On the crest of a wave

THE “Mona effect” continues to be a strong positive driver for the state’s economy, raising awareness of what the state has to offer and boosting a diverse range of businesses.

Eight years after Mona opened, the way the world sees Tasmania has fundamentally changed, business leaders say.

Mona’s total economic contribution to the Tasmanian economy in 2017-18 is estimated to have been $134.5 million — and the museum is estimated to have created 1285 direct and indirect full-time jobs.

Liferaft Systems Australia managing director Mike Grainger says even apparently unrealated businesses such has his have benefited from reputation Mona has cultiavated for the state.

Derwent Park-based LSA will fit the Royal Australian Navy’s nine new frigates with evacuation slides and life rafts and has supplied its products to both the British and US navies Navy.

“Tasmania has gone through some significant and positive change with the level of brand awareness that Tasmania is now enjoying unsurpassed,” Mr Grainger said.

“People are understanding and appreciating that this island state is a very special place. It is certainly the flavour of the month.

“We’ve seen things like Mona, we’ve seen food and wine, niche manufacturing, all the major industries, tourism, growing very well in the past five to 10 years.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in Tasmania and as a Tasmanian I think the future looks absolutely fantastic providing we can continue to ride the crest of this wave and do what we do best.”

Mona chief executive Mark Wilsdon says Mona has helped shine a light on what already existed here in Tasmania.

“Tassie has a very interesting sort of weirdness about it. We are a small community, we’re an island. We’re quite contradictory and conflicted within our own community and with that comes a sense of pride,.

“There is interest in a small, bespoke community. It is very clean, it has very good access to wilderness, good access to other experiences and to our coastal areas. I think that’s been a real strength.

That “interesting sort of weirdness” sells. Since Mona opened in 2011, almost 2.5 million tickets have been issued for the museum — around one in five interstate and international visitors to Tasmania go to Mona, accounting for 71 of its visitors.

Mr Wilsdon says the Mona effect would not have existed without something for the spotlight to fall on.