About me
I’m Andrew Ross (aka No Visible Means). I live and work in the beautiful Island state of Tasmania, Australia.
Professionally I do marketing and communications-type things for a range of clients, mostly in the tourism, arts and heritage sectors. You can read more about that on my Professional Services page – and do get in touch if you have a project you’d like to discuss, or think I might be able to help with something you’re working on.
In my spare time I enjoy photography and exploring the city, island state, nation and world around me, whether on foot or by other means of transport – but especially by taking long walks. Take a look at my Instagram and maybe join me there?
On this site you will find a little about me and what I do, along with my No Visible Means blog, which is mostly about exploring Tasmania in my spare time.
In the menu is a link to my other blog, The Connected Explorer, which is about travel and technology for non-digital natives – so if you love travel and technology but were born before 2000, go and check it out. Even if you were born after 2000, you might enjoy the travel aspects, or like to join in the discussion and offer your expertise to those of us who are struggling to keep up.
So there you have it. Please, have a look around and if you think there’s something I might be able to collaborate with you on, or you’d like to have a chat about a project or an idea, or think I might be able to help, please get in touch via the Contact page.
Professional experience
I have worked professionally in media, arts and creative industries for more than twenty years. I began my career in television, where I worked in technical and production areas for the ABC. I am also a graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), having gained a Certificate in Producing in 1990.
I also worked extensively in theatre, mostly behind the scenes (I soon learned which side of the footlights I belonged on!) I designed lighting, sound and audio visual components of live theatre shows, as well as undertaking stage and production management, marketing and promotions and overall producing roles for numerous productions, in both professional and voluntary capacities.
I have worked with many of the major arts organizations in Tasmania, including the Salamanca Arts Centre, the historic Theatre Royal and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, in senior management, marketing, promotional and developmental roles.
I spent three years working with Screen Tasmania, one of the newest creative initiatives in Tasmania. There, I worked with many of the State’s most exciting and talented creative people to begin to build the local film and television industry. I hope to continue to work with some of these people in the development of new and exciting film and TV projects.
I worked part-time with the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, managing its marketing and major events, including the Huskies’ Picnic and the Tulip Festival before taking on the role of Marketing Manager for the Port Arthur Historic Site, which kept me busy for nearly a decade.
I also spent several years working with the West Coast Wilderness Railway and now work freelance with a range of businesses and organisations.
A continuing theme through all of my work has been achieving outstanding results on minimal budgets—always a necessity in the arts and media industries, and especially so in Tasmania.
Lesiure passions
Music
From early classical to pop and beyond. My tastes are eclectic, to say the least…
Photography
I’m an occasional shutterbug, having had a very decent 35mm film camera for years, and I’m just starting to get into this digital malarkey.
Performing Arts
I’m a stick-in-the-mud fan of the good old fashioned well-made play.
Cinema and Television Drama
Television seems to have become our main source of quality drama, and the Brits and the Americans still lead the world in this.
Travel
I don’t get to do enough of it, but get away whenever I can. I love writing detailed journals, and naturally taking photographs while traveling. Favourite destinations are in South East Asia. I’m gradually adding journals and photographs from my various travel adventures to my other site, The Connected Explorer, so feel free to check it out.
More travelogues will appear as time and travel permit.
Bushwalking
Something else that I don’t get to do nearly enough of, although living in Hobart it is an easy matter to take off and be walking on Mount Wellington in a matter of minutes, which I do whenever I can.
Food and cooking
I’m an enthusiastic amateur cook and grow my own fresh herbs and some fruit and vegetables. I have a great group of friends with a similar passion and we regularly try out new recipes and menu combinations on each other at themed dinners. You can see our past menus and keep in touch at The Company of Friendly Cooks.
Gardening
I have a smallish but (I think) quite wonderful garden in an older suburb of Hobart, with a fantastic walnut tree in the back yard (any walnut recipes most welcome!)
Visual Art
While no expert, I do take an interest in contemporary art and art history.
Media and technology
From Australia’s very worrying concentration of media ownership, the need for a strong and independent ABC, the potential impact of the US Free Trade Agreement on screen culture, to a general passion for ABC Radio National, and a fascination with the burgeoning technology of new media. I love it.