Heritage grants secured for Tasmanian heritage properties

More than 40 Tasmanian heritage properties will soon undergo restoration, conservation and activation made possible through the second round of Tasmanian Government heritage grants.

After the popularity of the first round, round two of the Built Heritage Grants Scheme was open for applications in September, with $1.3 million available to support owners and custodians of state heritage listed places.

Minister for the Arts and Heritage, Madeleine Ogilvie, said activating these unique properties was about fostering vibrant community use and enhancing tourism.

“Tasmania’s iconic heritage properties are not just poignant reminders of our shared history – but they support tourism, local communities and so much more,” Minister Ogilvie said.

“The Tasmanian Government recognises that if we want to continue to benefit from our built heritage assets, we must invest in them by supporting conservation works and opportunities to activate underutilised sites.

"An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is to continue to build on Tasmania’s reputation as a world leading heritage and tourism destination, highlight Tasmania’s unique experiences, and ensure that the visitor economy continues to have a positive impact on Tasmania’s environment, economy, and way of life.”

The funds will flow through to projects across Tasmania, and some examples are:

• The Myrtle Creek Farm P2 Hut Restoration - a project to restore the foundation of this iconic farm hut, nestled in the mountains of Collinsvale.
• Hop Kiln Wall Restoration – a project to restore a historic Oast House in New Norfolk constructed to support the drying of hops in the 1860s.
• Restoration of Woodbury Barracks - an 1828 property in the Southern Midlands, the project will restore one of the remaining outbuildings as part of wider works to conserve all the remaining structures on the Woodbury Grant.
• Parkham Anglican Church and Hall restoration project - to support the restoration of the historic Church and Hall in the Meander Valley. The restoration works will improve the functionality of the buildings and allow greater access.
• St John’s Church Tower Water ingress project - funding to undertake works to stem ongoing water damage to the historic St John’s building in Launceston, supporting continued community use.

The Built Heritage Grants Scheme is part of the Tasmanian Government’s $4.5 million investment over three years (2023-2026) to support Tasmania’s historic heritage sector and revitalise Tasmania’s unique heritage properties.

A further round will be offered in 2025-26.

More details on the grants can be found on the Heritage Tasmania website: www.heritage.tas.gov.au