Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project, Launceston

Historic Heritage Assessment Report

AUTHOR: Stuart Huys and Zoe Smith 27 Apsley St, South Hobart TAS 7004

CLIENT: Pitt and Sherry

25.6.2018 Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Table of Contents Page

Executive Summary 1

1.0 Project Background 9 1.1 Project Description 9 1.2 Aims of the Investigation 9 1.3 Project Methodology 10 1.4 Project Limitations 11

2.0 Environmental Context 17 2.1 Landscape Setting and Hydrology 17 2.2 Geology and Soils 18 2.3 Vegetation and Past Landscape Use 19 2.4 Climate 22

3.0 Historic Background 23 3.1 Launceston – Discovery to 1899 23 3.2 Post 1900 Launceston 29 3.3 Cataract Gorge Historical Background 30

4.0 Heritage Database Searches 34 4.1 Heritage Databases, Registers and Lists 34 4.2 Results of the Search of the Heritage Registers 36 4.3 RNE Listing of the Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area Reatta Road 39 4.4 The THR Listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve 42

5.0 Survey Coverage of the Study Area 45

6.0 Survey Results and Discussion 50

7.0 Site Significance Assessments 51 7.1 Assessment Guidelines 51 7.2 The Burra Charter 51 7.3 Tasmanian Heritage Assessment Criteria 52 7.4 Summary Significance Ratings for the Study Area 53

8.0 Statutory Controls and Legislative Requirements 54 8.1 National Conventions 54 8.2 Commonwealth Legislation 55 8.3 State Legislation 56 8.4 Local Planning Schemes 59 Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Table of Contents Page

9.0 Statement of Heritage Impacts and Heritage Management Plan 62 9.1 Statement of Heritage Effects 62 9.2 Management Recommendations 63

10.0 Unanticipated Discovery Plan 65

References Cited 67

Appendix 1 69

List of Figures Figure i: The location of heritage feature listed on the THR, in relation to the proposed infrastructure footprint of the Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project 4 Figure 1: Topographic map showing the general location of the proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project 12 Figure 2: Topographic map showing the proposed footprint locations of the Chairlift station and two pylons 13 Figure 3: Aerial image showing the proposed footprint locations of the Chairlift station and two pylons 14 Figure 4: Schematic diagram showing the proposed design for the chairlift and tower pylons 15 Figure 5: Schematic diagram showing the proposed design for the chairlift station 16 Figure 6: Geology underlying the study area. Image modified from The LIST (Geological Polygons 1:25K) accessed 11 April 2018 19 Figure 7: Vegetation across study area. Image modified from The LIST (TASVEG 3.0) accessed 11 April 2018 20 Figure 8: The location of heritage feature listed on the THR, in relation to the proposed infrastructure footprint of the Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project 38 Figure 9: Topographic map showing the boundaries for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve (THR ID 3955), in relation to the proposed infrastructure locations for the proposed chair Lift Project 43 Figure 10: Aerial image showing the boundaries for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve (THR ID 3955), in relation to the proposed infrastructure locations for the proposed chair Lift Project 44 Figure 11: Guidelines for the estimation of surface visibility 45 Figure 12: Aerial image showing the alignment of the survey transects walked within, and the surrounds of the Chair Lift Project infrastructure areas 49

Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Table of Contents Page

List of Tables Table i: Summary details for heritage listed places in the immediate vicinity of the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area 3 Table 1: Summary details for heritage listed places in the immediate vicinity of the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area 37 Table 2: Effective Survey Coverage achieved within the Chair Lift Project infrastructure areas and surrounds 46

List of Plates Plate 1: View south-east across First Basin, within the South Esk River Gorge, where the proposed Chair Lift Facility will be located 18 Plate 2: View west across the southern proposed pylon location footprint, showing the existing vegetation structure 21 Plate 3: View north-west across the northern proposed pylon location footprint, showing the existing vegetation structure 21 Plate 4: View east across the proposed chair lift station site, showing the landscaped area 22 Plate 5: Cornwall Hotel, Launceston (image c1880). 24 Plate 6: Postcard of Victoria Bridge (previously Tamar Street Bridge), Launceston 25 Plate 7: Town Hall, Launceston 27 Plate 8: Kings Bridge, Launceston 28 Plate 9: The Launceston Post Office 29 Plate 10: View south-east across the proposed footprint for the chair lift station showing grass cover restricting visibility, and discrete erosion scalds in the foreground providing locales of improved visibility 46 Plate 11: View west across the proposed footprint for the southern pylon location, showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30% 47 Plate 12: View north-west across the proposed footprint for the northern pylon location, showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30%, and bike track providing improved visibility 47 Plate 13: View east across the surrounds of the northern pylon site showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30% 48

Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Executive Summary

Project Background Pitt and Sherry are preparing planning approvals for a proposed chair lift facility in the Cataract Gorge at Launceston, in the Northern Region of Tasmania (see Figure 1).

The proposal is for a new gondola style chair lift which will start at a site near the existing chairlift and span across to the southern point then to the northern point then back, on a continuous suspended cable stretching between two pylons.

The proposed location for the new chair lift station is on a grassed area which is situated between the Basin Road car park facility and the existing chairlift station. The proposed development footprint measures approximately 300 m². The chairlift will be suspended between two pylons. Each pylon will be approximately 8m high, and the disturbance footprint at each pylon site is approximately 245m². Access to the southern pylon will be from the existing track to the west with access to the northern one from the car park road (most likely at this stage).

Figures 2 and 3 shows the proposed locations for the proposed chairlift station and the proposed pylon sites.

CHMA has been engaged by Pitt and Sherry to undertake an Historic heritage assessment for the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project. This report presents the findings of this assessment.

Heritage Databases, Registers and Lists As part of Stage 1 of the present assessment a search was carried out of A search was carried out of a number of historic registers and databases in order to determine the extent of historic sites and features in the vicinity of the study area. Agency databases searched included:  Australian National Heritage List (NHL)  Australian Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL)  The Australian Heritage Database (AHD)  Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR)  The Register of the National Estate (RNE)  Australian Heritage Places Inventory (AHPI)  The National Trust (NT)  Launceston Interim Planning Scheme (2015) (LIPS)

The search of the various historic heritage registers listed above shows that there are a number of heritage listed features that are situated in close proximity to the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area. Table 1 provides a summary of these historic places. Figure 8 shows the location and the registered boundaries of these features in relation to the study area.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Of the historic places listings summarized in Table 1, the two most pertinent listings to this project area the listing of the Trevallyn Reserve and adjacent areas (including the Cataract Gorge) on the Register of the National Estate (Place ID12394), and the listing of the Cataract Gorge on the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR ID 3955)

The Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area is listed on the Register of the National Estate (RNE). The boundary extent for the listing is not clearly defined. However, based on the nomination description, the listing appears to include the area around First Basin in the Cataract Gorge, where the study area is located

A section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve is permanently registered on the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR ID 3955). The listing applies to a narrow strip of land on the northern margins of the South Esk River, extending from Kings Bridge, through to the eastern edge of first Basin. Figure i shows the boundaries for the listing in relation to the proposed study area infrastructure locations. It should be noted that that Caretakers Cottage adjacent to Kings Bridge is separately listed on the THR (THR ID 3873).

A more detailed discussion for these two listings is provided in Section 4 of this report.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Table i: Summary details for heritage listed places in the immediate vicinity of the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area Place Place Place File No Photo Register Legal Status ID Trevallyn State Register of Reserve and the Adjacent 12394 Indicative Place 6/03/050/0019 National Area Reatta Estate Rd

Tasmanian Cataract Permanently Heritage Gorge 3955 Registered Register Reserve 15/8/1997

Register of Registered (21/ the 12368 03/1978) 6/03/020/0124 National

Kings Estate

Bridge Tasmanian Heritage 3874 Register

Duck Reach Register of Power the Registered (11/ 12401 6/03/020/0147 Station National 08/1987) Precinct Estate 8164, Tasmanian 8165, Duck Reach Heritage 8166, Cottages Register 8167,

4095

Tasmanian Permanently Caretaker’s Heritage 3873 Registered Cottage Register 6/7/2002

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure i: The location of heritage feature listed on the THR, in relation to the proposed infrastructure footprint of the Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Results of the Field Survey The field survey was undertaken over a period of one day (3-4-2018) by Stuart Huys (CHMA archaeologist) and Vernon Graham (Aboriginal Heritage Officer). The field survey was undertaken on foot, with the field team specifically targeting the proposed development footprints for the proposed chairlift station and the two proposed pylon sites. At each area, the field team walked five 60m long and 10m wide transects across the proposed development footprint, thereby achieving 100% survey coverage of these areas. In addition, the field team walked a series of linear transects in the general vicinity of the two pylon footprints. Section 5 provides further details as to the survey coverage achieved within the study area.

No historic heritage features, suspected features, or specific areas of elevated archaeological sensitivity were identified during the field survey assessment of the proposed Cataract Gorge infrastructure areas and immediate surrounds.

As described in section 5 of this report, surface visibility across the surveyed chairlift and two pylon footprints was restricted to an estimated average of between 20% - 30%, which is in the low range. Given these constraints, it can’t be stated with absolutely certainty that there are no undetected historic features present within these proposed infrastructure areas. With this acknowledged, the negative survey results are still assessed as being a reasonably accurate indication that there is a low to very low likelihood for undetected historic features to be present. Certainly in the two proposed pylon locations, the potential is negligible, as these two infrastructure areas are situated on hill summits, well away from any noted existing infrastructure or buildings in the Gorge. The proposed chairlift basin has a slightly more elevated potential for sub-surface features to be present, given that

As described in section 4 of this report, the search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE. Additionally, the Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. Although, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries for the THR. The field survey was able to confirm that the proposed locations for the two proposed tower pylons and the chair lift station will not physically impact on any of the significant heritage buildings and features that are noted on the RNE and THR listings for the Gorge. However, given the close proximity of these proposed infrastructure locations to the First Basin area and the associated historic features and values, and the likely prominence the two tower pylons and chairlift station in this landscape setting, there will be some level of visual impact on the First Basin area. This is discussed in more detail in section 9 of this report.

Statement of Heritage Impacts and Heritage Management Plan The heritage management options and recommendations provided in this report are made on the basis of the following criteria. - The legal and procedural requirements as summarised in section 8 of this report, with specific reference to the Work Guidelines for Historic Heritage Places.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

- The results of the heritage register searches and field investigation as documented in sections 4.0 and 6.0 of the report. - Background research into the extant archaeological and historic record for the study area and its surrounding regions. - The assigned significance values for heritage areas or features.

The recommendations are aimed at minimising the impact of the proposed Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project on the historic heritage values for the study area and surrounds.

