Special Interest Matter - Olivia Pedder, Bloom Coffee

Tuesday 11 August 2026

Mr President,

I am very pleased to rise to speak today about a terrific business in Launceston, run with enthusiasm and heart. I am talking about the Bloom Coffee Van, run by young Entrepreneur Olivia Pedder.

After finishing year twelve in November last year, Olivia purchased the Bloom Coffee van and got to work. Taking the experience she has gained working at other local Launceston businesses, Bluestone and Josef Chromy – where she still works part time – Olivia saw an opportunity to start her own business, develop her café and hospitality skills and provide much-needed caffeine to Launceston locals.

Right now, Olivia takes every opportunity she can to serve up great coffee and build the profile of her business.

In addition to operating at events in the region, Olivia also serves up coffee to the parents, families and visitors to Saturday morning junior soccer at Churchill Park in Invermay. After operating Bloom for eight months, if there’s one thing that Olivia knows, it’s that where there are early mornings, there will be coffee customers.

At this time, Olivia has also made an arrangement to set up Bloom café at Wizard’s Bar, at the Boag’s site in William Street, and will continue to do so until November. So impressed was Boag’s Brewery manager Mike Stylianou with Olivia’s coffee van at a local event, he offered her the space to serve both the general public and Boag’s workers, and help them bond over a morning cuppa.

Of course we will shortly – and very sadly – see the closure of the Boag’s site in Launceston, which makes this enterprise even more special. Not only is Olivia helping Boag’s workers to connect, bond and unwind, it’s in a space that is also very special to the brewery, and the region. Olivia’s Coffee has breathed new life into a unique part of the brewery, transforming the former Boag’s Social Club into a vibrant community space.

This space contains “bits of nostalgia”, including vintage advertising boards, a Boag’s-themed arcade machine and a huge mural painted by a former Boag’s operator. The mural depicts a dragon and Saint George, the wizard behind the name of the venue, Wizard Smith. For anyone who has not seen the mural, I highly encourage you to take a look, as it’s absolutely fantastic.

Mr President, this highlights the spirit that hospitality venues draw to our local spaces. When we activate these spaces for people to gather and connect, when enliven our communities. Places that aren’t work, aren’t school, or home, but a place where people can go and just “be”. And Olivia is helping to do that, brewing and serving her fantastic coffee, and developing her business skills as she does so.

So what is next for Olivia? Well, come summertime, Olivia wants to expand her offerings into matcha, a powdered tea made from green tea leaves and very versatile and popular, and which I have no doubt will prove very lucrative for Olivia at Launceston’s Harvest Market and other events. Additionally Mr President, Scotch Oakburn College, Olivia’s former school, has asked her to return and speak with the senior students as a young entrepreneur about her business and life’s journey so far. The future is certainly looking very bright!

Mr President, it’s always terrific to see young people really getting in and having a go. I extend my warmest and sincerest congratulations to Olivia on her achievements thus far, look forward to seeing what is next and encourage everyone to try her fabulous coffee.