Have Your Say on Heritage Legislation Changes

Media release – Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister for Heritage, 31 May 2023

Have your say on heritage legislation changes

Tasmanians are invited to have their say on proposed changes to the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995.

Minister for Heritage, Madeleine Ogilvie, said the draft Historic Cultural Heritage Act Amendment Bill 2023 proposes several changes aimed at providing greater protection to our historic heritage places and improving administrative processes.

“Tasmania has a rich cultural heritage, drawing visitors from interstate and overseas, and there are more than 5,000 national and state heritage-listed buildings and places in the state, with many more recognised by local government and communities,” she said.

The Bill will enable the Tasmanian Heritage Council to assess development applications that include some unauthorised works elements retrospectively, consistent with current local government practice under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993.

The Bill also proposes a new approval pathway to manage movable objects, such as pews in a church or an honour board in a community hall, that contribute to the heritage significance of a place.

Other proposed changes, such as processes and time frames to register or remove a place, are aimed at improving efficiencies and further supports the Tasmanian Heritage Council’s work to evolve the Tasmanian Heritage Register into an accurate, reliable, and accessible resource.

Consultation on the draft Bill is open until 5pm on Monday, 10 July 2023.

For more information or to make a submission, go to https://heritage.tas.gov.au/legislative-amendment-consultation

Media release – Tasmanian Heritage Council, 31 May 2023

ENTRIES FOR FORMER SALAMANCA WAREHOUSES REMOVED FROM THE TASMANIAN HERITAGE REGISTER

The Tasmanian Heritage Council today announced the removal of 26 entries from the Tasmanian Heritage Register covering Former Warehouses at 31-35 Salamanca Place, Hobart – these removals are part of ongoing improvements to the Register, with the 26 entries replaced by a single new entry on the Register (THR#12029).

“We are continually reviewing and updating the Tasmanian Heritage Register to improve the accuracy, reliability and effectiveness of the entries” explained Brett Torossi, Chair of the Tasmanian Heritage Council.

“This includes consolidating multiple entries into a single entry where it is appropriate.A single entry on the Register for this complex in Salamanca provides clarity about what is covered by the heritage registration and the parts of the complex that are of heritage significance. As a result, the datasheet for this entry in the Register better defines its heritage values and celebrates the rich history of the site.”

The Former Warehouses are significant for demonstrating the commercial infrastructure that supported Hobart’s important maritime trade from the mid-nineteenth century. They also have links to prominent Tasmanian merchant and shipbuilder, Alexander McGregor.

This consolidation will ultimately see the total number of places on the Tasmanian Heritage Register reduce, demonstrating the ongoing evolution of the Register. Other recent examples of consolidated entries within the register include the Cornelian Bay Boat Houses in 2020 (35 entries were consolidated into a single revised entry (THR#11995).

There has also been an extended effort over the past 12 months to consolidate a series of conjoined houses and shops into single entries.