Issue 6 August 2004 Sisters Hills Priority Projects
A proposal to improve the Bass Highway between Boat Harbour and Rocky Cape has been endorsed by the Sisters Hill Working Group. Cradle Coast Authority Executive Chairman Roger Jaensch said the proposal, prepared by the Department o f Inf ras tru ct ure, En e rgy a n d Resources, had identified five priority projects to upgrade the notorious Sisters Hills section of the Bass Highway. The projects are: • A major deviation west of Sisters Hill cutting, widening and extending the existing climbing lane to the summit of Sisters Hills and geometric improvements at Devils Elbow Road and Whites Junction. • Construction of a climbing lane for eastbound traffic at Dallas Hill and widening overtaking lanes near Pollards Rd to form one westbound overtaking lane. • Improvements to Wilson’s Bridge. • Widening and extending the climbing lane east of Rulla Rd, improving the Devils Elbow Road (East) Junction and straightening the curve west of Myalla Rd. • Straightening curves and lowering crests west of Montumana Rd (East). Roger Jaensch said the working group had written to both the State and Federal Governments urging them to come to an agreement to jointly fund the work required.
Bi-Monthly Newsletter Long-term Hospital Planning Process Begins
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he Minister for Health and Human Services, David Llewellyn, has assigned a senior departmental officer to work with the Cradle Coast Region to discuss the development of a long-term health services plan for the region. The assignment follows a meeting between the Minister, the Cradle Coast Authority, the North West Division of General Practice and the Rural Clinical School on August 9. Cradle Coast Authority Executive Chairman Roger Jaensch said the Minister’s public commitment to the development of a long-term plan was the outcome the region had been seeking from the meeting. “The Minister has made it clear the Government’s priorities at the moment are the transition of the Mersey Community Hospital to public ownership and the creation of a one hospital, two campus model, but no longer-term options for health service delivery have been confirmed or ruled out at this stage. “The Minister has agreed the region needs to get the long-term planning process underway immediately and has given us a senior person to work with to develop the scope and structure of how this can be done. “The plan will integrate regional and statewide processes already underway,
including the Mersey hospital transition and issues relating to the review of the NWRH lease in 2010, but its main focus will be to provide direction and certainty with a 20-year outlook.” Mr Jaensch said the outcome of the meeting with the Minister was consistent with the regional position agreed to by the region’s Mayors on 16 July, but there was still a long way to go. “So far we only have agreement on the need for a plan. Now we need to confirm what that hopes to achieve and how it will be done, with the help of Government, Councils, health professionals and other stakeholders.”
The Authority anticipates that doing the job properly could also mean investing in new information, research and consultation and is prepared to contribute up to $50,000 towards these costs, if needed, to produce a plan that all parties can commit to. Mr Jaensch said the Authority would meet with the designated Government officer and representatives of the North West Division of General Practice and the Rural Clinical School in the next fortnight. “On behalf of the Board, I thank the Minister for agreeing to start this journey with us and our Mayors and Councils for supporting the Authority’s role in this process,” Mr Jaensch said.
Cradle Coast Authority Building the Region To date $3.6 million of Federal Government Sustainable Regions Program funding has been spent in the Cradle Coast Region. Projects approved under this program to date include: √
Stronger Learning Pathways $247,500
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West Coast Council Tourism Industry Capacity Building $165,000
“The Authority, on behalf of the working group, has also urged State Roads Minister Bryan Green to take a proactive leadership role in securing appropriate funding commitments from both tiers of Government.” The total cost of the five agreed priority projects is estimated to be between $18 and $23 million.
Dr Emil Djakic, Roger Jaensch, Elvie Hales, David Llewellyn and Prof. Judi Walker pictured at the recent meeting to discuss the future of North-West health services. Picture: Courtesy of The Advocate.
An artist’s impression of the Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre at Smithton which will open later this year.