Statement of Heritage Effects As described in section 4 of this report, the search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE. The Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. Although, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries of the THR listing.

The field survey was able to confirm that the proposed locations for the two proposed tower pylons and the chair lift station will not physically impact on any of the significant heritage buildings and features that are noted on the RNE and THR listings for the Gorge.

However, the proposed chairlift infrastructure areas are situated in close proximity to the First Basin area and the associated historic features and values. The proposed design for the two proposed tower pylons and chairlift station is yet to be finalized. However, it is clear that the pylon towers in particular will be prominent structures, possibly in the range of 8m in height, which will be sited on local hill summits. These pylons will be clearly visible in the landscape. The proposed chair lift station, sited at First Basin, overlooking the pool and lawn area, will also be a large, prominent structure.

Although the designs for these structures are yet to be finalized, there is no doubt that they will have some degree of visual impact on the Cataract Gorge Reserve area. To what extent these visual impacts will diminish the historic landscape setting and values of the Gorge area is debatable, and will be dependent to some degree of the final designs. As detailed in section 4 of this report, to a large extent the significance values of the Cataract Gorge Reserve relate to its associations with recreation, and for demonstrating characteristics of a Victorian pleasure ground where the scenic natural resources have been embellished with exotic plants and wildlife, and a diversity of stylised architectural features. The argument can be made that the construction of the chair lift facility ushers in a new period in the development of the recreational attractions and facilities in the Cataract Gorge Reserve, which is in keeping with the existing land use activities at First Basin. With this acknowledged, there is a clear risk that the chair lift design may be an overbearing development, which is not compatible with the Victorian style setting of the surrounding landscape.

In order to minimize or negate these risks, the Proponent will need to ensure that there is meaningful and ongoing consultation with the broader public, as well as

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Heritage Tasmania and the Launceston City Council. This is addressed in the management recommendations below.

Management Recommendations 1) The Cataract Gorge reserve is recognized as being of high social significance to the Launceston and Tasmanian communities, and is the best known natural feature in Launceston, much visited by tourists and locals for over a hundred years, and serving as the premier venue for cultural events and major community gatherings. Given the high social significance to the local community, it will be critical that the Chairlift project proponent continues to engage with the public, as well as the relevant government stakeholders, in an effort to determine the level of public support for this project. This consultation should also include discussions on the design of the chairlift infrastructure, and ensuring that it is sympathetic with existing heritage values, or at least minimizes impacts on these values.

2) The search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE, although the boundary extent for the listing is not clearly defined. As noted in section 4.1 of this report, the RNE ceased to be an active register in February 2007 and from this point onwards sites were unable to be added or removed from the list. The Minister for the Environment is required to consider the register when making decisions under the EPBC Act.

The Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. However, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries of the THR listing (see Figures 9 and 10). Works to places included in the THR require approval, either through a Certificate of Exemption for works which will have no or negligible impact, or through a discretionary permit for those works which may impact on the significance of the place. Because the proposed chair lift development footprint does not site within the designated boundaries of the existing THR listing for the Cataract Gorge Reserve, there is no formal requirement for the Proponent to seek these approvals. However, it is noted that Heritage Tasmania is currently in the process of developing a revised THR Listing Datasheet or the Cataract Gorge Reserve. This revised version will provide greater detail on the heritage values of the Gorge, the key historic themes and features, and will most likely redefine the boundaries for the listing.

Taking into consideration the recognized significance of the Cataract Gorge around First Basin, the revisions being undertaken for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve, and the possibility that this project may impact on the visual impacts to the heritage values of the Reserve, it is recommended that the proponent should continue to liaise with Heritage Tasmania regarding the proposed designs for the project, and any future statutory requirements that may arise when the amended THR listing for the Cataract Gorge Reserve is formally adopted.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

3) The Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the Launceston City Council zoning, with the requirements of use or development of land within the area governed by then Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS).

Section E13 of the Scheme deals specifically with the Local Heritage Code. Given the identified heritage significance of the Cataract Gorge Reserve, Section 13 will be directly applicable to this project.

Based on information provided in section E17 of the LIPS 2015, it is apparent that the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the boundaries of the Cataract Gorge Management Area, and is subject to the requirements of the Cataract Gorge Management Area Code (see Figure 13).

Section E17.6 of the Code sets out the development standards that apply the Cataract Gorge Management Area, including the siting of structures and buildings, the height and bulk of buildings and tree and vegetation removal. These development standards are directly relevant to this project.

The Proponent will need to directly engage with the Launceston City Council in order to ensure that the development proposal meets the relevant development standards, that the project meets specified heritage requirements, and that the required Permits have been obtained.

4) It is assessed that there is a low to very low potential for the proposed infrastructure works for the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift project to impact on undetected Heritage features. However, as per the Practice Note No 2 by the Tasmanian Heritage Council, processes must be followed should any unexpected archaeological features and/or deposits be revealed during works. An Unanticipated Discovery Plan for the project is presented in Section 10 of this report.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

1.0 Project Outline

1.1 Project Details Pitt and Sherry are preparing planning approvals for a proposed chair lift facility in the Cataract Gorge at Launceston, in the Northern Region of Tasmania (see Figure 1).

The proposal is for a new gondola style chair lift which will start at a site near the existing chairlift and span across to the southern point then to the northern point then back, on a continuous suspended cable stretching between two pylons.

The proposed location for the new chair lift station is on a grassed area which is situated between the Basin Road car park facility and the existing chairlift station. The proposed development footprint measures approximately 300 m². The chairlift will be suspended between two pylons. Each pylon will be approximately 8m high, and the disturbance footprint at each pylon site is approximately 245m². Access to the southern pylon will be from the existing track to the west with access to the northern one from the car park road (most likely at this stage).

Figures 2 and 3 shows the proposed locations for the proposed chairlift station and the proposed pylon sites. Figures 4 and 5 present schematic design plans for the proposed tower pylons and the proposed chair lift station.

CHMA has been engaged by Pitt and Sherry to undertake an Historic heritage assessment for the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project. This report presents the findings of this assessment.

1.2 Aims of the Investigation The principal aims of this Historic Heritage assessment for the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project are as follows. - Complete an Historic Heritage Assessment for the proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project (the study area). The assessment is to be compliant with both State and Commonwealth legislative regimes, - To determine the extent of previously identified Historic heritage sites within and in the immediate vicinity of the study area. - To locate and document Historic heritage sites that may be present within the identified bounds of the study area. - To assess the archaeological sensitivity values of the study area. - To assess the significance values of identified historic heritage sites. - To develop a detailed set of management strategies which are aimed at minimising the impacts of the proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project on historic heritage values.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

1.3 Project Methodology A three stage project methodology was implemented for this assessment.

Stage 1 (Pre-Fieldwork Background Work) Prior to fieldwork being undertaken, the following tasks were completed by CHMA staff.

Heritage Register Searches A search was carried out of a number of historic registers and databases in order to determine the extent of historic sites and features in the vicinity of the study areas. Agency databases searched included:  Australian National Heritage List (NHL)  Australian Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL)  The Australian Heritage Database (AHD)  Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR)  The Register of the National Estate (RNE)  Australian Heritage Places Inventory (AHPI)  The National Trust (NT)  The Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS) Detailed historical research was also undertaken to understand the historical context of the area, its growth and development from early pioneer settlement and previous investigations in the area. Resources were utilised from:  National Library of Australia  Trove online collections  Tasmanian Archives  LINC Tasmania

The collation of relevant documentation for the Project The following documentation was collated for this project.  Maps of the study areas;  References to the land use history of the study area;  GIS Information relating to landscape units present in the study area;  Geotechnical information for the study area, including soil and geology data.

Stage 2 (Field Work) Stage 2 entailed the field work component of the assessment. The field survey was undertaken over a period of one day (3-4-2018) by Stuart Huys (CHMA archaeologist) and Vernon Graham (Aboriginal Heritage Officer).

The field survey was undertaken on foot, with the field team specifically targeting the proposed development footprints for the proposed chairlift station and the two proposed pylon sites. At each area, the field team walked five 60m long and 10m wide transects across the proposed development footprint, thereby achieving 100% survey coverage of these areas. In addition, the field team walked a series of linear transects in the general vicinity of the two pylon footprints.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

In an effort to offset surface visibility issues, the survey assessment targeted any areas where there were improved locales of surface visibility such as erosion scalds, pedestrian tracks or animal tracks. Section 5 provides further details as to the survey coverage achieved within the study area.

Stage 3 Stage three of the project involves the production of a Draft and Final Report that includes an analysis of the data obtained from the field survey, an assessment of historic sensitivity and management recommendations. The report has been prepared by Stuart Huys from CHMA.

1.4 Project Limitations All archaeological investigations are subject to limitations that may affect the reliability of the results. The main constraint to the present investigation was restricted surface visibility due primarily to vegetation cover.

Surface visibility across the proposed chair lift station footprint was limited to an estimated average of 20%, with grass cover being the main impediment to surface visibility.

At both proposed pylon footprint locations, surface visibility was restricted to an estimated average of 30%, with vegetation cover being the main impediment to visibility. The constrained conditions of surface visibility limited the effective survey coverage achieved by the field team, which has implications regarding the ability of the team to assess the presence of absence of historic heritage sites or features. The issue of surface visibility is further discussed in Section 5 of this report.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 1: Topographic map showing the general location of the proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 2: Topographic map showing the proposed footprint locations of the Chairlift station and two pylons

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 3: Aerial image showing the proposed footprint locations of the Chairlift station and two pylons

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 4: Schematic diagram showing the proposed design for the chairlift and tower pylons

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 5: Schematic diagram showing the proposed design for the chairlift station

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

2.0 Environmental Context

The following sections provide information regarding the landscape context of the study area including topography, geology, soils and vegetation. Much of this information is derived from The LIST – the Tasmanian Government Land Information System.

2.1 Landscape Setting and Hydrology The proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is located within the Cataract Gorge, in the city of Launceston, within the Northern Midlands region of Tasmania (see Figure 1).

The Northern Midlands region is characterised by extensive lowland plains and rounded topography which ranges from gently sloping to steep. The northern portion of the region is bounded by the dolerite-capped escarpment of the Great Western Tiers to the west, and the Ben Lomond Plateau in the north-east. The valley between these landforms is known as the Launceston Basin. The River Tamar, the South Esk River, the North Esk River and their tributaries, including the Macquarie, St Pauls, Elizabeth and the Blackman Rivers, drain all the northern portion of the Midlands area (Matthews et al 1996).

