City News December 2023

S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 | H O B A RT C I T Y. C O M . A U

BARBIE PAINTS PAGEANT PINK Thousands flock to city centre

BARBIE and Ken painted the town pink at this year’s Myer City of Hobart Christmas Pageant as the two joined Santa for the ride of their lives in a 1971 Eldorado Cadillac.

An estimated 20,000 people lined Hobart’s streets as the iconic parade showed just why it’s such a winner with families.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the event always drew a huge crowd to the city centre.

“The City of Hobart is thrilled to present the 41st Myer Christmas Pageant, a tradition that brings so many people into the city to celebrate this special time of year together,” Cr Reynolds said.

Myer Hobart Store Manager, Kathleen Kelly, said the pageant brings the magic and joy of Christmas to life in the city.

“It is such an institution in Hobart and something that has been enjoyed by generations,” Ms Kelly said.

With 46 pageant entries, 12 making their debut appearance, judging proved a challenging task.

The Salsita Kids ended up taking home the Best

Lord Mayor Councillor Anna Reynolds C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0423 222 149 E: lord.mayor@ hobartcity.com.au

Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Helen Burnet C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0417 284 267 E: cr.burnet@ hobartcity.com.au

Santa was a tough act to follow but Barbie and Ken stole the scene at this year’s pageant.

Sophie, Lily and Annabell from Dynasty Drill Dance wowed the crowd as Minions from the animated film Despicable Me.

Sisters Everly and Rosabel were thrilled by the pageant parade.

Community Entry, followed closely by the Indian Festivals Association of Tasmania.

The Holy Rosary Catholic School scored the Best Christmas Themed Entry, and the Thai Community

The Lord Mayor’s Award.

This year’s pageant would not have been possible without the help of more than 180 volunteers and council staff and the financial contribution made by the City of Hobart.

Alderman Marti Zucco 364A Elizabeth St. North Hobart 7000 M: 0418 120 060 E: ald.zucco@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor John Kelly C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0473 884 052 E: cr.kelly@ hobartcity.com.au

of Tasmania received Best Costumed Entry.

Latin Spring were the Best Dance Entry and the City of Hobart Highland Pipe Band took home Best Band. The Nepali Society of Tasmania was awarded

Councillor Dr Zelinda Sherlock C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0439 720 549 E: cr.sherlock@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor Will Coats C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0413 304 699 E: cr.coats@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor Bill Harvey C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0428 243 964 E: cr.harvey@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor Louise Elliot C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0401 272 743 E: cr.elliot@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor Mike Dutta C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0437 455 672 E: cr.dutta@ hobartcity.com.au

Mt Nelson and Sandy Bay vision on table THE FUTURE vision for the Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay neighbourhoods is at a pivotal juncture, and the City of Hobart wants the community to be a part of this transformative journey.

The Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay Neighbourhood Plan Discussion Paper is calling for the active involvement of community members, stakeholders and residents in shaping the vision for our suburbs through a comprehensive consultation process.

The Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay Neighbourhood Plan will demonstrate how population growth could be accommodated over the 20-year planning horizon to 2042.

Several options for the future of the University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus are included in the discussion paper, including potential for continual educational purposes; gradual redevelopment for residential, retail, and commercial purposes; diverse housing types; a multi-use community centre and protection of sensitive environmental areas.

The Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay Neighbourhood Plan Discussion Paper is now available for feedback on the City of Hobart’s Your Say website until 1 January.

To find out more and have your say visit yoursay.hobart.com.au

Councillor Ben Lohberger C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0409 817 860 E: cr.lohberger@ hobartcity.com.au

Councillor Ryan Posselt C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 E: cr.posselt@ hobartcity.com.au

Alderman Louise Bloomfield C/- Town Hall Hobart 7000 M: 0418 388 164 E: ald.bloomfield@ hobartcity.com.au

Bushcare volunteers celebrate 30 years THE CITY OF HOBART’S longest-running and most popular volunteer program has celebrated 30 years of caring for Hobart’s native forests, woodlands and grasslands.

It has also recognised the outstanding contribution Dynnyrne resident Carol Bristow has made to Bushcare in her 25 years volunteering with the Waterworks Valley Landcare group.

“The City of Hobart’s Bushcare program and its incredible volunteers have achieved remarkable results in caring for our natural environment,” Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

“Every weekend our Bushcare volunteers

can be found working along the shores of the Derwent Estuary, up on the Queens Domain, in Knocklofty Reserve, deep in the forests of Fern Tree or across the alpine landscape of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

“They rid wildlife habitat of environmental weeds, are helping the City of Hobart protect nationally significant native grasslands on the Queens Domain and our newest Bushcare group is restoring waterway habitat along the Hobart Rivulet.”

