Our zombie projects
They are the projects that could transform our city but have failed to fulfil their promise. DAVID KILLICK takes a look at Hobart’s vault of big ideas — and what happened to them.
FROM the underground bus mall to the Castray Point Vision, David Killick takes a look at bold visions wrecked on the shores of cold reality as he explores the projects that haven’t made it from artist impressions to reality.
HOBART STEM CENTRE
THE Hobart STEM Centre, below, was likened to “putting an intellectual turbocharger” into the middle of the city — but aren’t turbochargers usually associated with things that go fast?
The $400m development was to be the centrepiece of an innovation network, spreading its nodes into Launceston and Burnie and boosting excellence in science, technology, engineering and maths. Rising on the corner of Argyle and Melville streets, the precinct was tipped to bring 3000 students and 700 staff into town, save the university from doing up to $600m of renovations to the existing campus and would potentially allow the sale of land above Churchill Avenue. Hobart’s potential was compared with such glorious projects as the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin and the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus. The business case was approved by Infrastructure Australia, but the project was not included in the City Deal. A University of Tasmania spokesman said it remained committed to the development of the STEM Centre. “It will be an important part of the state’s economic recovery once the challenge of
COVID-19 has been met,” the university said in a statement.
“We intend to imagine a vision for the city and the university together, and COVID-19 has meant that has not been able to happen so far this year.”
HOBART UNDERGROUND BUS MALL
THE contrast between dream and reality could not be more stark.
The Liberals promised Hobart a new bus mall during the 2018 state election campaign, and even included a series of artist impressions of how it might look.
Dramatic concept images of the state-of-the-art bus terminal showed stylishly dressed passengers waiting amid airport-style, real-time arrival and departure boards.
Smart ticketing and highspeed Wi-Fi was to be delivered across the network. It was a big step up from the current dirty and inadequate facilities.
Tender documents made public in 2019 refer to the bus mall as being “possibly underground” and “potentially in the vicinity of lower Elizabeth Street and Franklin Square”.
Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson said rumours that the project was in a coma were exaggerated.
“The first phase of planning for the future Hobart Transit Centre is well under way,” Mr Ferguson said.
“This involves identifying the size of the area required and functional needs of a transit centre, as well as the technical feasibility of an underground facility at lower Elizabeth Street and Franklin Square.
“The government will soon move to the second master planning phase. This will involve developing concept options, program delivery options, and examining the constructability of two transit centre options.”
HOBART’S FERRY NETWORK
ANOTHER part of the Liberals’ transport vision, the much-discussed Hobart ferry network, remains a utopian future glimpsed only in artists’ impressions.
The idea of stepping off a smart new ferry wharf and zipping around the River Derwent on modern, multihull vessels is one that has wide appeal for Hobartians.
Most can’t understand why it hasn’t been done sooner. The city has boatbuilders ready to go and operators keen to take the venture on.
Those real-time departure boards and smart ticketing machines made another appearance in artist mock-ups.
There were feasibility studies done, and a working group set up.
The government is still enthusiastic about the project, but there is no time frame — or money set aside.
“Work is under way to determine how best to achieve a pilot of a cross-Derwent ferry, recognising there are a range of models that can be employ
ed,” Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson told the Mercury.
MACQUARIE POINT
MACQUARIE Point is the graveyard where Hobart buries its biggest dreams.
Over the years, it has been mooted as a site for a new Royal Hobart Hospital, a football stadium and the Eden Project indoor garden.
But it was Mona’s vision for the site in 2016 that was the boldest.
The plan included a music bowl, a day and night produce market, an Aboriginal cultural precinct, hotels and conference centre and an integrated transport hub for light rail.
The centrepiece of Mona’s vision for Macquarie Point was a National Truth and Reconciliation Art Park to acknowledge Australia’s dark history of colonial warfare.
The idea was intended to be implemented over decades. That plan, which replaced the original masterplan, was itself modified by another masterplan just two years later. But there are signs of life. Earlier this week, the state government announced the release of 9000sq m of land for mixed-use development.
The Escarpment, behind the Cenotaph, will be the first parcel of land to be sold at the site, and there is now an eightweek expressions of interest period.
Heavy machinery continues to perform remediation works at the site.
HOBART LIGHT RAIL
CALL it The Hobart Paradox: a project that everyone loves, that makes perfect sense, but just can’t get done.
The idea has been around for more than a decade, and was given a serious push by then sustainable transport minister Nick McKim, under the Labor-Green government, as “Riverline”.
The light rail ticks all the boxes: easing traffic congestion, reducing pollution, increasing property prices and encouraging development in Hobart’s northern suburbs.
And it’s not a bad transport option either.
The 26km project was intended to link downtown Hobart with Bridgewater, shuttling commuters along the disused rail corridor.
The project was originally costed at between $80m and $100m, but recent experience in Sydney and on the Gold Coast suggests the price tag has risen well beyond that in recent years.
There was $25m committed to the light rail in the Hobart City Deal to “activate the disused rail corridor”, but it was feared the idea had disappeared into the murky netherworld of consultants, feasibility and scoping studies.
This week, State Growth Minister Michael Ferguson addressed the future of the rail corridor by saying light rail, buses and trackless trams were among options still being considered.
david.killick@news.com.au