HOPING to build stronger links between the city and its mother town was the key message as Launceston town mayor and mayoress met with a member of the Tasmanian namesake’s council at the town hall last week.

Mr Robert Dusting, from Launceston in Tasmania, met mayor Cllr Brian Hogan and mayoress Anita White last Thursday during his visit to the town.

He said: “I think we should push for a closer relationship now, and I’m pushy — so I really want to see it happen.

“I’ll be back in a couple of years time, but would also welcome Brian and Anita to Launceston, or Laun-ces-ton as we say it, with open arms if they’d like to come and visit.”

Cllr Hogan agreed: “Over the coming years we really should build stronger links between us.”

The Dustings were originally from St Michael’s Mount, until they moved to Portland, Victoria in 1857, while others were minors in Hayle who also moved to Australia for ‘a better life’, so there was a big family connection bringing him to Cornwall as well as the obvious links with the name of the city he now lives in.

Mr Dusting is a retired Commonwealth public servant and owner of the 1930s ‘Sotherton’ property in Launceston, Tasmania, a property which won Launceston City Council’s 2011 Heritage Award (stand alone category).

Mr Dusting presented a selection of gifts, including a beautifully printed book with everything anyone would need to know about his home city, a pin badge each and a booklet his Launceston Council had made especially for their mother town’s council.

He also brought with him his visitors’ book. A book unlike most visitors books, he brings it with him on his travels to get people he’s visited to sign rather than people that visit him.

Cllr Hogan and Ms White were both honoured to get the chance to sign and write a message.

In return of the gifts received from Mr Dusting, Cllr Hogan presented him with a town council tie, two books: one about the history of Launceston by Joan Rendell and the other about the town’s famous poet Charles Causley, as well as a Launceston postcard — which Mr Dusting pointed out, are hard to come by at the moment, and finally, much to the amusement of their visitor, English tea and biscuits.

As the group took a wander around the town hall, Mr Dusting was struck with the similarities between the main hall’s high ceilings, chandeliers and staging and that in his city’s Albert Hall, images of which he showed in the book he had given them.

When in the Guildhall, taking a moment to take in all of the portraits of past mayors, Mr Dusting was intrigued by all the history that the building and town itself has.

“It’s been great coming here, there’s over a thousand years of history and being able to look back that far is amazing.”

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week’s edition of the Post.