The City’s Sustainability in Infrastructure Portfolio Committee Chair Bill Harvey said Bushcare volunteers play a vital role in protecting native wildlife

habitat and inspiring others to do more for the natural environment.

“In a world where environmental issues can feel overwhelming, our Bushcare volunteers are a reminder that the people of Hobart care deeply for the natural world around them, and want to help protect it,” Cr Harvey said.

Every year Bushcare recognises a volunteer who has made a positive and lasting contribution to the conservation of Hobart’s bushland reserves.

This year Ms Bristow was recognised for her outstanding efforts in the conservation of nature through her Bushcare work.

“Bushcare is such a positive way for people to

Golden Secateurs winner Carol Bristow with her award, presented in a beautiful Huon pine gift box.

make a change to benefit our natural environment,” Ms Bristow said.

“The people that come and work and volunteer with us are wonderful to be with, they all have a good sense of humour and

value the things that are important.

“You walk away from a Bushcare working bee and you feel good about yourself. You think, ‘Yes, I’ve done something good today’.”

Fire trails put e-mountain bike to the test The City of Hobart is trialling the use of pedal power instead of petrol powered four-wheel drives to inspect critical fire trails as the summer bushfire season begins.

Hobart Acting Lord Mayor Helen Burnet said every year the City of Hobart inspects and clears overgrown vegetation along 125 kilometres of fire trails to ensure they are fit and ready for the Tasmania Fire Service in the event of bushfire.

“This year for the first time ever our staff are using e-mountain bikes instead of

New e-mountain bike trialled on McDermotts Fire Trail.

petrol-powered four-wheel drives to inspect fire trail maintenance work across

5000 hectares of bushland managed by the City of Hobart,” Cr Burnet said.

“The e-bike trial is already proving its worth, with staff discovering the bikes are often faster than four-wheel drive vehicles due to their manoeuvrability in tight terrain.

“The e-bikes also make it easier for staff to uncover other possible risks or areas of concern that would go unseen from a car.”

City of Hobart Sustainability in Infrastructure Portfolio Chair Bill Harvey said that if the trial was successful staff plan to use the e-bikes across many more areas of the City’s track and trail

maintenance program.

“These new e-bikes are going to make it so much easier for our staff to inspect shared use tracks and trails,” Cr Harvey said.

“The new e-bikes give our staff greater reach across tracks too narrow for four-wheel drive vehicles, and can be used for inspecting fire trails, investigating track erosion and fallen trees.

“They are less intrusive than using large vehicles on our fire trails and are an excellent example of how we can reduce our carbon emissions.”

HAVE YOUR SAY HOBART Share your thoughts about the future of Hobart and help inform Hobart City Council decision making through the Your Say Hobart website.

MOUNT NELSON AND SANDY BAY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN: The plan explores how population growth over the next 20 years could be accommodated through ideas including new housing developments and redeveloping commercial and retail areas.

RATING AND VALUATION STRATEGY: The strategy will inform how the City of Hobart’s rating system is implemented including municipal charges and how differential rating is used across different land uses, including commercial, residential and industrial.

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New Town Precinct street party HUNDREDS of locals turned up to a Sunday street party celebrating completion of the $1.5 million stage two New Town Precinct Upgrade.

“Our New Town Precinct upgrade is part of a long-term City of Hobart strategy to invest in the beautification and upgrade of our neighbourhood shopping streets,” Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

“These local hubs are so important for creating a sense of community and for supporting local small businesses that are the anchors of these places.”

Work on stage two of the precinct upgrade began in early 2023 and took eight months to complete.

It focused on creating a community and business hub that is accessible with a focus on pedestrian safety, access and amenity.

The works include a new sheltered and accessible bus stop right next to

Mamma Rosa was the life of the party at the New Town community celebrations.

local cafes and businesses, and two new separate pedestrian crossings.

As well as new landscaped spaces and seating, the project features a series of public artworks titled Hybrids, by Tasmanian born artist and urban designer Matt Drysdale.

The sculptural landmarks are highly functional and create more public seating, planting and places for posting community notices.

The Hybrids designs drew inspiration from the rugged

landscape of kunyani and an understanding of the community’s desire for a bold work that defines the New Town retail strip.

The majority of the works were funded through Phase 3 of the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program, with $1.37 million in funding provided for the upgrade.

The LRCI Program supports local councils to deliver priority local

Artist Matt Drysdale and City of Hobart Public Art Program Coordinator Judith Abell in the new sculptured seating.

road and community infrastructure projects across the nation, supporting jobs and delivering benefits for local communities.

Additional support through the Australian

Salamanca safer for people on the move The $3.5 million Salamanca Place Precinct Upgrade is now complete and boasts a fresh, contemporary feel that complements the heritage that makes Salamanca Place so special.

