The photograph above, taken in 1960, shows the New Town Technical High School.

Technical education began in Tasmania with the establishment of a mechanics’ institute in Hobart in 1827, which provided classes, lectures, and books on technical subjects to working-class men. A second institute was opened in Launceston in 1842.

By the late nineteenth century, the government and a number of businesses wanted to create a larger skilled labour force to meet growing demand. To achieve this, the government expanded on the foundation laid down by the mechanics’ institutes by establishing dedicated technical schools across the then-colony. They all offered technical training and education in trades, business, and applied sciences.

All the schools were largely independent of each other until 1987, when they were aligned under the government-run Tertiary and Further Education (TAFE or TasTAFE) system.

TasTAFE schools continue to provide training and education that meet industry standards and support Tasmania’s workforce. In March 2025, however, TasTAFE announced plans to cut half of its southern automotive teaching staff, forcing apprentices to train primarily in Launceston, raising concerns about safety and trade shortages. A few months before the announcement, a report revealed that an automotive training workshop at TasTAFE’s Campbell Street campus had “unacceptable” carbon monoxide levels and inadequate ventilation.

Tas That Was is a column that includes:

  • anecdotes of life in Tasmania in the past;
  • historical photographs of locations in Tasmania; and/or
  • documentaries about locations in Tasmania.

If you have an anecdote or photograph you’d like to share with us, please send it to [email protected].

Callum J. Jones is passionate about telling stories. He studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania and lived in Western Sydney from 2022 to 2024 while working as a journalist for Professional Planner, a leading online publication for financial planners. Callum has written for Tasmanian Times since 2018 and has also been published in a range of other outlets, including Quadrant and the BAD Western Sydney anthologies.