The city of Launceston is situated within the Launceston Basin, in the southern portion of the Tamar Valley (see Figure 1). The Tamar Valley is a broad south-east to north-west orientated valley system that is approximately 40km in length, and is fringed to the east and west by a series of prominent hills and ranges. The South Esk and North Esk Rivers converge in the southern portion of the Tamar Valley (around the Launceston CBD area), to form the River Tamar. The River Tamar is a ‘ria’ or drowned river valley formed by coastal submergence about 6,000 years ago. The shoreline of the estuary in the surrounds of Launceston is low-energy, with mudflats and shoals exposed at low tide. The River Tamar and the lower reaches of the North and South Esk Rivers are estuarine at this point, and subject to tidal influences.

The proposed Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated around First Basin, on the South Esk River. First Basin is located just upstream of the tidal influence zone. The South Esk River Gorge is flanked by 30m to 60m high cliffs and buttresses. The gorge extends for seven kilometres between Trevallyn Dam and the Tamar Estuary. The proposed chair lift station site is located on the east side of the South Esk River, between the Basin Road car park facility and the existing chairlift station (see Figure 2). The terrain in this area is gently sloping, with much of the area having been artificially levelled as part of the development of existing infrastructure facilities such as roads, carparks and walking paths. The two proposed pylon locations are both situated on the western side of the South Esk River (see Figure 2). Both pylons are situated on the upper side slopes of prominent hill features that overlook First Basin. The slope gradients of the hill slopes in the areas where the pylons are to be sited are in the range of between 5-15⁰.

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Plate 1: View south-east across First Basin, within the South Esk River Gorge, where the proposed Chair Lift Facility will be located

2.2 Geology and Soils The underlying bedrock geology extending across the entire expanse of the Cataract Gorge is Jurassic Dolerite. Dolerite is generally a tough rock but structural weaknesses can make it susceptible to erosion. These weaknesses are due to shrinkage faults and joints that develop when the intruded molten material cools and solidifies. The bedrock geology is most evident in the cliffs of the South Esk River. The proposed chairlift station and the two pylon locations are all situated in areas where bedrock dolerite is present (see Figure 6).

Soil depth and composition in the study area is highly variable. Steep hillsides are rocky, with extremely thin, stony, gradational soil and exposed bedrock. Soils are very slow to form on dolerite and often wash away faster than they can develop. Soils are deepest in the lower gullies, drainage lines and flatter areas on ridge tops. In drainage lines, stony clay has developed on dolerite alluvium. Within the gorge, soils are generally colluvial dolerite (i.e. weathered and transported down from surrounding slopes). Here soils are shallow, gravelly clay loams over stony brown or reddish soils (Pinkard 1980).

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Figure 6: Geology underlying the study area. Image modified from The LIST (Geological Polygons 1:25K) accessed 11 April 2018

2.3 Vegetation and Past Landscape Use The existing vegetation across the study area is illustrated in Figure 7. The dominant vegetation around the Cataract Gorge includes Allocasuarina verticillata forest, Eucalyptus viminalis grassy forest and woodland, Eucalyptus amygdalina forest and woodland, and Bursaria - Acacia woodland and scrub. The two proposed pylon locations will be located within Eucalyptus viminalis grassy forest and woodland (see Plates 2 and 3). The vegetation structure in this area a reasonably intact, although both areas have been subject to selective logging in the past. Any Aboriginal sites present in these two areas are likely to have been impacted by these activities.

The proposed chair lift station will be situated within land designated as urban areas. The footprint for the station is sited in area that has been entirely cleared of native

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 vegetation, artificially levelled, and replanted with introduced grasses and plant species (see Plate 4).

Historically, the reserve’s flora has undergone considerable management intervention. Pre-European activities in the reserve are not well understood but probably included periodic burning by Aboriginal people. European settlement brought timber cutting, clearing and grazing, probably including burning to increase pasture areas. A number of wet gully and riparian species are likely to have been lost from the reserve and old growth is now rare. Mid-storey trees and understorey shrubs are noticeably absent in some areas (DEPHA 2008).

Figure 7: Vegetation across study area. Image modified from The LIST (TASVEG 3.0) accessed 11 April 2018

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Plate 2: View west across the southern proposed pylon location footprint, showing the existing vegetation structure

Plate 3: View north-west across the northern proposed pylon location footprint, showing the existing vegetation structure

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

Plate 4: View east across the proposed chair lift station site, showing the landscaped area

2.4 Climate The Launceston area has a cool, wet climate typical of inland Northern Tasmania. The data shows that rainfall occurs throughout the year; with a mean annual rainfall of 589mm. Rainfall is highest in August and September (64 – 71mm) and lower from January to February (28 – 31mm). The warmest months of the year are January and February, when mean temperatures range from minimums of 10°C to maximums of about 23°C. Winter tends to be cold with mean annual temperatures in the coldest months of June and July ranging from 1.5°C mean minimum to maximum temperatures of about 11°C (BOM 2018).

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018

3.0 Historic Background

3.1 Launceston –First Settlement to 1899 The first white visitors to arrive in the area of Launceston were George Bass and Mathew Flinders, who were sent to explore the possibility that there was a strait between Australia and Van Diemen’s Land in 1798. They originally landed in Port Dalrymple, sheltering from bad weather at the mouth of the Tamar River, some 40km to the north-west of the current location of Launceston.

Significant settlement of the area, however did not begin until 1804, when the commandant of the British garrison Lt Col. William Paterson and his men set up camp at Outer Cove near the current site of George Town. Once water supplies dried up, the settlement moved across the river to York Town and a year later (1806) to the current position of Launceston. The settlement was initially known as Patersonia, but was later changed by Paterson to Launceston in honour of the New South Wales Governor Captain Philip Diley King, who was born in Launceston, Cornwall. Administrative power was moved from York Town to Launceston in 1807, under the command of William Peterson. At the end of 1809 Paterson was recalled to Port Jackson, where he served as Lieutenant Governor of NSW (and Van Diemen’s Land) until superseded by Governor Macquarie a year later.

Paterson’s replacement at Launceston, Captain Brabyn of the NSW Corps initiated a building program despite a limited work force and resources. However, the majority of Paterson’s other successors were very poor administrators (Green 2006).

In 1811, Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered a new town to be built at Outer Cove (George Town) for the purposes of taking over command of the northern settlement of Van Diemen’s Land. From his visit to Port Dalrymple he described the town as a ‘desolate and deserted village’ (Burns, cited in Nyman 1996:12). However, the ineffectual leadership of Captain Richie, Major Geils, Colonel Davey, Captain Mackenzie and Major Stewart, all of whom passed through the settlement as commandants and administrators, were so ineffectual that Governor Macquarie’s orders to relocate the settlement were not undertaken until Cimitiere’s leadership in 1819 (Green 2006).

Also opposing Macquarie’s insistence that the settlement be relocated to George Town, were the settlers themselves. From 1815, the few convicts who completed their sentences, settled not in and around the heavily-timbered country of George Town but instead chose the build their huts in the more open and fertile areas around Launceston and the Esk Rivers (Nyman 1996:12). The more fertile soil around Launceston also attracted the majority of free settlers, and by 1820, the entire population of the Tamar area, both convict and free men, numbered five hundred and fourty three (Nyman 1996:12).

By the 1820s the perseverance of settlers in Launceston paid off, with the richer soils of the area pushing produce into high yields, turning production levels beyond the point of subsistence and into profits. In 1824, Commissioner Bigge made conclusive

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 recommendations that Launceston be the centre for northern colonial administration, with the northern headquarters accordingly moved back to Launceston in that year.

From 1825 a signalling system existed which advised Launceston of the movement of ships in the river. It was begun from Low Head by semaphore. Low Head signalled to George Town, George Town to Mount George, Mount George to Mount Direction and Mount Direction to Windmill Hill in Launceston. In 1829, when the first issue of the Launceston Advertiser when on sale (under John Pascoe Fawkner), Fawkner recorded: ‘Excepting about three months in summer, vessels drawing twelve feet can and do lie in a fresh-water stream (at Launceston; no boats are used, but goods are landed or shipped direct from the wharf…..Vessels of 500 to 600 tons burthen can come up within five or six miles of the town and lay in perfect safety, and vessels of 300 to 400 tons may come to the very verge of the town, that is to the bar which is at the entrance to the canal or North Esk as it is called’. (Cited in Bethell 1957:38).

St John’s Church was opened for worship in December 1825, rapidly followed by churches of other denominations with their own churches; Scots Church in Lower Charles Street and Wesleyan Chapel in Paterson Street.

By 1827, the population of Launceston had increased to 2000 and the town had become an export centre, primarily servicing the colony’s northern pastoral industry. Small hotels and breweries began to emerge c1820s, such as the Cornwell Hotel (c1824) and Launceston Hotels, with more substantial and larger hotels established by the c1830s.

Plate 5: Cornwall Hotel, Launceston (image c1880).

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By the 1830s, three industries thrived in the area; Whaling and Sealing in the Bass Strait produced good returns in oil, making men such as Henry Reed very wealthy. Agriculture had produced large grains stores, with the area supplying both the NSW and later Victorian settlements. The third industry became wool, which produced massive profits, coinciding with the advent of mechanized textile production in Britain which saw small scale cottage industries transformed into mass production and mass profit (Green 2006).

Launceston’s exports were booming, exceeding that of Hobart. It became a place of enterprise for free immigrants and not just a penal settlement. The riverfront developed to maximize the new trades, with the introduction of wharves along the North Esk River by men such as Griffiths and Reibey (Green 2006). A brewery, tannery and flourmill were successively constructed.

As the export industries expanded, so did the transport industries, with the ship building industry booming along the length of the Tamar Valley. So too did carriage makers, saddlers and harness makers who no longer relied solely on repairing British gear, but instead began their own production. John Williams established his foundry in 1833.

In 1833 the Tamar Street bridge (now Victoria Bridge) was constructed by John Giffiths. His original bridge lasted until 1899 before it was replaced by the current structure. Griffiths had received a grant of land on the North Esk, upon which were located built houses, stores and a steam flour mill (Bethell 1957:45).

Plate 6: Postcard of Victoria Bridge (previously Tamar Street Bridge), Launceston (date of image unknown).

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Accompanying the economic prosperity was leisure activities; wit the Cornwall Turf Club being formed in 1830. Cricket became a game of the well to do, initially played on the land at the race track. The first Tamar Regatta was held in January 1840.

Economically and socially, the town began to boom, with the prices of property and livestock beginning to soar. This period of economic confidence inspired men such as John Batman and John Fawkner to look towards Port Phillip. In 1835 both made successful trips to establish the village of Melbourne. Though initially a financial drain on Launceston, the new settlement ultimately resulted in new trade, with the town supplying the new settlement with all its goods, including foodstuffs, clothing, timber, livestock and carts (Green 2006).