Since 2019, with a COVID break in between, the City of Hobart has been working to connect Salamanca Place to Hobart’s waterfront to make it safer and easier for pedestrians to move around.

The makeover includes new zebra crossings, wider footpaths that improve the much loved outside dining precinct on Salamanca Place, increased lighting and CCTV. There is a new plaza, and kerbs and pavers have been removed to eliminate trip hazards and create an accessible ‘step free zone’ for events such as Salamanca Market, Dark MOFO and Taste of Summer.

Government’s Road Safety Program, jointly funded by the Tasmanian Government, also contributed to building the important pedestrian crossings on New Town Road.

Closer council working ties

The new zebra crossings will make Salamanca Place safer for pedestrians.

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HOBART and Glenorchy councils are exploring opportunities for future collaboration.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said there was a lot of potential for greater collaboration between the two councils.

“We are already working together on a range of initiatives such as the Greater Hobart Strategic Partnership, the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor and the bushfire awareness project, Sparking Conversations, Igniting Action – to name just a few,” Cr Reynolds said.

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Epoch electrifies art scene HOBART has ushered in a new era of contemporary art with the opening of biennial exhibition Hobart Current, exploring the theme of Epoch in our changing world.

An innovative and longterm partnership between the City of Hobart and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG), Hobart Current showcases leading and emerging artists from across Tasmania, Australia and the globe.

Their works span visual art, performance, music, film, design and literature.

The exhibition will be presented at TMAG alongside several installations at outdoor public sites.

A series of community responses to the theme of Epoch will also be on display in the CBD. This year the exhibition is curated by Chris Twite, who was also recently named as the new Artistic

Georgia Morgan’s works draw from her understanding of Tamil Hindu culture and rituals, the aesthetics of her immediate surroundings and an oral family history. Photo: Rosie Hastie

Hobart Current: Epoch Hosted across TMAG and outdoors in the Hobart CBD. • 17 NOV 2023 – 11 FEB 2024 • INFO: hobartcurrent.com

Director of Hobart’s Dark Mofo festival. He has programmed and produced for leading cultural events such as Falls Festival, Sydney

Festival, Brisbane Festival and the Sydney Opera House.

“We live in interesting times, plunged into global upheaval, shaken by local change and challenged to personally reflect,” Mr Twite said.

“I am thrilled to direct the next chapter of Hobart Current, a vital and

for a while visit the website for a gallery of gift ideas – all sorted into handy categories for inspiration, including great stocking filler ideas. Visit salamancamarket.com.au And if you visit the market and want something in particular, chat to our friendly volunteers at the information booth. They will provide you with ideas of which stalls to visit.

The market will be open Saturday 23 December.

City services during Christmas THIS Christmas season the City of Hobart Council Centre will close midday, Friday 22, and reopen on Tuesday 2 January.

The Tip remains open except on Christmas and New Year’s days.

The Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre will be closed on Christmas Day. There is free parking at metered spaces on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. There will be no waste, recycling or FOGO bin collection on Monday 25 December 2023 – please put bins out on Saturday 23 December by 5.30 am.

If your bins are not normally collected on a Monday your collection service is unchanged.

Hobart Central, Centrepoint and Argyle Street car parks will all be closed on Christmas Day.

Climate ready Hobart

Make it handmade this Christmas CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and we know how quickly it can sneak up on everyone.

With more than 300 stalls, Salamanca Market is a onestop Christmas shop from start to finish.

Every Saturday, you’ll find everything from pottery to plants, skincare and jewellery, local wines, gins and jams – and there are many special handmade gifts to find.

If you haven’t been

exciting exploration that takes stock of culture right here and now.”

The full line-up of artists is Rochelle Haley, Arushi Jain, Florence Shaw, and Tasmanians Tricky Walsh, Georgia Morgan, Isabella Maria Foster, Lou Conboy, Nathan Maynard, and Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler.

NEWS BRIEFS

Christmas shoppers will find all sorts of beautiful artisan crafts at Salamanca Market.

THE CITY of Hobart is working with the community to build a climate strategy.

The strategy will outline the actions needed for Hobart to become climate ready by reaching zero emissions, restoring natural systems, preparing for more frequent and severe weather events and working together to ensure no one is left behind.

Since April 2023 the City has worked with climate leaders, researchers, experts

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and the community to gather evidence, data and possible solutions for Hobart.

In early 2024, the Hobart Climate Assembly will discuss a draft climate strategy and findings of the community consultation.

The assembly will be made up of 30 people representing Hobart’s diverse community and will put forward recommendations to the City’s elected members.

Visit hobartcity.com.au/ climate-ready

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