Media release – Mount Wellington Cableway Company, 19 May 2021
Public to Get Say in Cable Car Project
Tasmanians will now get a say on the long-awaited cable car project after the Hobart City Council today accepted MWCC had met all requests for additional information to allow formal assessment to proceed.
MWCC Chair Chris Oldfield said today the company had this week lodged the final two pieces of information required by council.
“Council’s acceptance of that information means full details of the project and the council planning officers’ report can now be put out for public consultation ahead of formal assessment by the HCC planning committee,” Mr Oldfield said.
Mr Oldfield said the two major new pieces of information included an Aboriginal archaeological survey of the project’s entire footprint which had found no heritage sites or relics that would warrant further investigation, and a letter from the Tasmanian Fire Service accepting the company’s bushfire management plan.
“It is important to note that while the provision of the additional information and the massive work that underpins this strengthens MWCC’s development application, it has not changed the project design we publicly released for community feedback in 2018 in any fundamental way,” Mr Oldfield said.
HCC’s acceptance of the additional information means the formal development application process can now start. Mr Oldfield said this was a monumental step forward as no previous cable car proposal for kunanyi/Mt Wellington had ever made it to formal assessment stage.
“Our cable car will provide a new all-year-round experience, giving a muchneeded shot in the arm for the COVID-19 ravaged tourism industry, and offer locals a bespoke cultural addition Hobart can be proud of,” he said.
“This project will make the mountain more accessible to everyone, especially in winter, it will address current traffic congestion, enhance the mountain environment, promote its heritage and vastly improve facilities for visitors.
“Our project includes many best practice conservation features that will improve current effluent treatment and reduce other environmental damage to the mountain, including the reduction in pollution from vehicle numbers, roadkill and also obviating the need to scar the mountain again with a wider road to accommodate growing visitor numbers.
“It will provide between $79 million to $99 million net economic benefit to Tasmania’s economy each year, 200 jobs during its construction and 80 new jobs (50 FTE) in engineering, hospitality and the tourism sectors once operational.
“Once we get planning approval, we are in a great position to start work with the aim of having the cable car operating within 2 years,” Mr Oldfield said.
Media release – City of Hobart, 19 May 2021
Cable car planning application to be advertised
The City of Hobart today confirms that the Mount Wellington Cableway Company’s (MWCC) planning application for a cable car on kunanyi / Mt Wellington will proceed to public notification.
All information previously requested to complete the planning application has now been received and reviewed.
Members of the public will be able to view the planning application with all accompanying information provided by the applicant, and provide formal comment, from Monday 24 May. The four-week public notification period will end on Tuesday 22 June.
Only feedback provided as a formal representation during the four-week period can be considered by the Planning Authority as part of the assessment process.
Information on how to make a formal representation is available on the City of Hobart’s website at hobartcity.com.au/planningapplications.
It is expected that the application will be considered by the Council, acting as the Planning Authority, in July. Further details of the meeting will be made available once confirmed.
It is acknowledged that the application also remains subject to formal consideration by other relevant authorities outside of the Council.
Media release – Residents Opposed to the Cable Car (ROCC), 19 May 2021
COMMUNITY READY TO TAKE ON CABLE CAR AND DEFEND KUNANYI
Residents Opposed to the Cable Car (ROCC) today welcomed the news the Development Application (DA) for the cable car and its associated 4000m2 commercial development on kunanyi’s pinnacle, three giant towers, roads and base station will be fully released for public comment and said it would be encouraging community engagement in the consultation process.
ROCC questioned the credibility of the DA, particularly the Aboriginal heritage assessment, considering an appeal of the request for additional heritage information had been before the Supreme Court.
Given the secrecy behind the release of additional DA information requested by the council, ROCC also looked forward to seeing the full extent of a project already reviled for its impact on park values, amenity and the privatisation of publicly-owned and reserved land.
‘What else will this project take from Hobart and Hobartians?’ said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for ROCC.