Come 1840, however, the boom was over and the colony’s first major depression began. The three main sources of income failed with declining whaling supplies, decreased value for wool in England and the collapse of the mainland market for foodstuffs as the drought ended in NSW and Port Phillip became self-sufficient (Green 2006). Employers became bankrupt and employees unemployed, with bounty emigrants also arriving in 1841 and further glutting the labour market (Green 2006).

Economic problems lead to political unrest and the formation of the Launceston Association for the Promotion of Cessation of Transportation in 1847 and the Launceston Chamber of Commerce in 1849, to boost the town’s economy (Green 2006). The economy gradually improved, but finally received relief with the discovery of gold in NSW and Victoria. The resulting mass exodus of the male population to the goldfields provided a return to financial stability as huge quantities of goods were exported and the agricultural industry had a new lease of life.

In 1853 Launceston was declared a municipality, with William Button appointed the town’s first Mayor. In 1854, Henry Stoney visited the town, recording it as ‘a large and busy town:- hundreds of vessels crowding the wharves; steamers and ships hastening to or hurrying from the port; - all is life and bustle, with crowded streets in all the turmoil of daily toil and traffic’ (Green 2006 ref 37).

The money flowing into the township from the goldfields enabled Launceston’s leaders to embark on several projects, including the advanced underground sewerage system and the St Patrick’s River water scheme, which solved the onging problem of fresh water to the township. For the first time, the town had a permanent water supply. The success was commemorated with the purchase of a new water fountain which was installed in St John’s Square in 1859.

The Marine Board was created in 1857 to cope with the increasing trade and the Launceston Gas Company was formed in 1858 to light the town’s streets.

Following the 1850s period of boom, the town was again plunged into depression with the 1860s marked as the gloomiest period in Tasmania’s history. Returns from the goldfields declined and markets slowed, unemployment became widespread and

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 many workers abandoned farming in favour of moving to the mainland. Wool prices declined and fluke disease spread through the sheep.

Some Town works were nevertheless progressed. In 1864 the Council commissioned the design and construction of a Town Hall which was subsequently built and occupied by 1867 (see Plate 16). The South Esk Bridge (now Kings Bridge) was opened in 1864, with a second span of the bridge established in 1904. The bridge was an enormous improvement to the punt which had served the region for the previous 28 years. The bridge was welcomed by all producers within the West Tamar region and had been the subject of petition for decades (beginning in 1833) (Nyman 1996:72). The toll for using the bridge was one shilling, to be paid to the West Tamar Road Trust. The bridge opened up markets for produce and goods throughout the region, especially from the outlying districts.

Plate 7: Town Hall, Launceston

Seen as a scheme for ending the depression was the Launceston and Western Railway, which was to open up the rich agricultural lands of Evandale, Westbury, and Longford which were often difficult to reach due to impassable roads (Green 2006). Discussions were extensive, beginning as early as 1856 and resulting in the need for landholders adjoining the railway to contribute a rate levy if the railway was unable to meet interest repayments. Construction began in January 1868 and the Launceston to St Leonard’s line was opened the following year. In 1871 the line was completed, but delays to the build meant significant increases in cost, forcing the railway rate to be recovered from landowners who, in the middle of the depression could least afford it.

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Plate 8: Kings Bridge, Launceston

The discovery of tin in December 1871 by James Smith and the development of the Mount Bischoff Tin Mining Company in 1873 changed Launceston’s fortunes. The directors of the Company favoured building smelters and Launceston, a financial coup for the town. The smelters began operation in 1875 and from then Launceston boomed. Primary producers, merchants and investors all capitalized as Launceston became the industrial centre of the colony. The subsequent discovery of gold at Brandy Creek (Beaconsfield) in 1876 was the icing on the cake (Green 2006).

The Bischoff mineral boom supported a vast array of other industries and expanded others. The early foundries expanded and new companies such as Salisbury’s and Glasgow Engineering began. Miners came to town on their time of and freely spent their money. The township itself also changed, built on the back of Mt Bischoff money; the Custom House, Post Office, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery plus the high end suburbs of Trevallyn and East Launceston all grew. The Tasmanian Government was now able to borrow freely, resulting in the expansion of the rail network, with Launceston at the centre and lines to agricultural areas of Scottsdale and Ulverstone as well as the mining area of Fingal.

Migration increased as did tourism with a zigzag path built to the First Basin in 1885 and after that a path along the side of the Gorge, and the construction of primitive huts such as Crusoe Hut which was completed in 1892.

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Plate 9: The Launceston Post Office (image taken from www.GreenRoamer.com)

The economic confidence supported other fledgling industries, with Waverly Woollen Mills opened in 1874, the expansion of Campbell’s pottery and James Boag and son going into partnership in the Esk Brewery. In 1876 William Coogan moved to Launceston beginning a furniture business.

When Launceston became a city in 1889 in was known as the ‘self styled commercial capital of Tasmania’ (Green 2006:26).

The depression of 1890 began in Victoria and rapidly spread to Tasmania. To the surprise of the colony, the Bank of Van Diemen’s Land, established in 1823, collapsed in August 1891. Launceston faired better than most of Tasmania during this period, boosted by the copper at Mount Lyell and Zeehan’s silver mines which began early in the 1890s. Dairying in the north east and northwest also supported the economy with the formation of the Tasmanian Dairy Company in August 1892 and its new factory in Cameron Street by 1895.

In 1893 the Duck Reach hydro electric power scheme was begun after a referendum of Launceston citizens passed the project with a two-thirds majority (Green 2006).

3.2 Post 1900 Launceston With the arrival of Federation, industry again boomed and the suburban areas of Trevallyn, Mowbray, East and West Launceston expanded. The building trade expanded and by 1911 the Launceston’s tram system opened and remained in operation until 1952. Trams began running regularly to Trevallyn (sharing the Kings Bridge with cars) in 1913.

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As trade improved, the old wharves proved inadequate and Henry Hunter’s report of 1912 recommended the construction of a new wharf in Long Reach, a dry dock, dredging and altering the river’s course. The wharf was eventually completed, though the onset of the First World War retarded both public works and industry. A total of 1750 Launcestonians served in the war.

Post war recovery was provided by two new industries; the textile manufacturers Kelsall and Kemp and Patons and Baldwins, both of whom chose to establish factories at Launceston on the back of cheap and readily available female labour and the presence of cheap hydro-electric power. Employment by these companies eased the impact of the Depression.

However, in 1929 Launceston was struck by the worst floods in Tasmania’s history, displacing 4000 people through Invermay, Inveresk and Margaret St. Approximately 1000 buildings were damaged, causing a need for extensive repair. In 1930 7LA began radio broadcasting, in 1932 the Majestic Cinema’s were established and in 1933 commercial flights between Launceston and Melbourne were introduced by Ivan and Victor Holyman (McLoughlin 2006).

The city was again disrupted by the Second World War, but provided the opportunity for many more women to enter the work force. Dorothy Edwards was elected as Tasmania’s first woman mayor in 1956. The Launceston Railway workshops in Inveresk were expanded to include both an ammunition and a tool and gauge annex and to provide for the war effort.

In the post-war period the town again prospered with migration, with new suburbs such as Newnham, Riverside, Waverely and Prospect developing. European migrants contributed to the construction of the Trevallyn Dam Power Station, and a combination trolley and diesel bus service was introduced in 1952, making trams redundant.

Flood levees were constructed between 1962 and 1965 by the Launceston Flood Protection Scheme, which reduced the impact of the 1969 flood but removed the river from the cityscape.

As industry declined, commerce, education and tourism became the prominent economies, with the Australian Maritime College opening in 1980 and the Tasmanian College of Advanced education becoming the Tasmanian State Institute of Technology and then part of the University of Tasmania in 1991. Toward the close of the century, the Inveresk rail yards were incorporated into the Museum and University, with the waterfront being proactively regenerated (McLaughlin 2006).

3.3 Cataract Gorge Historical Background Cataract Gorge was first visited by Europeans in 1804 when William Collins’ party explored Tamar River. The Gorge has since featured prominently in the history and development of Launceston. According to the Draft Tasmanian Heritage Register Datasheet (Tasmanian Heritage Council 2018) for the reserve, there are three key historical usages centred around Cataract Gorge, which are useful themes for

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 understanding its overall historical context. The first is the development of flour milling and hydraulic infrastructure to supply fresh water to Launceston, which began in the early 19th century. The development of the Gorge for recreation, including the construction of many well-known facilities near First Basin, began in the late 19th century and are still used today. Finally, while located further up the South Esk River, hydro-electric power generation operations from the late 19th to the early 20th century are also an important aspect in the Gorge’s history.

Flour milling and hydraulic infrastructure A key early drawcard to Cataract Gorge was the presence and availability of fresh water in the South Esk River, which meets the salt water of the Tamar River at the rapids in the Gorge. Fresh water was needed for general domestic purposes across Launceston. Water began to be carted from First Basin in 1825 to supply Launceston with fresh water; the ruts of the water wagons marked out the future Brougham Street and Basin Road.

The fresh water rapids were also used to launder clothes from the 1830s, an industry which is thought to have continued operating possibly until the 1880s. A washerman’s hut from this period is reported at First Basin, although potentially there were multiple structures near the contemporary swimming pool.

From the 1820s Launceston’s breweries also utilised Cataract Gorge’s fresh water. William Barnes senior’s Port Dalrymple Brewery and John Fawns’ Cornwall Brewery are two key operations that obtained fresh water out of the Gorge (Richards 2007: 144–147).

The presence of fresh water and the proximity of Launceston to wheat growing districts was also central to the establishment of flour milling in Cataract Gorge. There were three historic flour mills within the Gorge, which are known to have operated from the 1830s.

John Walker in 1833 established a small wooden flour mill on the southern side of the Gorge near Giants Grave, which he operated until 1835. Walker together with Andrew Sibbald moved to a second mill site in 1835, located on the southern side of the Gorge near later site of Kings Bridge. In 1836 the pair established their third mill site at the end of Bourke Street. In 1845 this third mill was described as ‘a watermill in first rate condition which drove three pairs of stones with dressing machine, smutting machine etc. The stores could hold 6,000-10,000 bushels of wheat’ (Morris- Nunn and Tassell 1982: 26). The flume that supplied water to the earlier mills in the Gorge extended to the Bourke Street site, and from 1836 to 1857 this also served as Launceston’s principal water supply (Cassidy 2007: 132–133). Evidence of the water race and flume remains in some areas along the southern bank of the river. In 1876 the mill was sold to John Ritchie, and today the complex is known as Ritchie’s Mill. The other key historical feature related to hydraulic engineering in Cataract Gorge is the weir (also known as Ritchie’s Dam). Originally built in 1836, and subsequently repaired and rebuilt due to flood damage, the concrete and stone weir runs across the South Esk River near where the fresh water meets the Tamar River’s salt water.