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Kentish Council Cradle Centralised Sewerage $55,000
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Cradle Coast Regional Touring Strategy $110,000
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Mersey River Precinct Study $13,200
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Arthur District $598,400
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Burnie Tourism Development Plan $22,000
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Parramatta Creek Food Processing and Packaging Study $44,000
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Devonport Gateway Project $55,000
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Leven River Precinct Study $44,000
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Circular Head Education and Training Project $382,250
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Stanley Tourism Precinct Plan $44,000
Transition
Mountain Scheme
Support
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Skilling the Cradle Coast Community for the 21st Century $577,500
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Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre and Maze $467,500
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Barrington Personal Futures Project $682,000
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Cradle Coast arts@work project officer $127,325
All of the projects have partners — from industry, the community and other tiers of government — who have contributed an additional $6.9 million in funding, meaning that in just two years the Cradle Coast Region has benefited from the injection of $10.5 million into sustainable development projects. The Authority is currently in the process of considering a further $3 million worth of projects.
Cradle Coast Authority Newsletter
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Waste Management Audit
The Cradle Coast Region’s waste management facilities have been given a big tick in a waste management audit. The audit, completed by independent consultants, concluded the existing waste management arrangements were adequate, cost effective, socially acceptable and sustainable within a 20-year horizon.
Tourism Minister Visits Cradle Coast Region T asmania’s new Minister for Tourism, Ken Bacon, has spent two days in the Cradle Coast Region meeting operators and learning about local issues.
Devonport, Ulverstone, Burnie, Wynyard and Circular Head meeting with operators, associations and Councils to hear their views and learn about their issues.”
Regional Tourism Development Manager, Ian Waller, said the Authority had requested the visit so the region could create an immediate relationship with Mr Bacon.
Ian Waller said issues raised with the Minister had included signage, funding for visitor information centres, licensing of accommodation properties, marketing of the State and the touring route strategies.
“We wanted him to understand the issues we are facing here and get a first-hand feel for the region,’’ Ian Waller said. Touring Route Message Agfest Spreads “During the two days Mr Bacon spent time at Latrobe, Sheffield,
“The new Minister was keen to meet representatives of the Cradle Coast Authority and we wanted to show off the region — both goals were met.”
Lifting the Bar With Tourism Training
The audit also found the cost of maintaining existing arrangements was less than any alternative.
“The first of these is the establishment of a regional waste management body to provide a vehicle for co-ordinating future policy and strategic direction for the region’s waste management and to respond to regional waste management issues.” The regional waste management group will be formed as a sub-committee of the Authority similar to the existing Cradle Coast Recr eat io n a l Pl an n in g Advisory Group. The group will comprise representatives from member councils with experience and expertise in waste management.
NRM Project Funding
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he Federal Government has established interim funding to address urgent NRM issues.
So far this year the region has received funding totaling almost $1.9 million for 16 projects —
Cradle Coast Authority Executive Chairman Roger Jaensch said the findings reinforced the Authority’s assertion that economies of scale and rationalisation principles that may apply to other regions didn’t necessarily suit the geography of this region. Roger Jaensch said the Authority and member councils had begun acting on the initial strategies contained in the audit.
Burnie Tourism Association President Charles Cameron shows Tourism Minister Ken Bacon around the Burnie Pioneer Village Museum. Picture courtesy The Advocate.
• Water quality monitoring program
$242,274
• Groundwater quality in the Montagu
catchment $24,635
• Biodiversity & degradation in North-
West estuaries $149,364 p ractice d airy eff luent management $201,700 • Small catchment water yields $140,000 • Implementation of the West Coast weed & fire management strategy $84,550 • Priority protection measures for nationally threatened species $154,410 • NRM regional delivery $16,075 • Salinity hazar d assessment $190,900 • So il co nd it io n ev al ua t ion & monitoring $31,000 • Operational whole farm planning $204,600 • Setting vegetation condition benchmarks $33,500 • Bushside & streamside restoration $266,500 • Regional weed management strategy $48,120 • Developing Blackwood plantations $37,800 • Rice grass management $43,500 The interim funding has been provided to enable urgent projects to progress before the implementation of the Cradle Coast Regional NRM Strategy. • Best
Creature Tales interpretation consultation Chris Mead (front) preparing for the Cradle Coast Authority’s Skills Development Program with Catherine Stark and Peter Tonelli. Picture courtesy of The Advocate.
