Friday March 29, 2024
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Local News

Commitments continue

Commitments continue

Highfield Historic Site’s history is continuing to be preserved and the state of the Bass Highway is still a talking point. 

A Labor government will invest $150,000 to finalise the delivery of interpretative facilities should it win the federal election this weekend. 

Federal Member for Braddon and Labor Candidate Justine Keay says the original headquarters of the Van Dieman’s Land Company are a true Tasmanian tourism icon. 

“The buildings at Highfield have previously fallen into a state of disrepair but with the support of successive state governments and a dedicated local committee, work has been underway to restore Highfield,” she says. 

The Liberal state government has invested $150,000 in recent years to ensure the continual restoration of the 1830s estate. 

In 2016, a commercial kitchen designed for catering functions was added to the south-west side of the barn. Restoration works have included painting, treating rust, electrical upgrades, guttering and plumbing and replacement of doors and windows.

In April, the state government put an application out to tenders to restore the cart shed to be more historically accurate in appearance. 

“Tenders are currently being assessed for the last two significant building works at Highfield with the last remaining project being the completion of interpretation at the site,” Ms Keay says. 

“The new interpretation will include innovative storytelling about the people of Highfield – the convicts, servants and descendant families of the Circular Head district.” 

Ahead of the upcoming federal election, Ms Keay released a statement on Monday on the findings of a survey on the Bass Highway. 

“Through my community survey, Circular Head residents identified upgrading and widening the road at Britton Swamp and Togari Straight as well as new turning lanes from Detention to the Stanley turnoff as key priorities . . . for the Bass Highway,” she says of the survey which was distributed throughout the 7330 and 7331 postcodes in March this year. 

“Hundreds of people have signed petitions and provided feedback through this survey. It’s time to start work on fixing the road.

“The responses to my survey were damning. The poor condition of the road is causing damage to cars and trucks, and people are fearful of another major accident.” 

Federal Member for Braddon Justine Keay with local historian Dr Ian McFarlane at Highfield Historic Site. 


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Circular Head Chronicle

Serving Circular Head since 1906

24 Smith Street
Smithton, TAS 7330
PO Box 201

P: (03) 6452 3333

Publication Day: Wednesday
Circulation: 1052