A significant housing development on the Eastern Shore is set to proceed after more than a decade of planning. According to The Mercury, the 5.75-hectare “Mornington Park Estate” on Cambridge Road and Pass Road has been listed for sale. The Clarence City Council has approved rezoning the land to general residential, which could allow for up to 200 new homes. The council also negotiated the acquisition of an additional portion of land for public open space as part of the first stage of development.
Also on the Eastern Shore, a new Recycle Rewards refund point has opened in Cambridge, giving residents another location to return eligible drink containers for a 10-cent refund. The facility, located at 3 Railway Court, is the 49th refund point to open in the state. According to a statement from the Premier of Tasmania, Tasmanians have returned more than 150 million containers since the scheme began.
The Tasmanian Government is modernising Mineral Resources Tasmania by digitising its systems. Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the move, stating that replacing outdated, paper-based processes will make it easier for companies to invest in the state’s resources sector. As reported by the Premier’s office, the resources industry employs 6,000 people and accounts for nearly two-thirds of Tasmania’s export value.
Meanwhile, winter events such as Dark Mofo and the Festival of Voices are being credited with a surge in winter tourism. The Minister for Tourism, Roger Jaensch, announced that accommodation occupancy across the state reached 64.62 per cent in June, the second-highest figure on record for that month. The government says the strong numbers demonstrate that its investment in winter festivals is supporting local businesses and strengthening the visitor economy.
Finally, a recent episode of ABC News’ “TassieCast” podcast examined the trade-offs associated with Tasmania’s population growth and skills shortages. The program explored the challenges facing the state as it tries to attract and retain skilled workers while managing the impacts on housing and infrastructure.