Heritage blow to Hobart AFL stadium plan

Hobart’s AFL stadium has suffered a further potential setback, with a railway shed on the proposed site granted permanent Heritage listing.

Goods shed at Macquarie Point. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

Hobart’s AFL stadium has suffered a further potential setback, with a railway shed on the proposed site granted permanent Heritage listing.

The Tasmanian Heritage Council on Wednesday granted permanent listing of the Hobart Railway Goods Shed, at Macquarie Point, on the Tasmanian Heritage Register.

Its decision, following interim listing in December 2023, further complicates the AFL and Tasmanian government’s preferred site for the proposed roofed stadium, which overlaps the shed’s footprint.

While not necessarily fatal to the project proceeding on the site, it at the very least adds to heritage barriers, with no guarantee the Heritage Council will approve relocation of the shed.

“Any future change to the Goods Shed, including relocation within the property, would need to be consistent with the Heritage Council’s works guidelines,” said council chair Brett Torossi.

FIRST LOOK: New designs of what Hobart's new AFL stadium at Macquarie Point could look like. Images supplied by AFL

The controversial stadium, widely expected to cost more than $1 billion, is a condition of Tasmania’s entry into the AFL competition.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff was yet to comment but stadium opponents said the heritage listing was another reason to dump the project.

“Heritage listing is another reason the government must abandon this stadium proposal,” said Roland Browne, spokesman for anti-stadium group Our Place Hobart.

“This listing should surprise nobody. Macquarie Point is steeped in European history, as is all of Sullivans Cove.

“The proposed stadium will blight that history and the heritage represented by the Goods Shed. It will blight Sullivans Cove and it will obliterate the Goods Shed.”

Some heritage experts argue the shed’s historic values would be diminished if it was relocated but others argue the structure can be successfully moved without impacting its status.