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ifting the bar to better meet the needs of visitors is the goal of a tourism training program currently underway in the Cradle Coast Region. Funded by the Federal Environmental Tourism Program, the Cradle Coast Tourism, Business and Skill Development Program is offering training in events management, providing commentary to visitors, understanding natural and cultural heritage and marketing. Courses are also being offered in food and beverage and café service. Regional Tourism Development Manager Ian Waller said one of the key features of this program was its focus on what tourism operators needed. “These training courses are meeting the identified needs of operators rather than being something which is imposed on them. “The value of this approach is being reflected in the greater uptake of courses we are experiencing with this program.”
Ian Waller said another key feature was the fact the training was being offered at locations along the North-West Coast and on King Island. “Often courses are only held at Burnie and Devonport and people from other regional centres have to make an effort to get there,” he said. “This time we are taking the training to them and in some instances we are actually conducting the training in workplaces.” However, Ian Waller said it wasn’t just the subject matter and training locations which were making the courses popular with tourism operators. “There is definitely a greater understanding by operators that they need to perform better and lift the service bar if the region is to benefit from increased visitor numbers. “These courses are gearing the industry up to meet the ever increasing needs of visitors and the expectation for us to enhance the visitor experience we offer.”
The draft strategy will be released for a six-week public comment period in midSeptember and the strategy is expected to be finalised before the end of the year.
Cradle Coast Authority Newsletter
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Cradle Coast Arts Partnership to Benefit Cultural Tourism
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he Cradle Coast Region is now set to expand its art related tourism and events base through a partnership with Arts Tasmania.
Education and training in the Cradle Coast Region has gained a significant boost with the creation of 19 new positions resulting from projects funded through the Cradle Coast Sustainable Regions Stronger Learning Pathways initiative.
Through the partnership Sustainable Regions funding is being used to refocus and expand the existing parttime arts@work Cradle Coast Project Officer’s position into a full-time role. Cradle Coast Authority Regional Tourism Development Manager Ian Waller said the new role would enable the region to develop and build on its arts related tourism and events base thereby enhancing the credibility of the region as a destination with cultural experiences. “Building the region’s cultural tourism and events base will give the visitor market additional reasons to visit the region and provide experiences that will attract a new visitor market,’’ Ian Waller said. Ian Waller said the Authority had initiated the partnership because it recognised the need to develop the region’s arts related tourism. “The focus of the proposal is to enhance the creative, professional and economic viability of the arts industry within the region by aligning it with the tourism and events sectors to maximise the economic benefits they can generate.” Ian Waller said the new role of the arts@work Project Officer Nicki Fletcher would help to build the Cradle Coast Region’s reputation as an area that embraced and fostered the development of diverse and highquality arts, tourism and events industry sectors.
Twelve new personnel have been appointed and another seven are expected to begin by October.
Burnie artist Patrick Grieve with arts@work Cradle Coast Project Officer, Nicki Fletcher. Picture courtesy of The Advocate.
In addition to pursuing opportunities for developing arts-related tourism experiences and products Nicki Fletcher will continue with her original arts@work role of helping artists to earn a decent living from their work. “arts@work is the business development unit of Arts Tasmania and its goal is to help individual artists to realise their potential and generate an income from their work,’’ Nicki Fletcher said. “We are doing that by encouraging artists to become businesspeople as well as creative people and supporting them in their bid to do so. “We also network on behalf of artists to find opportunities for them to access opportunities in the corporate sector and in export markets.
Farewell and Thank You Sarah
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he Cradle C o a s t Authority’s Executive Officer Sarah Poortenaar has resigned to spend an indefinite period traveling overseas.
