Investing in Tasmania’s iconic historic sites

12 November, 2020

Elise Archer MP

2020-21 Budget: Investing in Tasmania’s iconic historic sites

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to investing in our world class heritage sites to ensure they remain a popular attraction for locals and visitors into the future.

The national award winning Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Tasmania’s most iconic visitor attractions. Given the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA), our Government has committed additional financial support to ensure it will have access to sufficient funding during its recovery.

As part of the 2020-21 State Budget, we will provide a total of $20 million in equity contributions over the next four years, to support PAHSMA’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens will receive a funding boost of $4 million as part of this State Budget. This funding is in addition to the $3.6 million our Government committed to the Gardens in 2018, and will see the long held vision of a new Visitor Centre and much needed improvements to access points across the Gardens become a reality.

This brings the Tasmanian Government’s contribution to upgrades at the Botanical Gardens to $7.6 million, the biggest investment in capital works on the site for 30 years.

The much loved Gardens also received $302,000 as part of our Government’s Public Building Maintenance Fund to undertake much needed works around the iconic site. Local contractors have been engaged for all of the upgrades, resulting in at least 28 local jobs being supported during COVID-19.

Our Government also committed $3 million towards the construction of the new History and Interpretation Centre at the Cascades Female Factory in South Hobart in June this year as part of our record infrastructure package, which will support 15,000 jobs over two years and enhance and rebuild the visitor experience on offer.

This State Budget is how we will recover and reinvigorate our economy and rebuild a stronger Tasmania.