The boarded-up Crowther plinth in Franklin Square has been uncovered, marking the end of phase three in the City of Hobart’s Crowther Reinterpreted project.
The plinth has been boxed up since May following an incident of vandalism where the controversial statue was cut off at the ankles.
While some repairs have been made, council say further work by conservation experts is required to try to fully remove the spray paint in compliance with Tasmanian Heritage Council conditions.
Additional repair works, covered by insurance, will commence in the new year.
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds says the project is part of the council’s commitment to reconciliation with the Aboriginal community.
“The temporary signage provides clear information about the reasons for the empty plinth, this history of this project and what’s going to happen next,” she said.
“When the next stage is complete, there will be a new creative installation that provides a range of interesting information for the public to understand more about our colonial past.”
The final phase of the project will involve commissioning and installing interpretive elements.
This stage will require planning approval before any permanent work begins.
The statue of Lieutenant-Governor William Crowther was removed in 2022 after a campaign by the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania.
Crowther, a surgeon and former Premier who passed away in 1885, mutilated the remains of Tasmanian Aboriginal man William Lanne, sending his skull to the Royal College of Surgeons in London.
It let to his suspension from the Hobart General Hospital, where he held the position of honorary medical officer.
