NEWSLETTER OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2005 CONTENTS Executive
Annual General Meeting Annual Report 2004-05 Cradle Coast Authority Rules Amendments
Tourism
Wonders of Wynyard Exhibition Centre West Coast Visitor Information Centre and Booking Office Devonport Gateway project Regional Events Officer Regional Tourism Newsletter
Transport and Infrastructure
Bass Highway (Sisters Hills) upgrade Regional Waste Management
Industry Development
Fair Dinkum Food Campaign Food Value-Adding projects
Natural Resource Management
NRM Strategy NRM Annual Report Regional Weed Strategy Officer NRM Newsletter (“Cradle to Coastlines Summer 2005”)
Education and Training
Australian Technical College Guaranteeing Futures – Area Taskforce
Community/Cultural Development Arts@work Officer’s Update
Contact Us
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EXECUTIVE Annual General Meeting The Cradle Coast Authority’s Annual General Meeting was held at Waratah-Wynyard Council Chambers on December 15th, 2005. Mayor Darryl Gerrity (West Coast Council) was appointed as Chief Representative. Alderman Peter Hollister (Devonport City Council) was elected as Deputy Chief Representative.
Annual Report 2004-05 The Authority’s Annual Report for 2004-05 was presented at the Annual General Meeting and endorsed by the Representatives. To view of copy of the Report, please click here or phone Karen Hampton on 6431 6285 to receive a copy of the Report.
Cradle Coast Authority Rule Amendments After an extensive consultation process, amendments to the Authority’s rules were adopted on the 18th November 2005. To view a copy of the new Rules, please click here.
TOURISM Wonders of Wynyard Exhibition Centre The Wonders of Wynyard Exhibition Centre was officially opened on December 13th, 2005 by the Premier, the Hon Paul Lennon and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Stephen Parry, representing Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon Warren Truss. The Centre features Francis Ransley’s collection of veteran motor cars as well as the Council’s visitor information centre. The State Government, Federal Government’s Sustainable Regions Program and the Waratah-Wynyard Council jointly funded the Centre.
West Coast Visitor Information and Booking Centre The Strahan Visitor Centre has been reopened under the management of the West Coast Council and will be known as the “West Coast Visitor Information and Booking Centre”. The Centre will become the central hub for the West Coast Visitor Information Network, which will include satellite centres at Rosebery, Zeehan, Tullah and Queenstown.
Devonport Gateway Project Funding for the Devonport City Council’s “Devonport Gateway Project” was announced recently. The State Government, Federal Government’s Sustainable Regions Program and the Devonport City Council will jointly fund the project. The project will provide an enhanced ‘sense of arrival’ and better articulation to established regional touring routes for visitors to the State, as well as new opportunities for planned development and expansion of commercial and retail activity, including continuing development of the Port of Devonport.
Regional Events Officer Following Nic Deka’s resignation in September, Ben Bovill has been appointed as Regional Event Officer and commenced duties on January 5th, 2006.
For further information on Regional Tourism News, please go to the December 2005 Tourism Newsletter by clicking here.
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INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT “Fair Dinkum Food” Campaign The Authority has continued to provide research, secretariat and policy support for the Fair Dinkum Food Campaign since June 2005, helping the local vegetable industry to develop and communicate its position to government and the media. So far, the Campaign has been instrumental in securing stronger country of origin labelling laws for unpackaged foods, and an investigation of how these arrangements can be extended to include packaged fruit and vegetable products. Food Standards Australia New Zealand is currently working on a report into the costs and benefits of these further changes, which will be released for comment in late January. In the meantime, the Authority is working with industry representatives and the University of Tasmania on a ‘value chain’ project that will help to identify long-term viable production, processing and market options for the region’s vegetable industry.
Food Value-Adding Projects Four more projects have been approved and announced under the Sustainable Regions Food Value Adding Grants Program. The grants program aimed to increase returns from the region’s competitive advantages in food production through value adding and innovation. The successful proponents to date include: Petuna Seafoods – “Innovative Product Development and Value Add of Seafood” J & A Brandsema Pty Ltd – “Optical Tomato Grading Development Project” Harvest Moon – “New Technology for Fresh Vegetable Processing” Premium Fresh – “Carrot Season Extension Project”
TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE Bass Highway (Sisters Hills) upgrade Information relating to the proposed Bass Highway (Sisters Hills) upgrade is currently on display at the Circular Head, Waratah-Wynyard and Burnie City Council offices. Further details and information is also available on the State and Australian Government websites as follows: www.transport.tas.gov.au www.auslink.gov.au
Regional Waste Management The Authority, through its Regional Waste Management Advisory Group (RWMAG) is currently responding to two discussion papers recently released by Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment (DPIWE) “A Producer Pays Approach to Funding Waste Management in Tasmania” and “Regional Waste Management in Tasmania”. The papers have been compiled by DPIWE to identify opportunities for implementing effective waste management system In Tasmania, and to explore funding options. Submissions have been sought from Local Government, and RWMAG will monitor this process and engage with interested parties as required.
