Our story — Meet Clifton
I spent eleven years as a materials researcher at the University of Tasmania, most of it in a basement lab in Sandy Bay running fatigue tests on polymer composites. The work was good, genuinely interesting, but by 2019 I had started spending more time on weekends driving the forty minutes down to Cygnet than I was spending on anything that felt like mine. There is something about the Huon Valley that slows your thinking down in a useful way. I had a shed, a few tools, and a growing habit of pulling apart sporting goods from op shops to see how they were actually built. Most of what I found was not built well.
Before the university I did a postgraduate stint at the University of Adelaide looking at load distribution in flexible materials, which sounds dry but it made me permanently annoying to shop with. I cannot hold a piece of gear without thinking about where it will fail first. That background sat quietly in the background for years while I wrote papers and supervised students. My wife Heather kept pointing out that I talked about the shed projects with more energy than I talked about anything at work. She was not wrong. In 2018 I took long service leave and did not go back to the lab full-time after that.
The actual turning point was a hydration pack I bought at an outdoors market in Hobart for a three-day walk on the South Coast Track in early 2020. It failed on day one, a seam on the reservoir, about 14 kilometres from Cockle Creek. I sat on a rock, patched it with tape from my kit, and decided on the walk back that I was going to build something better and sell it. I registered PIMLICO ROAD CRAFTSMEN PTY. LTD. that September, named after the road that runs past the shed, and spent six months sourcing materials and talking to a small manufacturer in Launceston before we shipped anything.
We are still in Cygnet. The shed is bigger now and there are three people helping me part-time. We ship across Australia and have been doing so since late 2021. I still do most of the product testing myself, usually on the trails between Hartz Mountain and Esperance Coast. I do not have a marketing budget worth mentioning. What I have is a pretty clear idea of how things should be built and a low tolerance for gear that does not hold up when you need it to.
— Built to last longer than the receipt. — Clifton, Clifton George Rushby
Journal
How we finally found a kangaroo leather supplier worth trusting
After eighteen months of dead ends, a cold call to a small tannery outside Launceston changed everything for the bat project.
I spent most of my academic career studying material properties, so when I decided to make a cricket bat grip that actually used kangaroo hide, I assumed sourcing would be the straightforward part. It was not. The first three suppliers I contacted were essentially brokers reselling imported synthetic blend and calling it 'roo leather' on a spec sheet. One of them, based in Brisbane, sent me a sample that smelled like a car interior. I binned it the same afternoon and started over. What followed was about eighteen months of emails, forum threads, and one genuinely embarrassing phone call where I mispronounced the name of a tannery in Fingal Valley and had to apologise twice.
The breakthrough came in late February this year when I rang a small operation called Tassie Hide Co., which runs out of a shed about forty minutes east of Launceston near Rossarden. The owner, a bloke named Warren, picked up on the second ring and seemed slightly suspicious of me, which I respected. We talked for nearly an hour about tensile strength, fibre direction, and the difference between Eastern Grey and Red Kangaroo hide for grip applications. He had opinions. Specific ones. That conversation was the first time I felt like I was talking to someone who actually understood what I needed rather than trying to sell me whatever he had in stock.
Warren's tannery processes hide from culls carried out under state permits across northern and central Tasmania. The volumes are small, maybe 200 to 300 hides a year, and he's particular about which ones he takes. The Eastern Grey material he supplied for our first Kangaroo Pro Grip Cricket Bat run has a fibre density that holds up well under repeated impact without the surface becoming slick. I tested 12 sample grips over six weeks of net sessions at the Cygnet oval and the wear pattern was genuinely different from anything I'd used before. More even. Less likely to compress unevenly at the edges.
Getting the thickness right took another few weeks of back and forth. Warren cuts to order but he works in increments of 0.3 millimetres, and the sweet spot for grip traction versus handle flex turned out to be 1.2mm, which is not a standard cut he keeps ready. He does it for us now as part of a standing arrangement, which means a four-week lead time on any new bat run. I've built that into the production schedule and it's fine. The alternative was faster delivery and a worse product, and I didn't spend eighteen months finding the right supplier to cut corners at the end.
