Preserving Launceston's best-loved heritage
Published on 09 April 2024
The City of Launceston is engaging with property owners whose properties have been identified as having special and important cultural value and meaning within our municipality.
The City of Launceston's Local Heritage Register is managed and protected under the Land Use Planning & Approvals Act 1993 and the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.
City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said that under these acts, it was the Council's duty to conserve buildings, areas or other places which were viewed as being of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historic interest, or otherwise of special cultural value.
"Local heritage is more than just old buildings. Heritage can be an item, building, precinct, landscape, tree or archaeological site which has significance to a local government area and its community," Mayor Garwood said.
"It’s pretty cool that as Australia's third oldest major city, Launceston holds some of our nation's oldest built heritage, archaeology, streetscapes and historic trees, so heritage listing plays an important role in ensuring we retain our city's character and community's sense of place.
"The Council is talking to approximately 1100 property owners after a mail out last year notifying them that their property or an element of their property had been identified as potentially being of heritage significance.
The City of Launceston's Place & Heritage Officer Jessica Horton said the process aimed to bring Launceston's approach to heritage up to the standard of most mainland towns and cities.
"Our aim is to prevent the loss of our city's heritage buildings, streetscapes, and historic archaeology, and the removal of significant trees," Ms Horton said.
"The process is in no way about stopping new development - it's about encouraging good development sympathetic to the character and identity of our city."
Ms Horton said heritage was closely linked to people's sense of place.
"The removal of a community's key surroundings can disrupt their perception of where they live - there's a reason why people want to live in Launceston which is renowned for its beautiful buildings, houses, and parks, and this reason can easily disappear without heritage protection."
Norwood Avenue residents Harvey and Suzanne Cuthill are the proud owners of one of the properties identified for potential inclusion on the Local Heritage Register.
"We're quite concerned that the built heritage of Launceston is diminishing," Mr Cuthill said.
"It's important that we consider that it's not just the buildings and houses, but the context in which they lie.
"We respect the process the Council's undertaking and we think it's a great thing for our city."
More information is available on the Council's website here: http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Businessand-Development/Planning/Heritage