Cable car company faces setback after HCC committee says no infrastructure on council land

PLANS for a cable car at kunanyi/Mt Wellington have hit a snag after a Hobart City Council committee recommended no cable car infrastructure be built on any council land.

Hobart City Council parks and recreation committee met to consider the Mount Wellington Cableway Company’s request for a flora and fauna survey for its proposed new road. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

PLANS for a cable car at kunanyi/Mt Wellington have hit a snag after a Hobart City Council committee recommended no cable car infrastructure be built on any council land.

Hobart Alderman Jeff Briscoe put forward a motion, which was unanimously supported, for council land on the foothills of Mount Wellington and outside of Wellington Park to not be made available for the construction of any access road and or any other infrastructure relating to a cable car development.

It is a setback for the Mount Wellington Cableway Company, which will have to wait until August 20 when the council makes its decision on the motion at an ordinary council meeting.

At a packed parks and recreation committee meeting on Thursday night, more than 50 people turned up to hear aldermen debate the company’s request for a flora and fauna study.

The company was represented at the meeting by chief executive Adrian Bold and chairwoman Jude Franks.

CABLE CAR PLANT STUDY ON COUNCIL AGENDA

The company wants to undertake preliminary investigations on the council’s land on the southern slopes of McRobies Gully as part of identifying a potential access route to a proposed base station within Wellington Park.

Committee chairwoman Alderman Anna Reynolds asked Mr Bold if the proponents would need to clear trees for the road given it didn’t follow a fire trail for a large proportion of the road.

“I’m not sure we are talking about clearing any trees at this point,” Mr Bold replied.

“We’re asking for a survey of a particular centre line — I think you may be getting ahead of yourself of what we are asking for.”

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Ald Briscoe’s motion read: “In respect to any proposed cable car development that may be established in Wellington Park and noting the provisions of the Mount Wellington (Cable Car Facilitation) Act 2017, any public and operational land owned by the City, located on the foothills of kunanyi/Mount Wellington and outside Wellington Park not be made available for the construction of any access road or any other infrastructure to support a cable car development.”

Residents Opposed to the Cable Car spokesman Ted Cutlan, who also spoke at the meeting, called on the developer to submit a development application.

“MWCC was essentially trying to set the agenda here,” he said.

“I think it’s a strong recommendation, which says we won’t be pushed around by this company and we want normal processes to be followed.”

Ms Franks and Mr Bold declined to comment after the meeting.