We’re excited to announce our first Community Connect Pop-Up Sessions coming to Bicheno, Coles Bay, Swansea, Triabunna, Orford, and Buckland in early May 2024!

Come and join us for an informal chat with some of our Councillors and staff to discuss what matters most to you and your community.

We’re looking forward to meeting you there! Details below:

Bicheno

📅Date: Wednesday 1 May 2024

⏰Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

📍Location: Bicheno Triangle

Coles Bay

📅Date: Wednesday 1 May 2024

⏰Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

📍Location: Coles Bay Esplanade (opposite Illuka Tavern)

Swansea

📅Date: Thursday 2 May 2024

⏰Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

📍Location: Corner of Franklin Street & Jetty Road, Swansea

Triabunna

📅Date: Thursday 2 May 2024

⏰Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

📍Location: 19 Vicary Street, Triabunna (between Service Tas & Spirit of Maria Café)

Orford

📅Date: Friday 3 May 2024

⏰Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

📍Location: Esplanade, Orford (opposite Wattlebanks Café)

Buckland

📅Date: Friday 3 May 2024

⏰Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm

📍Location: Grassed area opposite Buckland Hall

Waste Transfer Stations – Winter Operating Hours/Days Commence on Monday 29th April 2024

Priority Strategic Projects 

The purpose of our prospectus is to share more about our municipality with our funding partners, to highlight that Glamorgan Spring Bay is an attractive area for investment, and to make future planning and delivery of vital community projects a smoother and more efficient process. Projects recommended here proceed from councils Ten Year Strategic Plan 2020-2029.

The projects in this document complement existing government strategies and policies and highlight our enthusiasm to improve our region. We are willing to discuss options for funding for any or all of these priority projects and look forward to working with you on building a better community for all of our residents and visitors.

Project Prospectus February 2024

6 February 2024

Jeremy Rockliff, Premier

Investing in the East Coast through the Strategic Regional Partnership

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Break O’Day Council, Glamorgan Spring Bay Council, East Coast Tasmania, Tourism Industry Council Tasmania and Regional Development Australia.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the Government will invest more than $5.2 million into developing strategies to enhance health services, education and job opportunities for young people and tourism and infrastructure planning for the East Coast as part of the deal.

“The Tasmanian Liberal Government is doing what matters for those living on the East Coast by investing in the services, infrastructure and long-term planning the region needs to continue to thrive,” Premier Rockliff said.

“We are working in collaboration with the community to achieve the best possible outcomes for Eastern Tasmania.”

The MoU outlines our commitment to develop an action plan to progress the following priorities:

• East Coast e-health taskforce;
• Regional Population and Housing Needs Analysis;
• Education and Training Hub feasibility study;
• Triabunna Tomorrow Plan feasibility study;
• Triabunna streetscape and public toilets upgrades;
• St Helens – Binalong Bay Liveability Strategy;
• Future strategic land use study for a new St Helens District High School;
• Bicheno Urban Design Strategy;
• Provision of public amenities to support youth infrastructure in Bicheno;
• Bay of Fires Masterplan;
• Concept development for new St Marys Child Care Facility;
• East Coast Tourism Positive Impact Plan;
• Youth Connectors Program for East Coast Jobs Hub;
• Ongoing funding commitment for East Coast Jobs Hub; and
• East Coast strategic disaster resilience priorities.

“Our Government is committed to our long-term plan to make Tasmania the best place to live, work and raise a family,” the Premier said.

“This MoU with the East Coast is another example of our Government’s commitment to invest in our regions, which are the lifeblood of this state.”

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is delivering on what matters for all Tasmanians.

Glamorgan Spring Bay Council Mayor, Cheryl Arnol, said that Council is very pleased to be part of this exciting MOU project and looks forward to working with the government on achieving the outcomes outlined in the agreement.

“The support for Triabunna as the gateway to Maria Island is particularly pleasing with the planned influx of tourists to Tasmania and as the gateway to one of the most visited destinations in our State,” Mayor Arnol said.

Break O’Day Mayor, Mick Tucker welcomed the announcement regarding the Memorandum of Understanding.

“The projects being supported within the Memorandum of Understanding are vital to the growth of the East Coast and importantly they will address priority projects which the Break O’Day Council have been lobbying the State Government to address.”

“Health and housing are two of the biggest issues affecting communities on the East Coast and direct action is required” stated Mayor Tucker.

From East Coast Tasmania Chair, Jen Fry, said that it is wonderful to receive this funding for our community, our industry, and our region.

“The partnership agreement will no doubt have a transformative impact on our initiatives. This significant investment marks a pivotal moment in our journey, propelling us towards innovative milestones and enhanced community outcomes,” Ms Fry said.

The CEO of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, Amy Hills, said that the East Coast of Tasmania was one of the most heavily dependent regions on tourism in the country, therefore the industry welcomed the visitor economy being at the heart of the new Regional Strategic Partnership.

“Ensuring the visitor economy continues to help drive the region’s economy while making a positive impact on the community, environment, and Tasmanian way of life is a key goal of industry and we look forward to working collaboratively to achieve this through the partnership.

