Hobart Votes to Return Land for Aboriginal Cultural Centre

For the first time in more than two decades, Tasmania is moving toward returning land to its Aboriginal community, and the vote wasn't even close.

Hobart City Council voted 9 to 3 Monday night to support handing back nearly 5 hectares at Queens Domain, a scenic area near the city's downtown. The land would become home to an Aboriginal-owned cultural centre run by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, creating the first keeping place for sacred cultural items in the state.

"Currently in the Aboriginal community, we have absolutely nowhere to look after our sacred cultural items," said Sarah Wilcox, general manager of the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania. The proposed centre would change that, offering spaces for exhibitions, performances, Aboriginal food enterprises, and tourism activities.

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds called the support around the council table "strong." While the vote wasn't final approval, it allows city leaders to begin the complex work of making the handback happen, including legal reviews, environmental assessments, and public consultation.

The land parcel sits off Domain Road near the Queens Domain summit. It would remain accessible to the public under the proposal, with the Aboriginal Land Council and city council sharing ongoing care of the broader area.

The Ripple Effect

This potential handback represents more than returning property. It's about creating lasting space for cultural preservation and community connection.

Greg Brown, chair of the Aboriginal Land Council, described the cultural centre as a place for "interpretation, exhibition, and the sharing of stories by Aboriginal artists and cultural practitioners." For Palawa people, he said, caring for Country is both a profound responsibility and privilege.

The last major land returns in Tasmania happened in 2005, when two islands were transferred back to Aboriginal ownership. Those returns enabled meaningful cultural, social, and economic outcomes, Brown noted, but only through respectful relationships between government and community.

The path forward still involves navigating state government processes, including closing part of Domain Road for access, rehabilitating the space, and completing disposal of public land procedures. Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Bridget Archer has signaled support for the proposal, though the timeline depends on cooperation among all partners.

If approved through remaining steps, the centre would stand as a testament to what's possible when communities choose to honor the past while building a more inclusive future.