The Clarence City Council will receive $1.67 million in federal funding to develop a new arts and cultural precinct at Rosny Farm, set to help transform Hobart’s eastern shore into a creative hub.
The grant, delivered through the Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program, was announced on Monday by Federal Minister Julie Collins and Clarence mayor Brendan Blomeley.
The funding will support detailed planning and design for the precinct, which is a key element of the council’s City Heart Plan.
“This is about working with … local governments to make sure that the planning is done well and that we end up with shovel ready projects,” Collins said.
The proposed precinct includes creative production facilities, performance and exhibition spaces, enhanced parklands and a dedicated youth hub.
It is designed to strengthen links between Rosny Park’s CBD, Kangaroo Bay and existing cultural venues, making the area more walkable and better connected.
Blomeley said the announcement was a major endorsement of the council’s long-term vision.
“This is a tremendous outcome for our community and a major step forward in realising a key part of the City Heart Plan,” he said.
Rosny Farm already attracts around 50,000 visitors each year through its arts and cultural programs, with numbers expected to grow once the precinct is complete.
Aboriginal culture will play a central role in the design, guided by a “Designing on Country” process led by local cultural advisers.
“Embedding Tasmanian Aboriginal identity and storytelling into the heart of Clarence is central to the City Heart Plan,” Blomeley said.
Council’s head of community and culture Tracey Coburn said the project could help retain creative talent in the state.
“It may provide hope that we’re thinking ahead for what the creative industries can do to continue to build on the arts in Tasmania,” she said.
Community consultation will begin later this year, giving residents and young people the chance to help shape the final design.
The federal program also allocated $3.2 million to the Hobart City Council for a potential Mt Wellington visitor centre development at Hall’s Saddle.