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Recreational use and facilities The aesthetic appeal of Cataract Gorge was appreciated from the early 19th century with painters and sketchers capturing the landscape. Key painters and artworks featuring Cataract Gorge included: John W Lewin, ‘The First Cataract, Launceston’, 1809; John Glover, ‘Cataract on the South Esk River Near Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land’, 1831; John Skinner Prout, 1844; and, Bishop Francis Nixon, ‘The Cataract, Launceston’, 1849 (McIntyre 2007: 154–167). Photographers were also drawn to the Gorge with the earliest photographs of the area taken by Alfred Abbott around 1860 (Hamilton 2007: 170).

The construction of the South Esk Bridge, later known as Kings Bridge, in 1863 changed the north-easterly view out of the Gorge. The bridge spanning the north- eastern end of the Gorge, with Ritchie’s Mill beside it and the city of Launceston behind, has since become one of the best-known Tasmanian vistas.

In the 1870s groups of ‘sculling enthusiasts’ began conducting races in the Gorge and formed the Tamar Rowing Club, which was the beginning of the tradition of water sports in the Gorge. Boating and ferry services operated in the Gorge throughout the 19th century, continuing into the present day, with a historical wooden jetty (c1830-1863) known at the entrance to the Gorge near the present location of Kings Bridge.

Formal tourism began in Cataract Gorge in the 1880s. In 1884 William and Bessie Bowen leased land at First Basin and were involved in establishing and running the original Tea Rooms. The Bowens remained as managers of the Cliff Grounds until 1924 and planted Elm trees at First Basin in 1905; one of which survived the 1929 flood and remains until today. In 1885 the Launceston Municipal Council constructed the Zigzag Track from Paterson Street to the First Basin, which provided the initial pedestrian access along the Gorge into First Basin. The track features several historical vantage points for photographing the Gorge and Kings Bridge.

During the late 19th-century volunteer organisations, often subsidised by the Tasmanian Government, were responsible for encouraging tourism in Tasmania. The Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association (LCSIA) aimed to beautify Launceston for tourists and focused on Cataract Gorge where it developed a ‘pleasure ground’. (The LCSIA established in 1889 is thought to be Tasmanian’s first tourism body.) The LCSIA established the main access track (the Cataract Walkway) in 1890–94 and its early ‘rustic’ pavilions (the Crusoe Hut and the Crows Nest). The LCSIA also planted trees along the northern bank of the Gorge from Kings Bridge, established the caretaker’s residence and created the Cliff Grounds with its ornamental plantings, bandstand and refreshment area (De Gryse, and Hepper Marriott Tasmania 1996: 3).

Prominent landscaper and architect Harry Norton (HN) Taylor worked with the LCSIA to develop Cataract Gorge. HN Taylor designed the octagonal Band Rotunda (1896) and the substantial Tea Rooms (1898-99) at First Basin, which is surrounded by exotic plantings and lawn areas.

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In 1898 the Launceston City Council took over the grounds, placing Superintendent of Reserves William McGowan senior in charge of works. In 1898 the Council purchased 4 acres and 37 perches of land from William Barnes junior at Cataract Gorge for recreational purposes. This land included the area subsequently developed as ornamental gardens near the Tea Rooms and a strip along the northern bank of the South Esk River from the Tamar River to the First Basin.

In 1904 the Alexandra Suspension Bridge was opened, which commemorated the coronation of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, in 1902. The Alexandra Bridge was badly damaged in the Great Flood of 1929 and rebuilt in 1934. The suspension bridge is one of the visual icons of the gorge; it forms a ‘gateway’ beneath which the South Esk discharges over a set of rapids into the large still pool at First Basin.

In 1936 a swimming pool and surrounding lawns were established at First Basin. The swimming pool was considered Launceston’s ‘beach’, offering free and easy access to the entire community. In 1951 the original pool was replaced with an Olympic sized concrete pool and the area remains another visual icon of the Gorge.

Hydro-electric power generation The hydro-electric infrastructure at Cataract Gorge is located further up the South Esk River, and away from the study area, however, it does have historical relevance for the main recreational areas of the Gorge and as such is briefly reviewed. The Duck Reach Power Station was built in 1895 by the Launceston Municipal Council and generated hydro-electricity almost continuously for 60 years (i.e. from 1895 to 1955). It was the first publicly-owned hydro-electric power station in Australia and one of the earliest in the world. In 1905 the South Esk Trail was extended from the Alexandra Bridge to the Duck Reach Power Station; the initial 190m of the track is within the registered area for the Gorge.

The Duck Reach Power Station had not substantially reduced the water flow into the gorge in 1895. However, in 1955 the Trevallyn Power Station and Dam below Third Basin replaced the Duck Reach Power Station. This new larger scheme did reduce the water flow in Cataract Gorge, which reportedly diminished its aesthetic appeal as a wild, romantic place for some people (Johnson 2007: 262).

In 1972 and 1977, the Hydro Electric Commission returned its land to Council, including the Duck Reach site and the engineer’s cottage on the southern side of the South Esk River. In 1995 the Duck Reach power station was re-opened as a museum and the suspension bridge near the site restored.

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4.0 Heritage Database Searches

4.1 Heritage Databases, Registers and Lists A search was carried out of a number of historic registers and databases in order to determine the extent of historic sites and features in the vicinity of the study area. Agency databases searched included:  Australian National Heritage List (NHL)  Australian Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL)  The Australian Heritage Database (AHD)  Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR)  The Register of the National Estate (RNE)  Australian Heritage Places Inventory (AHPI)  The National Trust (NT)  Launceston Interim Planning Scheme (2015) (LIPS)

The search revealed a number of historic sites within the broader study area listed on the RNE, THR and within the LIPS. The role of each of these registers is discussed below.

Register of the National Estate (RNE) The RNE ceased to be an active register in February 2007 and from this point onwards sites were unable to be added or removed from the list. Many places on the RNE are also included in state and local government registers, which provide sites with various level of protection. The Minister for the Environment is required to consider the register when making decisions under the EPBC Act.

Commonwealth Heritage List The Commonwealth Heritage List is a list of natural, Indigenous and historic places owned or controlled by the Australian Government. The list was established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), affording all listed places protection under the provisions of the Act.

Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR) The Tasmanian Heritage Register provides a list of places recognized as possessing ‘historic cultural heritage significance to the whole of Tasmania’ (www.heritage.tas.gov.au/thr.html), as representatives/contributors to our cultural fabric and historic identity of Tasmania. The Register is maintained by the Heritage Council, under the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995.

The Principle Act (1995) offers protection to all registered heritage places and areas under Part 6 s.35 (1) in which it states: ‘A person must not carry out any works in relation to a registered place or a place within a heritage area which may affect the historic cultural heritage significance of the place unless the works are approved by Heritage Council.’

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Approval to carry out works or to impact upon places registered on the Tasmanian Heritage Register must therefore be sought through the Tasmanian Heritage Council. Approval may be in the form of a certificate of exemption or a discretionary permit

Certificates of Exemption for Heritage Works are included under Part 6, s42 of the Act. Clause (4) states ‘Without limiting its discretion the Heritage Council must approve the exemption certificate application if it is reasonably satisfied that the heritage works’ a) are identified in the works guidelines as works that will have no impact or only negligible impact on the historic cultural significance of the relevant registered place or heritage area; and b) are capable of being carried out in accordance with the works guidelines.’

The effect of certificates of exemption are outlined in section 43 as follows: (1) Subject to subsection (2), a certificate of exemption allows the heritage works identified in the certificate to be carried out in relation to the registered place or heritage area identified in the certificate. (2) If the carrying out of the heritage works identified in a certificate of exemption or any part of those heritage works, requires a discretionary permit or other permit under the Planning Act, the certificate of exemption does not annul, qualify or displace that requirement.’

Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS) The Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 came into effect in April 2015. Section E13 of the scheme deals specifically with the Local Historic Cultural Heritage Code, designed specifically to ‘protect and enhance the historic cultural heritage significance of local heritage places and heritage precincts, while encouraging their continued use’ (Section E13.1.1).

The Code (sE13.2.1) applies to the use or development of land that is: a) within a Heritage Precinct (Table E13.1); b) a local heritage place (Table E13.2); c) a place of identified archaeological significance (Table E13.3).

A comprehensive record of all heritage places listed within the Scheme are included on Map E13.

Section E13.4 of the Code deals with Uses or Development that are exempt from the Code. All activities not listed amongst the exemptions and being undertaken within the title boundary of listed properties will need to be applied for under the Development Standards of the Local Historic Cultural Heritage Code (Section E 13.6).

Where any trees or vegetation require to be removed on listed properties, this will trigger a discretionary permit application under clause E13.6.12 of the Interim Planning Scheme 2015.

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4.2 Results of the Search of the Heritage Registers The search of the various historic heritage registers listed above shows that there are a number of heritage listed features that are situated in close proximity to the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area. Table 1 provides a summary of these historic places. Figure 8 shows the location and the registered boundaries of these features in relation to the study area.

Of the historic places listings summarized in Table 1, the two most pertinent listings to this project area the listing of the Trevallyn Reserve and adjacent areas (including the Cataract Gorge) on the Register of the National Estate (Place ID12394), and the listing of the Cataract Gorge on the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR ID 3955)

A more detailed discussion for these two listings is provided below.

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Table 1: Summary details for heritage listed places in the immediate vicinity of the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project study area Place Place Place File No Photo Register Legal Status ID Trevallyn State Register of Reserve and the Adjacent 12394 Indicative Place 6/03/050/0019 National Area Reatta Estate Rd

Tasmanian Cataract Permanently Heritage Gorge 3955 Registered Register Reserve 15/8/1997

Register of Registered (21/ the 12368 03/1978) 6/03/020/0124 National

Kings Estate

Bridge Tasmanian Heritage 3874 Register

Duck Reach Register of Power the Registered (11/ 12401 6/03/020/0147 Station National 08/1987) Precinct Estate 8164, Tasmanian 8165, Duck Reach Heritage 8166, Cottages Register 8167,

4095

Tasmanian Permanently Caretaker’s Heritage 3873 Registered Cottage Register 6/7/2002

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Figure 8: The location of heritage feature listed on the THR, in relation to the proposed infrastructure footprint of the Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project

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4.3 RNE Listing of the Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area Reatta Rd The Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area is listed on the Register of the National Estate (RNE). The boundary extent for the listing is not clearly defined. However, based on the nomination description, the listing appears to include the area around First Basin in the Cataract Gorge, where the study area is located (see description below).