Sarah leaves the Authority at the end of the month. The Authority’s Executive Chairman Roger Jaensch said Sarah had been with the Authority for two years and during that time had been a valued quiet achiever.
Stronger Learning Pathways Appointments
“Sarah brought with her a lot of skills, particularly in economic development, and her main roles were in managing the board’s business and working with our Government partners,” Roger Jaensch said. “Sarah was also responsible for the Authority’s communications, successfully managed many projects and was involved in our strategic planning processes. “We thank her for all her hard work for the region and wish her well in her adventures.” Sarah’s position has been advertised and the Authority is hoping to make an appointment at the beginning of September.
“Ultimately I would like to see NorthWest art recognised and promoted as something unique to our region in the way that more tangible products, our cheese for example, already are. “Cultural development is as important to a community as economic or social development and arts@work’s brief is to help develop employment, commission and export opportunities in the arts and cultural sector.’’ The new arts@work role is being managed by the Cradle Coast Authority and Nicki Fletcher is located with the Authority’s regional tourism development team.
Student Pathway Officers have been appointed at Smithton (Deborah Winton), Queenstown (Alicia White), Rosebery (Troy Walker), Yolla (Colin Langford), Burnie (Brian Webber and Timothy Smith), Wynyard (Kelly Finnegan), King Island (Karen Coombs) and Hellyer College (Natalie Howell). Wendy Schoenmaker has been appointed change leader for the Circular Head Building a Community of Lifelong Learners project and Tim Wilson has been appointed senior education officer for the Skilling the Cradle Coast for the 21st Century project.
Over two years Sustainable Regions funding will provide $127,325 towards the position, matched by a contribution of $115,750 by Arts Tasmania.
The Central Coast SchoolBusiness Alliance Project has also gained a co-ordinator with the appointment of Stephen Mansfield.
New NRM Members
The seven appointments still to be made are for the Barrington District Personal Futures Project and include three personal futures and transitions officers, three parent liaison officers and a pathways support officer.
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mithton dairy farmer Wayne Tennant is the newest member of the Cradle Coast NRM Committee. Mr Tennant, who has a long history of involvement in catchment management and with the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, was appointed by a selection panel formed following the expiration of the terms of seven committee members. David Henderson, Geoff King, Tess McNeil, Sharni Radford, David Robertson and Casey van Eysden were reappointed to the committee. More information about the NRM committee, including a regular newsletter, is available on the NRM website at: www.nrmtas.com.au
Circular Head Pathway Officer, Winton.
Student Deborah
Cradle Coast Authority Newsletter
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STAFF PROFILE . . . NICKI FLETCHER arts@work Cradle Coast Project Officer
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he Cradle Coast Authority’s arts@work Project Officer Nicki Fletcher believes her new role with the Authority is the job she’s always been waiting for. Nicki took up a full-time appointment with the Authority’s regional tourism development team in July following almost a year in the position part-time with arts@work, a division of Arts Tasmania. Nicki said her new role would enable the region to develop its arts-related tourism and events base and raise the profile of Cradle Coast as a destination with unique cultural experiences.
arts@work Cradle Coast P roj e ct Of f i cer Ni c ki Fletcher.
Contact us … 30 Marine Terrace, Burnie PO Box 338 Burnie 7320 Phone: 03 6431 6285 Fax: 03 6431 7014 Email: admin@cradlecoast.com Website: www.cradlecoast.com
Cradle Coast Authority Roger Jaensch—Executive Chairman rjaensch@cradlecoast.com Sarah Poortenaar—Executive Officer spoortenaar@cradlecoast.com Heidi Hillbeck—Finance & Administration Manager hhillbeck@cradlecoast.com
“I’m constantly amazed at the way artists undersell themselves and at how they can eek out a living without a fax, mobile phone number or internet connection.
Nicki’s career path has taken a number of twists and turns since the completion of a cadetship in journalism with The Mercury Newspaper in the early 1980s.