We're three production runs in now. Every bat in the current range uses hide from that same tannery, and I still check each grip before it goes into packaging. Not because I distrust Warren's work, but because that's how I was trained to handle data. You verify. You don't assume the previous result will repeat. So far, it always has.
Breaking in the Redback Elite boots without wrecking your feet
Most boot break-in advice online is vague to the point of uselessness, so here is what actually worked across fourteen weeks of testing in southern Tasmania.
I'll be direct: the Redback Elite Football Boots have a stiff upper when they arrive. That's a deliberate choice based on the full-grain leather construction, and it means the first few sessions are uncomfortable if you go in without a plan. I tested four pairs over fourteen weeks across different conditions, from the dry grounds at Huonville in early winter to genuinely wet training sessions at the Cygnet oval in July, and I made notes after every single session. What I'm writing here is based on those notes, not on anything a marketing brief told me to say.
The first thing that matters is moisture. Not soaking the boot, but wearing it slightly damp for the first two sessions. I used a clean damp cloth on the upper, left it for ten minutes, then laced up and walked around the house for forty-five minutes before doing anything on grass. This softens the leather at the toe box and along the lateral edge, which is where most people get blisters in the first week. After each of those early sessions, I packed the boots loosely with dry newspaper, which draws moisture out evenly without the upper contracting unevenly the way a heat source can cause.
The studs on the Redback Elite are aluminium screw-ins, 6mm on a dry ground configuration. For winter footy in the Huon Valley or anywhere in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region, I'd swap to 9mm within the first fortnight once the ground softens. The stud pattern is asymmetric, heavier toward the heel, which takes some adjustment if you're used to a symmetric layout. By session four or five most players stop noticing it, but if you're coming from a boot with a standard grid pattern, expect your push-off to feel slightly different for a couple of weeks.
The part nobody talks about is the tongue. On this boot it's stitched down on both sides rather than floating, and that means it doesn't shift during play, which I actually like. But it also means the lacing tension distributes differently than a floating tongue. I found a medium-tight lace through the bottom four eyelets and a firmer pull on the top two gave the best result for lateral stability without cutting off circulation on long runs. It took me about six sessions to land on that pattern consistently, so don't be surprised if you're adjusting for a while.
By week eight, all four pairs had moulded to the foot shape of whoever was wearing them and the stiffness was essentially gone. One pair went to a friend who plays for South Hobart in the SFLSA competition and he reported the same timeline. The boots are not a quick break-in product and they're not designed to be. They're designed to last a long time if you treat them properly at the start.
What the Outback Trekker pack looked like before it worked properly
The third prototype of the hydration pack sat in my workshop for six weeks because I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the shoulder harness geometry.
I keep the failed prototypes. They're on a shelf in the back of the workshop here in Cygnet, labelled with masking tape and a marker, and sometimes I look at them when I'm stuck on something new. The Outback Trekker Hydration Pack went through five full prototypes before the geometry felt right, and the third one is the most instructive failure. It held 2.5 litres, had a decent hip belt, and was comfortable for about forty minutes before the shoulder harness started pulling forward at the sternum. I knew something was off but I couldn't isolate the variable for nearly six weeks.
My background is in structural mechanics, which you'd think would make harness design straightforward. It doesn't, because a human torso is not a static structure. It compresses, rotates, and shifts weight with every step, and any harness that only works when you're standing still is not a harness, it's a shelf. The problem with prototype three turned out to be the anchor point for the shoulder straps. I'd placed them 4cm too far apart at the back panel, which looked fine on a dress form but created an outward rotation under load that pulled the chest straps away from the sternum. Once I identified that, the fix was straightforward. The fix was not fast.
Prototypes four and five were made here in the workshop using ripstop nylon sourced from a small fabric supplier in Hobart's north. I ran field tests on the Hartz Mountains plateau and along the South Coast Track south of Cockle Creek, which gives you both exposed ridge walking and heavily rooted forest terrain. The pack needed to behave differently in both contexts and the final version does. The load lifter straps, which angle from the top of the shoulder strap to the back panel, are set at 45 degrees, which is tighter than a lot of packs but keeps the weight close to the body on uneven ground.
