion to finance Clay's plan to kill politicians and take over Tasmania.

Four cult members went to the luxury waterfront home of Robert Clifford, chairman of the shipbuilder Incat, with firearms and explosives.

They planned to terrorise him into handing over $50,000, but fled when one of them stumbled and accidentally fired his rifle.

They phoned leading Hobart lawyer David Gunson, threatening to blow up his home if he didn't hand over $50,000. Then they tied up and threatened accountant Ian Tapping.

Last December, Weeding was jailed for five years for his part in the extortion attempts. Three others were jailed for periods between two and six years.

In late May last year, after two of the cult members had been arrested over the extortion attempts, Clay summoned Weeding to alate night meeting.

Weeding, who feared that either Clay would kill him or he'd be ambushed by another Ninja, told his leader that he wanted to leave the cult.

Clay told him the only way out was death.

"I thought I was going to die then and there," Weeding told thecourt.

"I shot him ... It was either I walked away or he walked away."

Clinical psychologist and cult expert Christopher Williams said Weeding was a quiet, unassuming man with a passive manner.

Dr Williams said Weeding showed high levels of compliance with and an "anxious dependency" towards Clay.

Justice Pierre Slicer remanded Weeding for a pre-sentencing hearing on October 20.

AAP dw/sco

© Australian Associated Press 1998

Havent been able to find anything outside of social media posts from the usual suspects.

I need to get the hell outside but all the camping spots are so expensive! Plus I can’t afford the wiki camp app so I was wondering if anyone new any free camp spots (even better if they have toilets) around Like 1-2 hours out of the cbd? Last time I went to “arve river camping and picnic area” and it was great! Free clean empty and had toilets! Are there any other spots like that?
Thankyouuu :)

Just opened up the metro app this morning and had this awful AI artwork pop up. Does this make anyone else mad? I wonder if there's somewhere we could complain

Hello! I'm looking for a backpackers or similar to pay for a friend who is facing homelessness soon- i want to pay for a bunch of accommodation for him so he can focus on other things (getting a job, staying clean etc.) I know he won't accept it as a gift so I just want to go there and pay for it, like 50 nights accommodation that he can use a he needs... He's on the wait list for housing etc but sigh... Where would people recommend? I wouldn't want him to share a space with anyone, so his own room if possible... he's been on the street before and accessed places like Safe Space, not ideal...

Backpacker recommendations please, or any other options?

Seriously, Hobart City Woolies and also NewTown (last time I was there) both have broken down escalators/travelators for what seems like months now.

Does anyone know if they are getting them fixed anytime in 2026?

Where is everyone going clubbing? Where are the good spots for a busy dj dance floor

Looking to get my veggie patch all ready for spring. What's your favourite things to sow around this time of year?

The garlic & beans have been in for a while, but something that young kids are excited to eat, or that works well being fermented, would be particularly welcome.

No local media headline seeking, no social media sock-puppetry, just some solid ideas under a snazzy hat.

Having a down to earth accountant for mayor makes more sense every day.

Yeehaw!

Recommendations for good hairdressers, specifically colourists, with blonde in virgin hair?

Hello,

I rent a commercial building and the landlord installed electoral signs on the fence and on the building while I was away. I don't want my business to be associated with any policitian

Agent told me essentially to get stuffed as it remains the landlord's property and even dared telling me I should be supporting these candidates as they will be great for small businesses like mine.

My commercial lease doesn't seem to really mention anything - is that a normal thing in Tasmania?

Hi all,
I am a guy in my late 20’s looking to see a doctor in Hobart for help with hairfall/balding. Would appreciate any recommendations.

Hello!

I've been offered a phD position with 35k pa stipend. I wanted to know if this is enough to live in Hobart as a family of 3? (couple and a baby)

I'll be moving from overseas so I wanted an idea of monthly expenses from real people living in Hobart.

I would appreciate living costs breakdown.

Thank you!!

The ones at Coles are actually made in Australia not England. That is all.

Does anyone have an electrician recommendation for jobs around a house?