Tasmania RDA Chair Professor, Sue Kilpatrick, said the RDA are delighted to be supporting this Strategic Regional Partnership on the East Coast.

“Place-based partnerships help deliver a much better outcome for communities and ensure local voices are heard. The SRP’s are a great foundation for RDA Tasmania to promote Australian Government funding opportunities and leverage even greater resources and outcomes.”

Beekeeper Registration

It is vital that every beekeeper across Tasmania is registered as registration is one of our most powerful tools to protect against pests and diseases that threaten our bee population.

Registration of beekeeping activities is compulsory for all Tasmanian commercial and recreational beekeepers. Beekeepers can register or renew their beekeeper registration using Biosecurity Tasmania’s online system called BeeTAS.

BeeTAS

Biosecurity Tasmania has implemented BeeTAS to assist beekeepers with managing their registrations.​ BeeTAS can be accessed at www.nre.tas.gov.au/beekeeper-registration.

The online system allows beekeepers to:

• register or renew their registration;
• maintain their apiary site information;
• record inspection details, record hive purchases, disposals and hive movements; and
• upload training certification and laboratory results.

Already a registered beekeeper?

If you have registered as a beekeeper in Tasmania since December 2022, your information has been automatically carried across to BeeTAS. You can log into BeeTAS using the email you provided when you first registered. If you have not re-registered since December 2022, you can now easily do so with BeeTAS!​​

Need further assistance?

If you require further assistance with registration, have limited online access or have any other BeeTAS queries, please contact Biosecurity Tasmania at honeybee.biosecurity@nre.tas.gov.au​. ​​

For more information on BeeTAS, visit: https://nre.tas.gov.au/beekeeper-registration.

GLAMORGAN SPRING BAY TOWNSHIP STRUCTURE PLANS

The Glamorgan Spring Bay municipality is changing, with a population increase of nearly 20% over the last 10 years. Population projections mean that we anticipate seeing an increase of at least 16% by 2046.

This means that the strategic goals of Council need to be reviewed to ensure that the changing needs of the community are met into the future.

Council has engaged ERA Planning and Environment as the project team to undertake community engagement and prepare new structure plans for each of these townships. The structure plans will consider population trends, community needs, local planning context, economic drivers, development trends, and land use demand and supply. The structure plans will support the upcoming review of the Southern Tasmania Regional Land Use Strategy that provides direction for zoning and settlement strategies for towns across the southern region.

What is a structure plan? 

A structure plan is a strategic document used by local government to guide the future planning and development in their local area. It provides a blueprint for future land use and development changes and can be used to guide the application of the planning scheme through zoning, overlays and specific provisions.

A structure plan needs to be based on robust data and assumptions to realistically set goals for the future. Whilst we cannot predict the future, we can prepare to respond to the changes that may come.

Previous Structure Plans

Glamorgan Spring Bay Council has previously undertaken structure planning for the townships of Triabunna and Orford, and Bicheno in 2014, and Coles Bay and Swansea in 2016. You can access these structure plans at the links below.

• Triabunna and Orford Structure Plan 2014
• Bicheno Structure Plan 2014
• Coles Bay Structure Plan 2016
• Swansea Structure Plan 2016

The project team has prepared a draft State of Play Report which provides an overview of the demographics and environmental characteristics of the townships and includes an early analysis of future trends. This information can be used to assist the focus areas for the structure plans.

The report provides a snapshot of the current state of the towns, including their characteristics, strengths and challenges, and will inform how we engage the community. To download a copy of the report, click on the links below.

• State of Play Report (full version)
• State of Play snapshot summary

Township Maps 

The team has also been working on maps of the municipal area. To view the maps, click on the links below.

• Glamorgan Spring Bay municipal area
• Township settlement hierarchy
• Triabunna
• Orford
• Swansea
• Bicheno
• Coles Bay

If you’d like to speak with one of the project team you can contact us on (03) 6165 0443, or email us at engagement@eraplanning.com.au 

We look forward to hearing from you about this exciting project for the future of the townships in Glamorgan Spring Bay!

The Tasmanian Government is taking action to end homelessness by ensuring all Tasmanians have access to safe, appropriate and affordable housing.

Tasmania’s first 20-year Tasmanian Housing Strategy (the Strategy) sets the ambitious vision to end homelessness by improving the entire housing system for all Tasmanians.

To view the strategy and or action plan, please visit the Tasmanian Housing website below.

Home | Tasmanian Housing Strategy (homestasmania.com.au)

Date: 3 October 2023 

Fire permits are now required for the following municipalities of Tasmania: Brighton, Central Highlands, Clarence, Derwent Valley, Glamorgan Spring Bay, Glenorchy, Hobart, Huon Valley, Kingborough, Sorell, Southern Midlands and Tasman.

A fire permit can be obtained by free calling 1800 000 699
Landowners in other municipalities are encouraged to register their burns by free calling 1800 000 699 to avoid unnecessary brigade responses.