“Wherever possible, I’m encouraging artists to register with arts@work and utilise the wonderful services the agency provides,” she said.
“arts@work staff sailed on two trips on Spirit III from Sydney, talked about Living Artists’ Week and screened a special feature developed with Brand Tasmania in the vessel’s cinema.”
She has worked as a reporter for The Advocate Newspaper and Southern Cross Television, in promotional roles with TAFE, the Menzies Centre for Population Health Research and the University of Tasmania Department of Rural Health and was media assistant to Greens MHA, Di Hollister throughout the 1990s.
“I’ve also been delighted with the uptake by artists of professional development workshops run by arts@work and with the Devonport Gallery for example.
Nicki said the process of building the profile of the arts as an industry with potential cultural, social and economic spin-offs for the region would be a gradual one.
“We’ve attracted 30-40 at a time for workshops on business basics, moral rights and copyright and presentation skills.
“It’s a case of looking broadly and strategically at where we can direct resources, but at the same time keeping in close contact with individual artists and organisations at the community level.
Nicki has also worked for 10 years as a freelance writer and marketing consultant and has worked on a number of tourism projects.
About us . . .
Nick Flittner—Project Officer nflittner@cradlecoast.com
“We’ve put a lot of effort into building the profile of the event through a multi-faceted marketing campaign, which has included the development of short breaks packages with Tas Temptations and a beautiful Art and Island Inspiration brochure inserted into the magazines of the Victorian and New South Wales galleries,” she said.
“It opened my eyes to the incredible potential to build on the creative capital of the region, particularly in the area of tourism and cultural interpretation.”
Ian Waller—Regional Tourism Development Manager iwaller@cradlecoast.com
Stronger Learning Pathways
“I suppose the challenge for me now is to build recognition of the arts as an industry, rather than it being regarded as a pleasant adjunct to more mainstream economic sectors such as tourism.”
The 2004 event, with 70 separate listings for the Cradle Coast region and more than 700 artists for the State in total, has been marketed to interstate art lovers.
“The past year in the arts@work position enabled me to get a feel for why, where and how our vibrant arts industry can be developed,” Nicki said.
Tourism
David McCormack—Natural Resource Management Co-ordinator dmccormack@cradlecoast.com
“Until you become part of the sector you don’t really appreciate the depth and breadth of artists and arts experiences on offer,” she said.
event held for the first time in August last year.
Nicki’s role encompasses the full breadth of business and industry development, from working with individual emerging artists to the inclusion of the arts in the strategic development of Cradle Coast.
“I’ve lived all but a few years on the North-West Coast, but it’s only been in the last 12 months that
Natural Resource Management
I’ve come to realise just what we have in this region in terms of the arts.
“We’re planning another workshop in September for JobNet registered artists.” The main focus of Nicki’s work this year has been the expansion of the highly successful Tasmanian Living Artists’ Week, an annual
“Those brochures went to 30,000 households as well as to the South Australian Country Arts Trust. “TT-Line and Southern Cross Television have also supported us with a promotional campaign onboard the Spirits.
“That’s what generates the energy and creates inspiration and it’s also what’s made this role one of the most satisfying jobs I’ve ever had.”
The Cradle Coast Authority is a joint authority created to co-ordinate and drive economic development within the nine local government areas of North-West and Western Tasmania.
The Authority’s member Councils contribute to its annual budget for core operations, but all regional development activities are funded through partnerships and funding agreements with other bodies.
Its primary role is to identify priorities for economic development and to broker partnerships between levels of government, industry and community groups to address these priorities at a regional level.
The Authority is engaged in a wide range of regional initiatives including tourism, natural resource management, community and cultural development, industry development, education and training, and infrastructure development projects.
The Authority’s Board includes members with experience in agriculture, industry, commerce, education, tourism and local government.
It has formal partnership agreements with all levels of government and is continually seeking new opportunities to represent and serve its region’s interests.