Glenorchy City Council’s Beyond the Curtain campaign delves deep into the community to find municipality’s modern identity
Once considered the poor cousin, Glenorchy has changed significantly in recent years and residents have been given a unique chance to have input into its future.
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OFTEN derided as the home of the struggling, working class – the poor cousins of those living further south – Glenorchy is a community undergoing a quiet, but mighty transformation.
While it is home to some of the state’s great success stories and iconic attractions such as Mona, Incat and Cadburys, a council-led project is aiming to much delve deeper into the people and places which make up Hobart’s northern suburbs.
Over the past six weeks, the Glenorchy City Council collaborated with local advertising agency The20 to create a master story for the municipality through its Beyond The Curtain campaign.
The name of the campaign refers to the somewhat derogatory term for those living north of Creek Rd – the mythical “flannelette curtain” – a well entrenched term that some residents have come to embrace.
One hundred Glenorchy residents were interviewed about life beyond the flannelette curtain as the area increasingly gentrifies.
Mayor Kristie Johnston said the aspirational project aimed to establish the area’s identity and provide detailed, specific insights into the Moonah, Claremont and Glenorchy precincts.
“I’m so excited that what has come through loud and clear is what I love most about Glenorchy – the people,” she said.
“There’s nothing fake or pretentious about us. We’re real people who do incredible things every day.
“We’re not fussed about where you came from, what your background is, how much you earn, or how you look. What we care about is community and looking out for each other.
“That’s the Glenorchy difference – you can be who you want to be in Glenorchy and you’re accepted for who you are.”
A master story for the municipality has been developed from the interviews, which found the community had closer connections than other areas, was the most culturally diverse area in Tasmania and that there was a perception of a dark underbelly in Glenorchy.
“The rougher types, with lots of tatts, lots of swearing and a bit of a mean streak – the kind of people you don’t want to meet in a dark alley way – or even make direct eye contact with.
We met a few of these people in our interviews,” the master story reads.
“And it took only a couple of minutes to realise the toughness was mostly there to protect them. After a lifetime of being told they weren’t good enough, or smart enough, or rich enough, they had built up an image that would stop people talking.
“For most of these people, their kindness didn’t show through until we broke through their initial defences. Under a hard surface is something soft and caring, which was rather wonderful.”
One of those seemingly rough around the edges types is the council’s very own Works Centre operations and maintenance supervisor Tim Horton – who is touted is having one of the best mullets going around.
The now 55-year-old started his career with the council as a 16-year-old labourer.
“One thing I discovered right back when I first started was that those people who seemed the least sociable were often the ones who would take you under their wing and look after you,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a negative response just for giving someone a simple ‘hello’.”
And as for the mullet? It’s got great practical applications.
“It’s got a bit shorter over the years, so apart from being a fashion statement, the main reason for having it is it keeps the sun off the back of my neck,” Mr Horton said.
“Quite a few years ago, I had a malignant melanoma cut out and so I’m a bit wary of copping too many rays.”
Angelique Payne, 54, of Glenorchy is the executive officer at Aurora Disability Services, which was founded by her mother Joy Cairns more than 30 years ago.
She said there was a community-minded spirit which was unique to Glenorchy.
“There are battlers in Glenorchy, but with absolute hearts of gold,” she said.
“They might be struggling, but they’re the first people to put their hands up to help.
“I’ve brought up four daughters on my own with the support of the community. I’ve lived here all my life and it’s given me and my family everything we need. It really has the potential to prosper if people look past the old stigma.”
Real estate agent and Moonah resident John McGregor has lived the majority of his life in the municipality.
“Whatever old perceptions used to exist about Glenorchy – they just aren’t relevant anymore,” he said.
“People are starting to realise that and it’s been a result of business people investing in the community first and then the culture changing later. It wasn’t a case of the government pumping in money hoping it will change things.”
He said shifting perceptions of the area and a growing sense of pride went hand-in-hand.
“A lot of people who want to live and work in the area now feel they can have a meaningful impact on the changing culture rather than coming into something that’s already established,” he said.
“They might have rented somewhere else for a while, but they’re coming back to the suburbs they grew up in. I think they’re a little bit more excited about it now and can see more potential and opportunity than when they were growing up.
“There’s an exceptional amount of money to be invested by people who really believe in the area and it’s potential.”
The stories collected as part of the campaign will be published on the Beyond the Curtain Facebook page and the council encouraged people to have their say ahead of creating new plans for Glenorchy, Moonah and Claremont, which will be released by the end of the month.
Ald Johnston said over the coming months, the council would adapt its works programs and work with local businesses to present the cities more in the way people want to see them.
Beyond the Curtain is stage one of the council’s $350,000 greater Glenorchy plan, which is being funded under the $5 million COVID economic recovery package.
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