Hobart City Council has endorsed in-principle support for the return of a portion of the city’s Queens Domain to the Aboriginal community, in what could be a first for an Australian capital city.
The Council endorsed a recommendation to proceed with the next steps for a hand back of a 4.9 hectares of the Queens Domain to the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania (ALCT).
The decision is the first important step before further investigations, community engagement and statutory processes can commence and recognises the significance of the landscape and the opportunity for a celebration of Tasmania’s Aboriginal culture and history, the Council said in a statement.
The Council’s Master Plan for the public parkland says the Domain should be understood as an Aboriginal cultural landscape shaped over a long period by Aboriginal fire management practices. Ecological studies interpret the Domain’s rare grassy woodland as a surviving remnant of a much wider Aboriginal-managed landscape around the lower Derwent.
The proposal relates to land within the 230-hectare area of Queens Domain and follows requests from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and the ALCT for land to support an Aboriginal-owned and operated cultural centre.
Hobart Lord Mayor, Anna Reynolds said the decision marked a positive milestone in a proposal of cultural significance for Tasmania.
“This is a nationally and locally significant indication of the Council’s support for a land handback – the first in Tasmania for two decades,” she said.
“There is still substantial work ahead and any future land transfer would require a separate Council decision, but today’s outcome reflects a willingness to genuinely explore an opportunity of historic significance for our city and state.
“With good will from all parties, my hope is that we can turn this strong intention into a reality.”
The Council resolution does not approve the transfer of land, nor does it approve the construction of an Aboriginal cultural centre. Instead, Council has authorised the Chief Executive Officer to undertake the legal, planning, environmental, heritage and land tenure investigations required to proceed to future stages of consideration.
The ALCT has advised that it intends for the land to remain accessible to the broader community.
“This historic decision enables the opportunity to create something truly meaningful for Tasmania,” said ALCT General Manager, Sarah Wilcox.
“Returning land is just the beginning. The real legacy lies in what we create together on Country.
“We see an opportunity to create a nationally significant cultural destination that celebrates Palawa culture and history while delivering lasting benefits for the wider community, the visitor economy and the environment.
“This proposal involves spaces for learning, sharing, and celebrating. It could be a place where our stories are told, where artists and the community come together, and where everyone is invited to connect with living culture.
“We look to create a space that supports cultural preservation and public benefit, particularly understanding that tourists are actively seeking cultural experiences and finding them lacking in Nipaluna and Tasmania.
“It is important to understand that we would not be disturbing the natural values of the site. For Aboriginal people, the caring for and healing of Country is our first priority,” she said.
