Mawson’s Place is a monument recognising the achievements of scientist-explorer Douglas Mawson to Australian Antarctic and maritime history. In 1909 he was part of a three-man party to be the first to reach the South Magnetic Pole. It was near here that crowds gathered in 1911 to farewell him as he left for the Aurora expedition. [1]
The brown, modernist design, Marine Board building stands out in this area. Built in the 1970s it has caused controversy over the years. At the time the Public Officers Committee was the government agency responsible for ‘controlling the planning of new Government office buildings, major alterations to buildings and policy decisions.’ [2] Not much is known of the decisions made at the time because the papers regarding this building kept in the Tasmanian Archives are restricted to agency access only.
In 2010 the building sparked more controversy with the addition of four, 5m tall micro wind turbines to the roof. Opinions were that it created visual pollution of the skyline and that the turbines were unnecessary because they only generated 10% of the building’s power. [3] Safety concerns were raised a month after their installation when high winds caused the turbines to over-spin resulting in several blades losing their vertical alignment. [4]
This building is out of keeping with the area. It has been used as an example of poor planning in the current debate on height limits, and is an unmissable feature of the skyline, detracting from the view of the mountain.
[1] Visit Hobart Australia, ‘Memorials and Fountains’, Our Tasmania: Hobart and Surrounds [website], 2019, http://www.visithobartaustralia.com.au/memorials.html
[2] Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office [website]
[3] Martin Stevenson, ‘Energy argument is all puff and wind’, The Examiner, 8 September 2011, https://www.examiner.com.au/story/433780/energy-argument-is-all-puff-and-wind/
[4] Enhar, ‘Bulletin: Safety and Reliability of micro wind turbine installations’, 25 August 2010.
Photo Credit: Kangatraveller, 2014.