Business and Employment Southeast Tasmania Inc (BEST) is a FREE, flexible and person-centred program supporting the community and businesses in our four local council areas – Sorell, Tasman, Clarence City and Glamorgan Spring Bay (Swansea South).

What can BEST help with:

-Job opportunities.

-Training opportunities.

-Job matching.

-Interview coaching.

-Providing support on interview panels with employers.

-Recruitment of your next employee.

-Small business advice.

-Access to a private meeting room for employers to conduct interviews.

PLUS, SO MUCH MORE

Contact BEST today to see how they can best support YOU.

Visit their website for additional information.

Local people for local jobs – Business & Employment Southeast Tasmania (bestas.com.au)

MAST have advised that they were planning some repairs to the training walls before the end of August 2023 but a manufacturing issue with the additional bags has stopped that.

Maintenance will now be done in April 2024.  MAST will still be excavating sand from the channel adjacent to Millington’s Beach and will be onsite as soon as the Parks & Wildlife Services Authority comes through next week.

The Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) Great Customer Experience Program is built with hospitality and tourism operators in mind.

It provides operators with opportunities and guidance that result in elevated customer experiences Tasmania-wide.

The point of difference; the GCE program is delivered in venue, at a time convenient to the venue, and due to government funding is at no cost to the venue. It can be tailored to each business, and is delivered by people passionate about supporting hospitality and tourism businesses.

Business Health Check
A conversation with you about your business with one of our team to help identify your
business’ strengths and weaknesses.

Venue Awareness
Our Venue Awareness Session involves your businesses most important asset, your staff. The aim is to ensure your staff are passionate about creating your Tasmanian brand experience and care about the success of your business. 

Skills Session
Our skills sessions address the critical skills gaps that may exist in your business like Barista Basics, Front of House, Bar Basics.

Fully funded by the Tasmanian Government. For more information please visit the THA website. Home — Tasmanian Hospitality Association (tha.asn.au)

Governor of Tasmania – Community Engagement (July 2023)

During the last 12 months MAST has collected approximately 10,000 flares from your Council waste sites which equates to around 45 boxes.

MAST have continued to notice that EPIRBS and larger commercial flares are still being collected. Please be reminded that this is catering for handheld flares and parachute rockets only. The larger commercial equipment shouldn’t be left at Waste Management sites.

MAST has an instructional document on disposal that can be viewed here  https://mast.tas.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/A4-EPIRBS-final-jUNE-2021.pdf MAST also a YouTube clip on the MAST website, which shows people how to safely dismantle and dispose of their EPIRBS.

Later this year MAST is introducing the ability for boaters in sheltered waters to do away with their flares and opt to carry an Electronic Visual Distress Signal (EVDS) if they wish to. Boaters will need to carry 2 additional pieces of safety equipment in an EPIRB & VHF radio which is not currently mandatory in sheltered waters. It is important to note that this is an option only and boaters can still purchase the pyrotechnic flares if they wish. MAST is hopeful the legislation will be in place by July this year.

Community invited to comment on the Final Report of the Future of Local Government Review

The Rockliff Liberal Government has today invited the community to have their say on the Final Report of the Future of Local Government Review.

Minister for Local Government, Nic Street, said that there are a number of key recommendations made in the Final Report and feedback from the community will ensure the best possible outcomes for Tasmanians.

“The Rockliff Liberal Government set the Board with a very ambitious task – to design a more robust and capable system of local government to meet the contemporary and emerging needs of the Tasmanian community,” Minister Street said.

“The Board has now completed that task, producing a package of 37 recommendations covering all aspects of the local government system, from voluntary amalgamations through to councillor performance and council management of local infrastructure.

“It’s now time for councils and the community to let the Government know what they think of these recommendations, as this will inform the Government’s response.

“From the beginning, this Review has highlighted councils’ role in supporting strong local communities. The Government will maintain a focus on the community as we consider the Report and prepare a Government response.

“We have been clear that this Review will not result in forced amalgamations of councils, and that has not changed. There will be no change to council boundaries unless both the councils and communities want them.

“My sincere thanks to the Independent Board Chair, the Hon Sue Smith and her Board members, together with staff in the Office of Local Government, for their incredibly hard work on the Review over the past nearly two years.”

Some of the key recommendations in the Report include:

1. Redefining the role of local government to focus on community wellbeing;
2. Exploring voluntary council amalgamation in five areas initially:
   1. West Coast, Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head Councils;
   2. Kentish and Latrobe Councils;
   3. Break O’Day, Glamorgan-Spring Bay and Sorell Councils;
   4. City of Hobart and Glenorchy City Councils;
   5. Kingborough and Huon Valley Councils.
3. Requiring all councils to migrate to a common IT system over time, and share their key professional staff, such as environmental health officers;
4. Providing an ongoing professional development program for all councillors; and
5. Ensuring council rate notices provide more useful information that improves public transparency, accountability, and confidence in council financial management decisions.

The Final Report is open for comment until 29 February 2024. The report is available at www.futurelocal.tas.gov.au.

Financial Assistance Grants Distribution Methodology