The hydration sleeve holds a 2-litre bladder and the bite valve routing runs over the left shoulder by default, though it can be swapped to the right in about thirty seconds. I made that decision after watching three different people use prototype four and immediately try to route the tube to their dominant hand. The routing hardware is a small thing but it matters when you're eight kilometres into the Hartz Mountains and your hands are cold. Small friction points accumulate. I've been in enough field situations to know that.
The current production version weighs 680 grams empty. I'm not entirely happy with that, and I'm looking at whether the hip belt padding can be reduced by about 15 grams without losing function. That conversation is ongoing. The pack works well as it is but I don't think 'works well as it is' should be the end of the conversation.
The yoga mat, the cold floor, and a Cygnet winter morning
I started using the Southern Cross mat every morning last June mostly out of stubbornness, and by August I had strong opinions about grip performance in cold conditions.
I should say upfront that I am not a yoga person in any formal sense. I took one class in 2019 at a studio in Hobart and the instructor asked us to 'set an intention' and I left at the break and never went back. What I do every morning is about forty minutes of stretching and floor work that I built up from a physiotherapy program after a knee reconstruction in 2021. The Southern Cross mat gets used for that, seven days a week, on the wooden floor of my kitchen, which in a Cygnet winter sits at about 9 degrees Celsius before the wood heater gets going.
Cold floors are a real test for mat grip. Most of the grip performance data I've seen is measured at room temperature, which is a reasonable baseline but not the whole story. At 9 degrees, rubber compounds behave differently. They stiffen slightly and the contact surface becomes less compliant, which reduces the real contact area and therefore the friction coefficient. I noticed this with the first version of the Southern Cross mat when I was testing it in June last year. The grip was adequate but not confident, and on a lateral lunge movement I got about 3mm of slip. That's enough to notice. It's not enough to fall over, but it's enough to break concentration.
We adjusted the natural rubber compound formulation before the current production run, working with a materials supplier to increase the open-cell content on the surface layer. The result is a surface that stays slightly more compliant at low temperatures, which closes that gap. I retested through July and August, which gave me the coldest mornings available in this part of southern Tasmania, and the slip on that lateral movement went to zero. I also tested in summer conditions at around 22 degrees to confirm the change didn't introduce any degradation at the upper end, and it didn't. The mat runs consistently across that range now.
The mat is 4mm thick, which is thinner than a lot of people expect. I made that choice because I use it on a hard floor and I wanted ground feedback rather than cushioning. If you're working on carpet or a softer surface, 4mm might feel minimal. On timber or concrete it's enough. The 183cm length accommodates most people I've spoken to, though I'm 189cm and I lose a few centimetres at the head end in some positions, which I've simply accepted as a trade-off for a mat that doesn't feel like a camping mattress.
It's mid-February now and the mornings are still cool but nothing like August. The mat lives rolled up in the corner of the kitchen and I've used it 287 days in a row, which I know because I've been keeping a simple log in a notebook. That's not a sales claim. It's just what happens when you make something and then actually live with it every day.
Customer reviews
Jarrah M. — Fremantle, WA — 2024-03-12 — 5/5
Solid bat, fast delivery
Ordered the Kangaroo Pro Grip Cricket Bat on a Tuesday and it was at my door in Fremantle by Friday — didn't expect that from a Tassie workshop. The grip is noticeably better than what I've been using, and the balance feels right straight out of the box. Really happy with it.
Simone T. — Brunswick, VIC — 2024-06-05 — 4/5
Great mat, slight smell at first
The Southern Cross Yoga Mat arrived well-packaged and feels solid underfoot — good grip even when I'm sweating through a hot flow class. There was a faint rubbery smell for the first few days, but it aired out after leaving it unrolled overnight. Would buy again.
Ben O. — Newtown, NSW — 2024-08-19 — 5/5
Trail shoes holding up well
Three months into running the Bushland Trail Running Shoes on the Blue Mountains trails and they're still going strong. The grip on wet rock is better than I expected at this price point, and my feet stay dry on shorter crossings. Sizing was spot on for me at a standard 11.
