Goods Shed at Macquarie Point has been heritage listed

The Goods Shed has been permanently added to the Tasmanian Heritage Register, but could it pose a problem for the stadium?

The Goods Shed at Mac Point. The Heritage Council of Tasmania are hoping to have the building provisionally listed on the heritage building list. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Goods Shed has been permanently added to the Tasmanian Heritage Register, a move which could pose a problem for the Macquarie Point stadium.

The Tasmanian Heritage Council (THC) announced the new listing for the Evans St site on Wednesday, after it found the old railway building was historically and culturally significant to Tasmania.

“The THC agreed that the Goods Shed satisfied two criteria - that it is important to the

course or pattern of Tasmania’s history and possesses uncommon or rare aspects of

Tasmania’s history, in particular, rail history,” THC chair Brett Torossi said.

The Goods Shed at Mac Point. The Heritage Council of Tasmania are hoping to have the building provisionally listed on the heritage building list. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The Goods Shed is rare in a Tasmanian context because while it illustrates a historical

function which is no longer practised it remains an important reminder of the broader

changes in the state’s freight transport – particularly the transition of land transport from

railways to road-based and the increased dominance of freight shipping.”

“Within its class of place, it is an unusually extensive building – 115 metres in length, with

substantial timber wall, floor and ceiling components and many other historically significant

railway features.”

Brett Torossi Heritage Council chairperson at Kelly's Steps in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Goods Shed is owned by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation and is located within the Macquarie Point precinct.

It’s previously been suggested the shed be relocated to make room for the stadium, the proposed footprint of which encroaches on space where the Goods Shed currently stands.

The heritage listing means the shed now has a greater level of protection, which affects the sort of development which can happen to and around it.

Protections have been in place for the site, since it was bestowed a provisional heritage listing, back in December.

It was also afforded some sort of heritage protections under the planning scheme.

“This has meant the Goods Shed has been under the protection of the Hobart City Council’s local planning scheme for many years,” Ms Torossi said.

The council chair said Heritage Tasmania would continue talks with Macquarie Point stakeholders.

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

The site has previously been nominated for the state register in 2008, 2013 and 2014.