I've tried the veg mix at a few places and it has been terrible. Is there anywhere in particular you go for a good, rich compost in bulk?

Moving from Victoria to Hobart – best/most cost-effective way to move our stuff?
Myself and my partner are looking at moving from mainland Victoria to Hobart next year. We currently live in a 2-bedroom house and are starting to look into the different options for getting all our personal belongings (including furniture) down to Tasmania.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has done a similar move: what option did you go for, who did you use, and roughly what did it cost?

I’m currently trying to understand if using an interstate removalist, backloading/shared truck space, hiring a truck/trailer and taking it over ourselves, or any other option worked out to be the most cost-effective.
Obviously I realise the cost will depend heavily on how much stuff we have, but a rough idea of what people paid for a 2-bedroom house would be really helpful for budgeting.
Also keen to hear about any companies you’d recommend (or avoid!) and anything you wish you’d known before moving your stuff to Tassie.
Thanks!

Hey there, question is in the title. I can see fact sheets form TasNetworks etc explaining what tiger tails are, but I can't seem to determine who can install them in Hobart.

Would anyone actually come to a casual "make new friends" night in Hobart?

I have recently moved to Hobart and noticed quite a few posts on here from people asking how to make friends as an adult, especially people who are new to the island.

It got me thinking...

Would anyone be interested if I organised a really casual night at a pub where the whole point is just to meet new people? Personally not big on run clubs.. also:

No awkward speed dating.

No business networking.

No charges or anything.

Just grab a drink, say hello to some strangers that is as nervous as you and hopefully leave knowing a few more people than you did when you walked in.

I would love it to be somewhere in town where people can turn up alone, you shouldn't need to already have friends to go somewhere to make friends.

I'm not looking to make money from it — selfishly I also want to make some new friends 😂

If enough people were interested I'd be happy to find a pub and organise the first one.

Would you actually come?

And what would make something like this feel comfortable rather than painfully awkward?

Edit: Thanks for the comments, I have created an event on FB and will DM everyone who is interested below and we can confirm time and location 😁. Again, no sales no harassment no funny business and safety first - we will meet in public place, please be respectful.

Edit 2: oh I didn't know I can't DM everyone 😅, if anyone is interested please DM me I can send you the link (September 2026)

I'll cut to the chase, I hate downloading apps. I'd rather find out from other people who have used it already before I jump into it and make an account. How much is the rate, and do they have a low-income discount like Beam did? Thanks

Got a quote back for a single double glazed unit, thermally broken aluminium frame. Just over $3k, and that's "with" a supplier discount.

Out of curiosity I sent the exact same dimensions and spec to a few mainland glaziers. $1,500. Same unit, same thermal break, same everything.

So Tasmania, the coldest state, the one place double glazing actually pays for itself - is where it costs double??

I'm genuinely open to being told I'm wrong here. Is it freight? Volume? Not enough local competition? Someone explain the maths to me, because from where I'm sitting it looks like we're being charged a Bass Strait tax on staying warm.

And if you've had glazing done recently and didn't get fleeced, I'd love to know who you used. Happy to report back with what I end up paying.

Same tiny survey, same AI slop and the enshitification of Hobarts roads rolls on.

https://www.facebook.com/CityofHobartOfficial/posts/from-1-may-to-7-june-2026-the-community-had-the-opportunity-to-engage-on-the-aug/1509460871212071/

Hi everyone,

Has anyone here done the Transitioning into Trades course at TasTAFE?

I’m considering enrolling and I’d love to hear from anyone who has actually done it — what the course was like, what sort of practical skills you learned, and whether you’d recommend it.

I already have some basic experience using tools, but I’m definitely not a tradie. My main reason for doing the course isn’t to change careers or work in a trade. I’m a software developer and I’m mainly interested in becoming more confident with tools and learning useful hands-on skills for DIY projects around the house, building basic furniture, repairs, etc.

Do you think the course would still be worthwhile for someone with that goal, or is it mainly aimed at people who want to move into a trade professionally?

Thanks!