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NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NRM Strategy The official launch of the Regional NRM Strategy was held on October 24th, 2005. Approximately 90 people, representing a wide range of stakeholders, attended the event. Federal Member of Parliament Mark Baker was present on behalf of the Australian Government and Senator Richard Colbeck also attended. A copy of the Cradle Coast Regional NRM Strategy can be obtained by phoning Rosie Britton on 6431 6285.
NRM Annual Report As required by the Rules of the Committee, the NRM Committee held their Annual General Meeting on October 24th, 2005 and the Annual Report for 2004-05 was presented. Click here to view a copy of the 2004-05 NRM Annual Report.
Regional Weed Strategy Officer The Cradle Coast NRM Committee will be employing a Regional Weed Strategy Officer from January 30 2006. The position will be funded through the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust as part of the first regional Investment Proposal to implement the regional NRM Strategy. This is an important development for the region; for many years there have been efforts and calls to develop a regional approach to weed management and a regional weed strategy. The NRM Committee secured funds to develop the Regional Weed Strategy in 2004 and the strategy was released in 2005 after stakeholder consultation. The new position will work with a broad range of stakeholders including community groups, land managers and local Government to address weed issues. Funds will be available for the eradication of weeds in accordance with Regional Weed Strategy priorities.
For the latest NRM Newsletter (“Cradle to Coastlines Summer 2005”), click here. For more information and documents relating to the Cradle Coast NRM Committee’s activities, please go to www.nrmtas.com.au (Cradle Coast region).
EDUCATION AND TRAINING Australian Technical College Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, the Hon Gary Hardgrave, announced that the Tasmanian Consortium was invited to lead the establishment of an Australian Technical College in Northern Tasmania, in conjunction with the Northern Tasmania Consortium. The College will begin operating in August with the central campus to be established in Launceston and a satellite campus to be established in Burnie. Further information can be obtained at www.atctas.com.
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Guaranteeing Futures – Area Taskforce An expression of interest to host the Guaranteeing Futures Area Taskforce was lodged by the Authority with the Office of Post Compulsory Education and Training (OPCET) and was favourably received. Negotiations are continuing with a view to formalising arrangements in the near future. The Guaranteeing Futures Area Taskforces initiative will play a key role in addressing issues (including blockages and gaps) that may impede employment, education, and training outcomes for 15 to 25 year olds. It will work to develop, implement and monitor an action plan to identify ways in which young people can be better supported to achieve their post-Year 10 destination goals.
COMMUNITY/CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Arts@work Officer’s Update Queensland-based cultural tourism consultant, Nat Trimarchi will advise artists, tourism planners and operators in the region about ways of integrating the arts into visitor experiences in Cradle Coast from early 2006. The Community Centred Model for Cultural Tourism initiative is one of only eight projects funded Australia-wide by the Federal Government’s Australia Council as part of its Community and Cultural Development Presentation and Promotion program. It will lend valuable expertise to the Authority’s arts@work suite of projects and assist in the development of a cultural tourism plan for the region. The project is designed to generate sustainable commercial opportunities for artists and arts organisations by improving the interface between the arts sector and local government and tourism. The project will be delivered in 4 stages by: • Developing understanding and awareness by arts, tourism and local government sectors of the community centred model for (cultural) tourism and challenging traditional approaches to tourism development • • •
Identifying points of interaction and convergence where community needs and opportunities coincide with potential cultural tourism development Framing cultural tourism initiatives including capacity-building, to support the development of cultural interpretative products Mentoring and support for implementation
For further information contact Nicki Fletcher, Cradle Coast Arts@Work Project Officer.
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CONTACT DETAILS EXECUTIVE Roger Jaensch
Executive Chairman
rjaensch@cradlecoast.com
Karen Hampton
Executive Officer
khampton@cradlecoast.com
Heidi Hillbeck
Finance & Administration Manager
hhillbeck@cradlecoast.com
Karen Arnold
Executive Assistant
karnold@cradlecoast.com
Krystal Shipley
Receptionist/Administration Trainee
kshipley@cradlecoast.com
Rosie Britton
Administration Assistant (Tourism & NRM)
rbritton@cradlecoast.com
TOURISM Ian Waller
Regional Tourism Development Manager iwaller@cradlecoast.com
Wayne Bolton
Industry Development Consultant
wbolton@cradlecoast.com
Nicki Fletcher
Arts@Work Officer
nfletcher@cradlecoast.com
Ben Bovill
Regional Events Coordinator
bbovill@cradlecoast.com
STRONGER LEARNING PATHWAYS Karen Hampton
Managing project for interim period
khampton@cradlecoast.com
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (NRM) David McCormack
NRM Coordinator
dmccormack@cradlecoast.com
Lynne Robertson
NRM Support Officer
lrobertson@cradlecoast.com
Carol Bryant
Regional NRM Facilitator
cbryant@cradlecoast.com
Guy Robertson
Community Landcare Coordinator
grobertson@cradlecoast.com
Richard Ingram
NRM Projects Manager
ringram@cradlecoast.com
Eve Woolmore
NRM Facilitator, King Island
ewoolmore@kingisland.net.au
30 Marine Terrace BURNIE Tasmania 7320
Email: admin@cradlecoast.com Website: www.cradlecoast.com
(PO Box 338, Burnie) Telephone: (03) 6431 6285 Facsimile: (03) 6431 7014
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