‘We already know this loathsome project would come at a cost to natural and cultural values in Wellington Park, impact on people’s experience of kuannyi and privatise a much-loved public reserve.’
‘The DA will paint the full extent of those negative impacts and we’ll be encouraging Tasmanians to have a say and appeal to Hobart City Councilors to protect kunanyi’s values and amenity and resist the push to privatise parts of it for pure commercial gain.
‘Failing the proponent abandoning this pipe-dream, we welcome the release of the complete DA and the opportunity to see the full picture of what mass tourism will do to the mountain and the suburbs on its foothills.’
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Member for Clark, 19 May 2021
Greens Stand with Community to Defend Kunanyi
Hobart City Council’s acceptance of the Mount Wellington Cableway Company’s (MWCC) Development Application means the community will, for the first time ever, soon get a full picture of the Liberals’ pet development proposal.
This project is massive – a cable car, along with an associated 4000m2 commercial development on a privatised pinnacle, three towers, roads and a base station. The clearing of bushland and alpine vegetation will be significant.
This project, like the dozens of others for developments in protected areas, has been shrouded in secrecy by the Liberals as they oil the wheels for its approval.
Kunanyi is not only a public treasure, it’s a place of deep and timeless cultural significance to the palawa pakana people. MWCC have treated Aboriginal Tasmanians and the community at large with contempt from the outset.
The proponent’s arrogance was fostered by the Liberal government’s sustained and overt facilitation of the proposal – backed in by Labor every step of the way.
On behalf of the Greens, I urge every community member who loves Hobart’s treasured mountain and wants it to remain in public hands to write to Hobart City Councillors when submissions open.
The community won’t give up. Just as we rallied in our thousands at her foothills, we will ensure council understands there is no place for this destructive proposal, or the privatisation of the pinnacle, on kunanyi.
Media release – Michael Ferguson, Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing, 19 May 2021
Welcome step forward for cable car
The Tasmanian Liberal Government has always strongly supported the proposal for a Mt Wellington cable car, and we welcome the news that it has taken another step forward.
This project has the potential to bring significant investment to the state and create new jobs, both during construction and once operational.
The Government has been consistent that the development needs to obtain all the necessary approvals and go through the usual planning process, which includes a period of public comment.
What is again unclear is where Labor stands on this. While they continue to focus on themselves and their internal chaos, significant progress is happening.
Does Anita Dow and Labor strongly support a cable car, or will they continue to stay silent? Tasmanians deserve better.
Media release – Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, 19 May 2021
ABORIGINES PREPARE FOR BATTLE OVER CABLE CAR ON KUNANYI
Aborigines are preparing to battle for the protection of kunanyi/Mount Wellington following the acceptance of the Mount Wellington Cable Car Company’s (MWCC) planning application by the Hobart City Council and its imminent advertisement for public comment and formal assessment.
Nala Mansell says that Aborigines are completely opposed to the Cable Car, which will destroy the Aboriginal heritage values and Cultural Landscape of kunanyi and have vowed that they will stop at nothing to ensure it is protected from such developments. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has made this position abundantly clear, both to the developer and the public and will engage in the assessment process by making a representation to the Hobart City Council that formally reiterates this position.
The Hobart City Council has previously determined that the planning application was inadequate, saying that further investigations into the impacts on Aboriginal heritage needed to take place. The MWCC has now announced that a simple Aboriginal archaeological survey has taken place, which comes as a surprise to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. Until today, we understood the MWCC had taking legal action to avoid such a survey.
Nala Mansell says ‘’Proper Aboriginal heritage surveys are designed to capture the physical, spiritual and historical significance of specific areas, we highly doubt that the MWCC’s archaeological survey has done this, but we eagerly await the report, which will be made public next week’’.
The developer, Chris Oldfield has publicly stated his intention to go ahead with the Cable Car proposal without disruption, showing a complete disregard to the Aboriginal significance of kunanyi.
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