Hobart City Council considers $5m kunanyi visitor hub proposal

A contentious new visitor centre for Mt Wellington will be among the agenda items discussed at Monday’s Hobart City Council meeting. Find out which other controversial projects will be voted on >>

FURTHER work on a visitor centre for Mt Wellington, a new apartment complex for inner Hobart and new public toilets at a beachside park are all up for approval at the next Hobart City Council meeting.

The council will vote on Monday night on whether to pursue more than $5 million in funding to create a visitor centre for kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

The council will consider a report that presents the findings of investigations into a visitor hub at Halls Saddle at Ridgeway, including an information centre, a cafe, mountain bike entry node facilities, a lookout and services for commercial providers plus 285 car parks and a bus interchange.

Render of the proposed visitor centre development at Halls Saddle

However, aldermen Simon Behrakis, Damon Thomas, Marti Zucco, Jeff Briscoe and Cr Will Coats said the group would push for a six-month deferral for talks with the State Government about infrastructure on the mountain so up-to-date information could be provided on the project’s post-COVID feasibility.

A new apartment complex in central Hobart has also been recommended for approval.

Local developers Giameos Developments Pty Ltd lodged plans to transform a central Hobart site currently used as a car yard and workshops into a 25-unit apartment complex.

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The car yard site, between the heritage-listed Pickled Frog backpackers accommodation and heritage-listed Georgian townhouses, at 283-287 Liverpool St would be redeveloped into a six-storey building with 25 units, each with a private courtyard or deck and arranged around a central courtyard.

The proposal was referred to the council’s Urban Design Advisory Panel, which was supportive and said if the council were to approve it a condition should be that a palette of materials be supplied.

“The intention being to further ‘soften’ the building’s appearance in order to better reinforce the transition and integration of the development into the surrounding area and not unreasonably detract from the adjacent heritage buildings,” the panel said.

Also up for possible approval is the demolition of the public toilet block at the Long Beach reserve in Sandy Bay and the construction of a new block closer to the beach and park, with a decked area on the roof.

It has also been recommended the council approve the draft budget estimates for 2020-21, including borrowing a further $15 million and an operating budget of $135.5 million for services delivery to the community, plus a support package including a rates freeze.

The $34m capital works program will focus on renewing and maintaining council assets.

The council is expected to face a $17.66 million revenue loss for 2020-21, but this will be offset by about $6.1 million in decreased labour costs, materials and services.