Priya K. — South Melbourne, VIC — 2024-09-30 — 4/5
Hydration pack is practical
Bought the Outback Trekker Hydration Pack for a multi-day walk and it did the job well. The straps are adjustable and didn't dig in even after six hours on day two. One minor gripe — the chest buckle feels a little flimsy compared to the rest of the build, but it held up fine across the trip.
Lachlan F. — Paddington, QLD — 2024-11-14 — 5/5
Football boots fit perfectly
Went with the Redback Elite Football Boots after reading the size guide and they fit exactly as described. Wore them to training twice before a game and they were already broken in — no blisters. Fast shipping and the packaging was neat without being over the top.
Megan H. — Hobart, TAS — 2025-01-08 — 5/5
Good to support a local business
Nice to order from someone actually based in Tasmania. The cricket bat arrived the next day which was a bonus — couldn't believe it. My son has been using it at junior training and his coach commented on the quality unprompted. Will definitely order again.
Tom W. — Surry Hills, NSW — 2025-02-22 — 4/5
Trail shoes — good but run slightly narrow
The Bushland Trail Running Shoes are well-built and I've had no issues with them on the firetrails around Centennial Park. Worth noting they're a touch narrow in the toe box if you have wider feet — I'd suggest going half a size up. Customer service replied quickly when I asked about sizing before ordering.
Aisha R. — West End, QLD — 2025-04-03 — 5/5
Yoga mat is the real deal
I've gone through three yoga mats in two years and the Southern Cross is the first one that hasn't started peeling at the edges after a month. The surface texture gives good grip without being rough on my hands or knees. Arrived in five days to Brisbane, well wrapped.
Shipping
All Pimlico Wares orders are dispatched from our workshop in Cygnet, Tasmania. Standard orders ship via Australia Post and typically arrive within 3–5 business days for major metro areas including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. Regional and rural addresses generally take 5–8 business days. Express orders go out with StarTrack and arrive in 1–3 business days for most metro locations, though some remote areas may take a day longer. Orders placed before 2pm AEST Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day. You'll receive an email with a tracking link as soon as your parcel is on its way.
Standard shipping is free on all orders over $100 AUD. For orders below that, standard shipping is a flat $9.95 and express is $14.95, Australia-wide. All prices on our site include GST — there are no hidden charges at checkout. We ship to all Australian states and territories including NT and remote WA. If you're unsure whether express delivery will reach your postcode within the quoted timeframe, contact us before placing your order and we'll check it for you.
We pack every order carefully to make sure it arrives in the same condition it left us. If your parcel arrives damaged, take photos of both the packaging and the item before doing anything else, then email us at hello@pimlicoWares.com.au within 48 hours of delivery. We'll arrange a replacement or refund as quickly as we can. For lost parcels, we'll lodge an inquiry with Australia Post or StarTrack on your behalf and keep you updated through the process. We don't expect you to chase couriers yourself.
Returns
You can return most Pimlico Wares products within 30 days of receiving your order, provided the item is unused, in its original condition, and comes back to us in the original packaging with proof of purchase. To start a return, email hello@pimlicoWares.com.au with your order number and a brief reason. We'll confirm the return address and next steps within one business day. Please don't send anything back without hearing from us first, as it helps us process things faster and avoid items going to the wrong location.
Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply to every purchase from Pimlico Wares. If a product has a genuine fault, doesn't match its description, or isn't fit for its stated purpose, you're entitled to a remedy — whether that's a repair, replacement, or refund — regardless of our standard return window. These rights exist independently of our 30-day change-of-mind policy and cannot be excluded. If you believe your item has a fault, contact us and we'll assess it promptly. We'll cover return postage costs in any case where the fault is on our end.
For change-of-mind returns, return postage is the customer's responsibility. Once we receive the item and confirm it meets the return conditions, we'll process your refund to the original payment method within 5–7 business days. You'll receive an email confirmation when the refund is issued. Note that sale items, custom bat orders, and personalised products are not eligible for change-of-mind returns. If you received a gift and want to return it, contact us and we'll work out the best option with you.