As noted in section 4.1 of this report, the RNE ceased to be an active register in February 2007 and from this point onwards sites were unable to be added or removed from the list. The Minister for the Environment is required to consider the register when making decisions under the EPBC Act.

The following provides a summary overview of the details for the RNE listing, with particular focus on the Cataract Gorge area around First Basin. The full listing is presented in Appendix 1 of this report.

List: Register of the National Estate (Non-statutory archive) Class: Historic Legal Status: Indicative Place Place ID: 12394 Place File No. 6/03/050/0019

Nominator’s Statement of Significance The awesome beauty of the cataract was acknowledged by the first explorers of Port Dalrymple in the 1800s and remained the greatest natural attraction Launceston had to offer. Guidebooks quoted Virgil and made comparisons with the scenery of Powerscourt and Dargle.

In 1889 the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association was formed by a group of public-spirited citizens whose aim was to improve nature and provide a pleasure ground for the common man. Their efforts have provided us with an English picturesque landscape idea transposed onto this dramatic backdrop of Australian bush and basaltic rocks.

A narrow path following the 'cyclopean' cliffs provided glimpses of the 'Crusoes Hut' and 'Crow's Nest'. Wherever possible grass was laid and native and exotic trees and shrubs were planted. At the end of the path one was rewarded by the more familiar and English Picnic Grounds where one could listen to Strauss being played from the bandstand surrounded by trees and peacocks in a parklike setting overlooking the first basin.

Cataract Gorge is of significance as the only refuge known for two relict species of biogeographic significance, Neopseudogarypus scutellatus and Migas plomleyi, as the type locality for five species of land Mollusca: Pasmaditta jungermanniae (only known surviving population), Roblinella mathinnae (very rare species) Discocharopa lottah (rare species), Cystopelta petterdi and Discocharopa mimosa, and the type locality for a Collembolon, Australotomurus echidnus which is the type species of an Australian endemic genus with six described species and one undescribed species in southern Australian heathlands.

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Cataract Gorge is significant as a cultural landscape demonstrating characteristics of a Victorian pleasure ground where the scenic natural resources have been embellished with exotic plants and wildlife, and a diversity of stylised architectural features including period style gates, a rustic style picnic shelter, a Victorian style rotunda and lookout shelter, and a Crusoe-style hut (Criteria A3 and D.2).

This place is important as a forest place of social value, being highly valued by a community for reasons of religious, spiritual, cultural, educational, or social associations (Criterion G.1).

Cataract Gorge is of social significance to the Launceston and Tasmanian communities as the best known natural feature in Launceston, much visited by tourists and locals for over a hundred years, and serving as the premier venue for cultural events and major community gatherings.

The natural and non-indigenous cultural values of were assessed as part of a comprehensive regional assessment of national estate values. This assessment was undertaken jointly by the Commonwealth and Tasmania as part of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement process, using the best information available at the time.

It is possible that Indigenous cultural values of national estate significance exist in this place. As yet the Australian Heritage Commission has not identified, documented or assessed these values.

This information has been generated by the Commonwealth from data produced during the CRA process in Tasmania. It has not yet been verified by the State.

Description The Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area is within 5km of the centre of Launceston. It is bounded by the South Esk River on all but the northern side. In the east is the Trevallyn Lake, formed by the Trevallyn Dam, and in the east is Cataract Gorge.

The vegetation of the place is primarily dry sclerophyll forest with ACACIA DEALBATA, EUCALYPTUS AMYGDALINA and E. VIMINALIS, with LOMANDRA LONGIFOLIA and PTERIDIUM ESCULENTUM common in the understorey. Along the South Esk River ALLOCASUARINA VERTICILLATA forest dominates the landscape with some areas of riparian vegetation present and wet gully scrub, containing POMADERRIS APETALA, BEYERIA VISCOSA, ASTEROTRICHION DISCOLOR and ACACIA MELANOXYLON in sheltered gullies.

Cataract Gorge is a major landmark in the City of Launceston and represents a cultural signature for the city. It is the steep-sided entrance of the South Esk River to the Tamar River. The water in the Gorge persists with a maximum depth of 1.5 m and a maximum permanent depth of 0.5-1 m.

The Cataract Gorge has been formed by the action of the South Esk River eroding its course across Jurassic dolerite. The soil above the bedrock is brown in colour with a high peat content. Within the dolerite, the river's course has been determined by local faulting and jointing. At the First Basin, the faulting of softer Tertiary sediments has provided the river with the opportunity to scour out a larger depression as well as creating a focal point for local drainage.

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The north and the south Esk rivers used to meet on the surface of an old lake bed about 152 metres above the level they occupy at present. The north Esk and Tamar rivers flowed over soft sediments and eroded them away relatively quickly, washing downstream about 30,000,000,000 tonnes of the old lake deposits during the past 2-5 million years. Thus these valleys dropped to their present level. The south Esk River was much higher as it could not eat away its bed of much harder dolerite rock so quickly. It has tumbled over the hard Trevallyn-West Launceston Hillside, confined in the narrow gorge which its steep cataract flow has produced.

At the first basin, it passes through a line of crushed and torn rock formed when these hills were ruptured at their birth 40 million years ago. The depression produced at that time has been deepened further by the river, which has been able to erode more readily the rocks which have been shattered by its ancient stresses. The gullies in the north and south of the basin, along which the roads enter are also due to the weakness in the surface left by the fractured rock beneath.

Natural features of Cataract Gorge were embellished during the 19th Century by civic groups, primarily the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association whose aim was to "improve" nature and provide a pleasure ground for commoners. Architectural features such as a Crusoe hut and Crows Nest provided a glimpse of views from the walkers' track. An English style picnic ground was developed with rustic style picnic shelters and a Victorian style bandstand.

The gorge has a long history of recreational use, picnics, nature walks and swimming since the nineteenth century. Cataract Gorge was recognised for its awesome beauty by early white explorers of Port Dalrymple. It is listed in tourist guides from the 1870s, and remains Launceston's major natural tourist attraction today.

Development of Cataract Gorge into a "pleasure ground" started in 1889 when the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association was formed for this purpose.

Cataract Gorge has also been an important centre of cultural life for Launceston, hosting musical events such as 'Symphony in the Park' and many other major entertainment events that bring the people of Launceston and Northern Tasmania together.

Visual representations of this popular tourist and picnic area were common before the Second World War when it was photographed by James Watt Beattie (1859- 1930), Francis J Hurley (1885-1962), Herbert J King (1892-1973) and Stephen Spurling III (d1962). It also featured in several picture post cards, and the early nineteenth century artists, Ludwig Becker (1808-1861) and Thomas Chapman (1790-1864), both produced paintings of the area.

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4.4 The THR Listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve A section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve is permanently registered on the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR ID 3955). The listing applies to a narrow strip of land on the northern margins of the South Esk River, extending from Kings Bridge, through to the eastern edge of first Basin. Figures 9 and 10 show the boundaries for the listing in relation to the proposed study area infrastructure locations. It should be noted that that Caretakers Cottage adjacent to Kings Bridge is separately listed on the THR (THR ID 3873).

The Cataract Gorge Reserve has been deemed to be significant on the basis of two specific criteria. a) The place is important to the course or pattern of Tasmania’s history. Cataract Gorge is significant as a place demonstrating characteristics of a Victorian pleasure ground where the scenic natural resources have been embellished with exotic plants and wildlife, and a diversity of stylised architectural features including period style gates, a rustic style picnic shelter, a Victorian style rotunda and lookout shelter, and a Crusoe-style hut

f) The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social or spiritual reasons. This site is of historic heritage significance because of its associations with recreation which are regarded as important to the community.

Under the Description section of the THR listing, several buildings and features are mentioned as items of particular importance, including the Alexandria Suspension Bridge, the Band Rotunda, Cliff grounds, Duck Reach Power Station-Hydro Power station, comprising former power station and associated buildings. Curiously, the majority of these buildings and features do not actually fall within the designated boundaries of the heritage listing.

As part of this current assessment, Stuart Huys from CHMA met with Heritage Tasmania staff to discuss various elements of the project (meeting held on the 7-5- 2018). As part of these discussions, the issue of the existing THR listing of the Cataract gorge reserve was raised. Stuart Huys was advised that Heritage Tasmania is currently in the process of developing a revised THR Listing Datasheet or the Cataract Gorge Reserve. This revised version will provide greater detail on the heritage values of the Gorge, the key historic themes and features, and will most likely redefine the boundaries for the listing. The revised data sheet is currently in draft format.

As can be seen from Figures 9 and 10, the proposed chair lift infrastructure areas clearly sit outside the designated boundaries of the listing. However, there are a number of heritage buildings and features that are referred to in the listing that are situated in the general vicinity of the proposed chair lift infrastructure areas.

The Tasmanian Heritage Register Data Sheet for the Cataract Gorge Reserve THR listing is provided in Appendix 1 of this report.

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Figure 9: Topographic map showing the boundaries for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve (THR ID 3955), in relation to the proposed infrastructure locations for the proposed chair Lift Project

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Figure 10: Aerial image showing the boundaries for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve (THR ID 3955), in relation to the proposed infrastructure locations for the proposed chair Lift Project

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5.0 Survey Coverage of the Study Area

Survey Coverage Survey coverage refers to the estimated portion of a study area that has actually been visually inspected during a field survey. Surface Visibility refers to the extent to which the actual soils of the ground surface are available for inspection. There are a number of factors that can affect surface visibility, including vegetation cover, surface water and the presence introduced gravels or materials.

The field survey was undertaken on foot, with the field team specifically targeting the proposed development footprints for the proposed chairlift station and the two proposed pylon sites. At each area, the field team walked five 60m long and 10m wide transects across the proposed development footprint, thereby achieving 100% survey coverage of these areas. In addition, the field team walked a series of 1.4km of 10m wide linear transects in the general vicinity of the two pylon footprints. This equates to a total survey coverage of 23 00m². Figure 12 shows the areas surveyed by the field team.

Surface Visibility Surface visibility across the proposed chair lift station footprint was limited to an estimated average of 20%, with grass cover being the main impediment to surface visibility (see Plate 10). At both proposed pylon footprint locations, surface visibility was restricted to an estimated average of 30%, with vegetation cover being the main impediment to visibility (see Plates 11 and 12). Along the linear transects walked in the general vicinity of the proposed pylon locations, surface visibility was also limited to an average of 30% with vegetation cover being the main constraint (see Plate 13).

