Queens Domain land handback proposal gets Hobart council's 'strong support'

The Hobart City Council has agreed to provide in-principle support for a proposal to hand back nearly 5 hectares of land at Queens Domain, which would be used to establish an Aboriginal cultural centre. If the proposal progresses and gets final approval, it would be the first Tasmanian land return to the Aboriginal community in more than 20 years. What's next? The approval will pave the way for council officers to begin investigating the process, including the costs and how the land would be legally subdivided. An Aboriginal land return proposal near Hobart's CBD has passed its first hurdle after receiving "in-principle support" at a Hobart City Council meeting. The 4.9-hectare parcel of land near the summit of Queens Domain was identified by the council last year as a possible site for an Indigenous-owned cultural centre operated by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC). Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said Monday's motion, which passed nine votes to three, had "strong support around the table". Councillor Reynolds said those who voted against the proposal had raised procedural questions, including whether the hand back could be blocked at a later stage. "If we had a state government who did not want this to happen, roadblocks could be put in place," Cr Reynolds said. "But we've heard from the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Bridget Archer … and we know that she sees this as a good idea. "Whether that process is smooth or takes a really long time is really incumbent on all the partners on this journey. This includes the council, but it is also the state government and all their different departments, and also the Aboriginal Land Council." The vote was not the final approval for the land return but will allow the council's chief executive to undertake the necessary work to progress the proposal, which includes investigating any title issues for subdivision and legal costs. A development application and public consultation would still need to be completed, and any cultural centre would be subject to a separate future development application. 'Unique opportunity' for establishing cultural centre If approved, the land parcel off Domain Road would be Tasmania's first Aboriginal land return in more than two decades. Loading... Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania (ALCT) general manager Sarah Wilcox said the transfer would be welcomed by the community. "This is a really unique opportunity to think about establishing a cultural centre which can serve as a keeping place," she said. "Currently in the Aboriginal community, we have absolutely nowhere to look after our sacred cultural items." The council was asked by the TAC last year for support to build an Aboriginal-owned and operated cultural centre in the state's capital. The centre would host cultural items, act as a performance space and support Aboriginal food enterprises and other tourism activities. There have been no large-scale land returns in Tasmania since 2005, when Truwana/Cape Barren Island and Lungtalanana/Clarke Island were returned to the ALCT.