Ange Boxall: Voice of the Tasmanian wilds

T  asmania. London. Nashville. Melbourne. And back home to Tasmania again.

Ange Boxall has travelled far, but fortunately for Tasmania, this singer-songwriter has returned to her home turf. Her song writing is rich in tales from her travels capturing the wind, the streets she’s walked, past loves, running away, and coming home.

The songstress has made a career travelling the world for over a decade. Her adventure began in London with little more than a backpack and a guitar named Pearl. But from there Ange has co-written and recorded with the likes of J.D. Souther (Songwriters Hall of Fame), Jim Lauderdale (multi-Grammy Award winner), and Midnight Oil’s bassist, Bones Hillman. Now Ange has just released her third album, Into the Wind.

Ange’s musical know-how and talents are important contributors to the local scene, including her role as the program coordinator for the Tasmanian Festival of Voices East Coast ‘Unplugged’ series. The third annual Unplugged series was held in July 2016 and included a string of shows on Tasmania’s East Coast, providing Ange with the opportunity to bring together the musicians, people and places she loves.

But Ange’s talents and interests are not limited to singing and song writing.

“I just like having fun,” says Ange with a wide smile, “If something is fun, I’ll be interested. I’m just a big kid. I still want to make a few videos around the current album – not all my creativity is just in the song writing.”

And Tasmania is proving the perfect playground. Together with husband Mike, one of Ange’s latest projects is The Splendid Gin. The new gin label promises to blend ‘purity and obscurity – in equal measure’. Each bottle is triple distilled and personally serenaded by Ange to ensure the perfect finish and quality.

“We moved to Tasmania about two and a half years ago,” explains Ange as she gushes about their historic East Coast property Riversdale, just outside of Swansea, which they fell in love with 10 years earlier. “We missed our opportunity with Riversdale, then serendipitously, a decade later it became available again.”

Ange and Mike live at their property with four-year-old daughter Harriette. Their home, circa 1838, comes complete with an 1826-built flour mill they intend to convert into an event space. The pair haven’t sat idle since moving to Tasmania. Among their projects, the duo have also been hosting a regular market on the property to support local producers and growers.

“The Riversdale Farmers Market has been wonderful – we ran five last year,” says Ange. “We intend to have a couple in 2017 also, along with house concerts. The property really lends itself to it.”

Returning to Tasmania was an easy choice for Ange and Mike. “We lead busy lives, but when I’m at home it is quiet and I really value that. I was in Melbourne last week and I love Melbourne but it was so noisy in comparison. I looked out my window and counted 26 cranes in the sky. Here, I see trees and I hear birds. I feel like my brain has more of a chance to slow down and enjoy nature. Knowing I’m close to the beach too – there’s something about being coastal. It’s very cleansing.”

To find out more about Ange Boxall’s latest album Into the Wind, and upcoming performances, check out Ange’s website. You can also follow Ange by Twitter or on Facebook.

To discover purity and obscurity for yourself, visit The Splendid Gin’s website.

For more information on the Riversdale Farmers Market, visit the Facebook page.