This level of surface visibility is in the low range (see Figure 11 for surface visibility guidelines). The constrained conditions of surface visibility limited the effective survey coverage achieved by the field team, which has implications regarding the ability of the team to assess the presence of absence of the more subtle historic heritage sites or features.

There were a number of erosion scalds, vehicle tracks and stock tracks present within the infrastructure footprint areas that provided locales of improved surface visibility. In order to increase the effective survey coverage, these areas were targeted as part of the survey assessment.

Full (100%) High (75%) Medium (50%) Low (24%) None (0%) Figure 11: Guidelines for the estimation of surface visibility

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Effective coverage Variations in both survey coverage and surface visibility have a direct bearing on the ability of a field team to detect subtle heritage sites or feature, such as structural foundations. The combination of survey coverage and surface visibility is referred to as effective survey coverage. Table 2 presents the estimated effective survey coverage achieved within the proposed Chair Lift Project infrastructure areas and surrounds. The overall effective coverage is estimated to be 6 600m². This is deemed adequate for the purposes of generating an impression as to the extent and nature of historic heritage sites that may be present within the study area footprint.

Table 2: Effective Survey Coverage achieved within the Chair Lift Project infrastructure areas and surrounds Area Surveyed Survey Coverage Estimated Effective Surface Survey Visibility Coverage Chair Lift 60m x 50m = 3 000m² 20% 600m² Station Southern pylon 60m x 50m = 3 000m² 30% 900m² Location Northern Pylon 60m x 50m = 3 000m² 30% 900m² Location Linear transects 1400m x 10m = 14 000m² 30% 4 200m² in general surrounds Total 23 000m² 6 600m²

Plate 10: View south-east across the proposed footprint for the chair lift station showing grass cover restricting visibility, and discrete erosion scalds in the foreground providing locales of improved visibility

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Plate 11: View west across the proposed footprint for the southern pylon location, showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30%

Plate 12: View north-west across the proposed footprint for the northern pylon location, showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30%, and bike track providing improved visibility

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Plate 13: View east across the surrounds of the northern pylon site showing typical conditions of surface visibility, limited to around 30%

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Figure 12: Aerial image showing the alignment of the survey transects walked within, and the surrounds of the Chair Lift Project infrastructure areas

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6.0 Survey Results and Discussion

No historic heritage features, suspected features, or specific areas of elevated archaeological sensitivity were identified during the field survey assessment of the proposed Cataract Gorge infrastructure areas and immediate surrounds.

As described in section 5 of this report, surface visibility across the surveyed chairlift and two pylon footprints was restricted to an estimated average of between 20% - 30%, which is in the low range. Given these constraints, it can’t be stated with absolutely certainty that there are no undetected historic features present within these proposed infrastructure areas. With this acknowledged, the negative survey results are still assessed as being a reasonably accurate indication that there is a low to very low likelihood for undetected historic features to be present. Certainly in the two proposed pylon locations, the potential is negligible, as these two infrastructure areas are situated on hill summits, well away from any noted existing infrastructure or buildings in the Gorge. The proposed chairlift basin has a slightly more elevated potential for sub-surface features to be present, given that

As described in section 4 of this report, the search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE. Additionally, the Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. Although, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries for the THR. The field survey was able to confirm that the proposed locations for the two proposed tower pylons and the chair lift station will not physically impact on any of the significant heritage buildings and features that are noted on the RNE and THR listings for the Gorge. However, given the close proximity of these proposed infrastructure locations to the First Basin area and the associated historic features and values, and the likely prominence the two tower pylons and chairlift station in this landscape setting, there will be some level of visual impact on the First Basin area. This is discussed in more detail in section 9 of this report.

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7.0 Site Significance Assessments

The following provides an outline of the processes used to assess the significance of historic heritage sites registered within the LSIP study area and surrounds.

7.1 Assessment Guidelines There are several different ways of defining types of significance, and many practitioners have developed their own system of significance assessment. However, as Sullivan and Pearson (1995) point out, there seems to be a general advantage in using a set of criteria which is already widely accepted. In Australia cultural significance is usually assessed against the Burra Charter guidelines and the Australian Heritage Commission guidelines (ICOMOS 1988, 1999).

7.2 The Burra Charter Under the guidelines of the Burra Charter ‘cultural significance’ refers to the ‘aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations’ of a ‘place’ (ICOMOS 1999:2). The guidelines to the Burra Charter comment: “Although there are a variety of adjectives used in definitions of cultural significance in Australia, the adjectives ‘aesthetic’, ‘historic’, ‘scientific’ and social’ ... can encompass all other values”. The following provides the descriptions given for each of these terms.

Aesthetic Value Aesthetic value includes aspects of sensory perception for which criteria can and should be stated. Such criteria may include consideration of the form, scale, colour, texture and materials of the fabric; the smells and sounds associated with the place and its use (Marquis-Kyle & Walker 1992).

Historic Value A place may have historic value because it has influenced, or has been influenced by, an historic figure, event, phase or activity. It may also have historic value as the site of an important event. For any given place the significance will be greater where evidence of the association or event survives in situ, or where the settings are substantially intact, than where it has been changed or evidence does not survive. However, some events or associations may be so important that the place retains significance regardless of subsequent treatment (Marquis-Kyle & Walker 1992).

Scientific Value The scientific or research value of a place will depend upon the importance of the data involved or its rarity, quality or representativeness and on the degree to which the place may contribute further substantial information.

A site or a resource is said to be scientifically significant when its further study may be expected to help current research questions. That is, scientific significance is defined as research potential (Marquis-Kyle & Walker 1992).

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Social Value The social value of a place is perhaps the most difficult value for heritage professionals to substantiate (Johnston 1994). However, social value is broadly defined as ‘the qualities for which a place has become a focus of spiritual, political, natural or other cultural sentimental to a majority or minority group’ (ICOMOS 1988:30). In ‘What is Social Value’, Johnston (1994) has provided a clear definition of social value: “Social value is about collective attachment to places that embody meaning important to a community, these places are usually community owned or publicly accessible or in some other way ‘appropriated’ into people’s daily lives. Such meanings are in addition to other values, such as the evidence of valued aspects of history or beauty, and these meanings may not be apparent in the fabric of the place, and may not be apparent to the disinterested observer”. (Johnston 1994:10) Although encompassed within the criterion of social value, the spiritual value of a place is a more recent addition to the Burra Charter (ICOMOS 1999:1). Spiritual value is predominantly used to assess places of cultural significance to Indigenous Australians.

The degree to which a place is significant can vary. As Johnston (1994:3) has stated when trying to understand significance a ‘variety of concepts [are] used from a geographical comparison (‘national’, ‘state’, ‘local’) to terms such as ‘early’, ‘rare’, or ‘seminal’’. Indeed the Burra Charter clearly states that when assessing historic significance, one should note that for: “any given place the significance will be greater where evidence of the association or event survives in situ, or where the setting are substantially intact, than where it has been changed or evidence does not survive”. (ICOMOS 1988:29)

7.3 Tasmanian Heritage Assessment Criteria Point 11 of the Historic Cultural Heritage Amendment Bill 2013 repeals Section 16 of the HCH Act 1995, and advocates that heritage values be assessed through the following eight assessment criteria:

Criterion (a): It is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Tasmania’s history Criterion (b): It demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Tasmania’s heritage Criterion (c): It has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Tasmania’s history Criterion (d): It is important as a representative in demonstrating the characteristics of a broader class of cultural places Criterion (e): It is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement Criterion (f): It has strong or special meaning for any group or community because of social, cultural or spiritual associations

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Criterion (g): It has a special association with the life or work of a person, a group or organisation that was important in Tasmania’s history. Criterion (h): It is important in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics.

In Tasmania, heritage may be afforded protection as either a place of state heritage significance (entered on the THR) or of local significance (listed in a heritage schedule of a local planning authority).

State heritage significance as defined by the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 means: ‘aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, scientific, social, spiritual or technical value to the whole STATE for past, present and future generations.’

This compares with the definition for Local heritage significance: ‘aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, scientific, social, spiritual or technical value to a LOCAL OR REGIONAL AREA for past, present and future generations.’

7.4 Summary Significance Ratings for the Study Area As described in section 4 of this report, the Historic heritage values of the Cataract Gorge, including the area around First Basin have been well documented. The area is included within the RNE listing for the Trevalyn Reserve and Adjacent Area. The various buildings and features of elevated significance are also noted within the THR listing for the Cataract Gorge Reserve. The area has been assessed to be significant on a State Level as well as a National level.

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8.0 Statutory Controls and Legislative Requirements The following provides a summary overview of the various legislative instruments and statutory requirements relating to historic heritage in Tasmania. The review is presented in order to provide the proponent with a basic understanding of the statutory frameworks and procedures relating to heritage in Tasmania.

8.1 National Conventions Council of Australian Governments Agreement 1997 In 1997, COAG reached an agreement on Commonwealth, State and local government roles and responsibilities for heritage management. Local government, through the Australian Local Government Association, and the Tasmanian Government were both signatories to this Agreement. The Agreement resulted in the following outcomes: - Acceptance of a tiered model of heritage management, with the definition of places as being of either, world, national, state or of local heritage significance; - Nominations of Australian places for the World Heritage List and management of Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention would be carried out by the Commonwealth Government; - A new National Heritage System on one was created in January 2004, comprising the Australian Heritage Council (AHC), National Heritage List (NHL) and Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL); - The Commonwealth Government, through the Australian Heritage Council would be responsible for listing, protecting and managing heritage places of national significance; - State and Territory Governments would be responsible for listing, protecting and managing heritage places of state significance; and - Local government would be responsible for listing, protecting and managing heritage places of local significance.

Environment Protection and Heritage Council of the Australian and State/Territory Governments 1998 In 1998, the National Heritage Convention proposed a set of common criteria to be used in order to better assess, understand and manage the heritage values of places.

The Environment Protection and Heritage Council of the Australian and State/Territory Governments adopted this as a national set of desirable common criteria (known as the HERCON criteria). The adoption of these criteria by Heritage Tasmania has not yet been formalised. These criteria are also based upon the Burra Charter values. The Common Criteria (HERCON Criteria) adopted in April 2008 are summarised below: a) Importance to the course or pattern of our cultural or natural history. b) Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of our cultural or natural history. c) Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of our cultural or natural history.

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d) Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places or environments. e) Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics f) Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period. g) Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions. h) Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in our history.

These criteria have been endorsed by the Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand (HCOANZ) in the Supporting Local Government Project document, “Protecting Local Heritage Places: A National Guide for Local Government and Communities” (March 2009).

