Crowther statue: plinth sent to Sydney for repairs

The latest step in the Crowther Reinterpreted project is underway with the statue’s plinth sent for repairs. The latest

The base of the Crowther statue in Franklin square, Hobart on Monday 23rd December. Picture: Linda Higginson

The project to “reinterpret” an infamous statue of former Tasmanian premier William Crowther is entering its final stage, the Hobart City Council says.

The statue in Franklin Square was toppled by alleged vandals in May this year, just hours before the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal upheld a decision by the council to approve its official removal.

Crowther, a surgeon who died in 1885, mutilated the corpse of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne and sent his skull to the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

He was subsequently suspended from his role as an honorary medical officer at the Hobart General Hospital.

Council workers remove the statue. The William Crowther statue in Franklin Square Hobart has been vandalised overnight resulting in the statue being removed from it's plinth and then removed by Hobart City Council. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The council has now removed a box surrounding the plinth of the Crowther statue, which has been sent to Sydney for repairs following the vandalism incident.

Temporary signage will be installed at the site in Franklin Square on Tuesday.

It represents the latest step in the broader Crowther Reinterpreted project, which seeks to promote truth-telling in relation to the divisive historical figure.

The council project has now entered its final stage, which will involve the commissioning of interpretative elements for the site, including various stories about the statue, its historical context, and why it was removed.

The final design for these works will require planning approval and a development application will be submitted for consideration before any permanent work begins.

The controversial William Crowther Statue at Franklin square, Hobart. Picture: Linda Higginson

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the removal and reinterpretation of the Crowther statue were about “reconciliation with the Aboriginal community and providing a more honest narrative about what happened in Hobart’s colonial past”.

“The temporary signage provides clear information about the reasons for the empty plinth, the history of this project and what’s going to happen next,” she said.

“When the next stage is complete, there will be a new creative installation that provides a range of interesting information for the public to understand more about our colonial past.”

The plinth of the statue, which was spray-painted with the words ‘what goes around’ and ‘decolonise’ in May, was boarded up while repairs were undertaken.

But the council says additional work is needed to fully remove the spray paint and comply with conditions imposed by the Tasmanian Heritage Council.

Originally published as Crowther statue: plinth sent to Sydney for repairs