Burra Charter 1999 Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) is the peak body of professionals working in heritage conservation in Australia. The Burra Charter was adopted by Australia ICOMOS in 1979 in Burra, South Australia based on other international conventions. Further revisions were adopted in 1981, 1988 and 1999 to ensure the Charter continues to reflect best practice in heritage and conservation management. The current version of the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter 1999 is the only version that should be used.

The Burra Charter provides guidance for the conservation and management of places of cultural significance (cultural heritage places), and is based on the knowledge and experience of Australian ICOMOS members. The Charter sets a standard of practice for those who provide advice, make decisions about, or undertake works to places of cultural significance, including owners, managers and custodians.

The Charter recognises the need to involve people in the decision-making process, particularly those that have strong associations with a place. It also advocates a cautious approach to changing heritage places: do as much as necessary to care for the place and to make it useable, but otherwise change it as little as possible so that its cultural significance is retained.

8.2 Commonwealth Legislation Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) provides for the listing of natural, historic or indigenous places that are of outstanding national heritage value to the Australian nation as well as heritage places on Commonwealth lands and waters under Australian Government control.

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Once a heritage place is listed under the EPBC Act, special requirements come into force to ensure that the values of the place will be protected and conserved for future generations. The following heritage lists are established through the EPBC Act: - National Heritage List - a list of places of natural, historic and indigenous places that are of outstanding national heritage value to the Australian nation - Commonwealth Heritage List - a list of natural, historic and indigenous places of significance owned or controlled by the Australian Government. - List of Overseas Places of Historic Significance to Australia – this list recognises symbolically sites of outstanding historic significance to Australia but not under Australian jurisdiction.

Australian Heritage Council Act 2003 The Australian Heritage Council is a body of heritage experts that has replaced the Australian Heritage Commission as the Australian Government's independent expert advisory body on heritage matters when the new Commonwealth Heritage System was introduced in 2004 under amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999.

The Council plays a key role in assessment, advice and policy formulation and support of major heritage programs. Its main responsibilities are to assess and nominate places for the National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritage List, promote the identification, assessment, conservation and monitoring of heritage; and advise the Minister on various heritage matters.

Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 The PMCH Act regulates the export of cultural heritage objects from Australia. The purpose of the Act is to protect, for the benefit of the nation, objects which if exported would significantly diminish Australia's cultural heritage. Some Australian protected objects of Aboriginal, military heritage and historical significance cannot be granted a permit for export. Other Australian protected objects may be exported provided a permit or certificate has been obtained.

8.3 State Legislation Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 This Act (LUPA) is the cornerstone of the State Resource Management and Planning System (RMPS). It establishes the legitimacy of local planning schemes and regulates land use planning and development across Tasmania. With regard to historic heritage, LUPAA requires that planning authorities will work to conserve those buildings, areas or other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historical interest, or otherwise of special cultural value‟ [Schedule 1 Part 2(g)].

Resource Planning and Development Commission Act 1997 The Resource Planning and Development Commission (now referred to as the Tasmanian Planning Commission) is responsible for overseeing Tasmania’s planning system, approving planning schemes and amendments to schemes and assessing Projects of State Significance. In terms of heritage management, the TPC will consider the establishment of heritage overlays, precincts or areas as part of the creation of planning schemes.

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Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal Act 1993 The Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal determine planning appeals and enforce the Acts within the RMPS. The Tribunal plays an important role in the management of heritage places through its determinations on proposed development on, or near to, places of heritage significance.

Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 The Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 (HCH Act) is the key piece of Tasmanian legislation for the identification, assessment and management of historic cultural heritage places. The stated purpose of the HCH Act is to promote the identification, assessment, protection and conservation of places having historic cultural heritage significance and to establish the Tasmanian Heritage Council‟. The HCH Act also includes the requirements to: - establish and maintain the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR); - provide for a system for a system of approvals for work on places on the Register; - provide for Heritage Agreements and assistance to property owners; - provide for protection of shipwrecks; - provide for control mechanisms and penalties for breaches of the Act.

Under the HCH Act, “conservation‟ in relation to a place is defined as - the retention of the historic cultural heritage significance of the place; and - any maintenance, preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaption of the place.

The definition of “place‟ under the HCH Act includes: - a site, precinct or parcel of land; - any building or part of a building; - any shipwreck; - any item in or on, or historically or physically associated or connected with, a site precinct or parcel of land where the primary importance of the item derives in part from its association with that site, precinct or parcel of land; and - any equipment, furniture, fittings, and articles in or on, or historically or physically associated or connected with any building or item.

The Act created the Tasmanian Heritage Council (THC), which came into existence in 1997 and operates within the State RMPS. The THC is a statutory body, separate from government, which is responsible for the administration of the HCH Act and the establishment of the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR), which lists all places assessed as having heritage values of state significance. The THC also assesses works that may affect the heritage significance of places and provides advice to state and local government on heritage matters. The primary task of the THC is as a resource management and planning body, which is focused on heritage conservation issues. Any development on heritage-listed places requires the approval of the THC before works can commence.

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Heritage Tasmania (HT), which is part of the Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and the Environment, also plays a key role in fulfilling statutory responsibilities under the HCH Act.

HT has three core roles: - coordinating historic heritage strategy and activity for the State Government; - supporting the Tasmanian Heritage Council to implement the HCH Act; and - facilitating the development of the historic heritage register.

In 2013, Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 was amended, with the primary goal of streamlining the approvals process and better align the Heritage Act with the Planning Act. Under the Amendment applicants need only lodge a single Development Application (DA) (as opposed to both a Works Application and DA), which will be referred to the Heritage Council by the local planning authority. Heritage Council then has the opportunity to advise the planning authority whether or not it has an interest in the DA and may request further information under s57 of the LUPAA. If the Heritage Council does not have an interest in the DA, it reverts to the status it has under the Scheme or Planning Act. Where Heritage Council does have an interest in the DA, the Council decision must be incorporated into the final permit (or refusal) issued by the local planning authority.

Also included in the amendments is the incorporation of the HERCON significance criteria for assessing the significance of heritage sites. The Heritage Council may enter a place in the Heritage Register if it satisfied that the place has historic cultural heritage significance by meeting threshold values for one or more of eight individual criteria. Aesthetic characteristics of a place now forms the eighth criterion against which heritage significance may be assessed.

Works to places included in the THR require approval, either through a Certificate of Exemption for works which will have no or negligible impact, or through a discretionary permit for those works which may impact on the significance of the place.

Discretionary permit applications are lodged with the relevant local planning authority. On receipt, the application is sent to the Heritage Council, which will firstly decide whether they have an interest in determining the application. If the Heritage Council has no interest in the matter, the local planning authority will determine the application.

If the Heritage Council has an interest in determining the application, a number of matters may be relevant to its decision. This includes the likely impact of the works on the significance of the place; any representations; and any regulations and works guidelines issued under the HCH Act. The Heritage Council may also consult with the planning authority when making a decision.

In making a decision, the Heritage Council will exercise one of three options: consent to the discretionary permit being granted; consent to the discretionary permit being granted subject to certain conditions; or advise the planning authority that the

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 discretionary permit should be refused. The Heritage Council’s decision is then forwarded to the planning authority, which will incorporate the decision into any planning permit

Works Guidelines for Historic Heritage Places The Tasmanian Heritage Council and Heritage Tasmania have issued Works Guidelines for Historic Heritage Places. The guidelines provide a general reference for the types of works, which may be exempt, or those where a permit will be required. They also define appropriate outcomes for a range of different works and development scenarios. Although specifically designed for places included in the THR, the guidelines provide useful advice for the management of heritage places generally.

8.4 Local Planning Schemes In accordance with the requirements of the Land Use Planning and Approvals ACT 1993 (LUPAA), Local Planning Schemes have been established throughout Tasmania in accordance with regional divisions of the state.

The current study area falls within the Northern Region, which consists of eight municipal areas including Launceston, Northern Midlands, Meander Valley, West Tamar, George Town, Dorset, Break O’Day and Flinders councils. The Northern Regional Land Use Framework provides the strategic context for planning schemes within the region and contains strategies for the future use and development of land within the region.

Launceston and surrounds fall within both the Launceston City Council zoning, with the requirements of use or development of land within the area governed by then Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS). The provisions within the LIPS are designed to be read together with the LUPAA and are based on the Regional Model Planning Scheme.

The Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the Launceston City Council zoning, with the requirements of use or development of land within the area governed by then Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS).

Section E13 of the Scheme deals specifically with the Local Heritage Code. Given the identified heritage significance of the Cataract Gorge Reserve, Section 13 will be directly applicable to this project. The purpose of this provision is to: protect and enhance the historic cultural heritage significance of local heritage (a) places and heritage precincts;

(b) encourage and facilitate the continued use of these places;

encourage the maintenance and retention of buildings and places of assessed (c) historic cultural heritage significance; and

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ensure that development is undertaken in a manner that is sympathetic to, and (d) does not detract from, the historic cultural heritage significance of the places and their settings.

Based on information provided in section E17 of the LIPS 2015, it is apparent that the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the boundaries of the Cataract Gorge Management Area, and is subject to the requirements of the Cataract Gorge Management Area Code.

Section E17.1.1 explains that the purpose of this provision is to: protect the Cataract Gorge Reserve from incremental loss and degradation of its (a) character and values; and

ensure that development within the Cataract Gorge Management Area is appropriately planned, located, designed and constructed to minimise the impact (b) on the natural, historic, cultural, heritage, landscape and scenic character and values of the Cataract Gorge Reserve.

This Code applies to development, including subdivision, within the Cataract Gorge Management Units 1- 17 and Management Unit 18, as shown on the planning scheme overlay maps.

Unser section E17.4.1, the following use or development is exempt from this Code: Construction, and placement of minor outbuildings or structures if:

(i) no new outbuilding is closer to a street frontage than the main building;

the combined gross floor area of such buildings or structures does not (ii) exceed 20m²;

(iii) no side is longer than 6m;

(a) no part of the outbuilding or structure is higher than 2.4m above natural (iv) ground level;

(v) the maximum change of level as a result of cut or fill is 1m;

no part of the outbuilding encroaches on any service easement or is within (vi) 1m of any underground service; and

(vii) external materials are finished in dark natural tones;

The planting, clearing or modification of vegetation for any of the following purposes: (b) fire hazard management in accordance with a bushfire hazard management (i) plan approved as part of a subdivision or development;

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fire hazard reduction required in accordance with the Fire Service Act 1979: (ii) or an abatement notice issued under the Local Government Act 1993; and

fire hazard management in accordance with a bushfire hazard management (iii) plan endorsed by the Tasmanian Fire Service, Forestry Tasmania or the Parks and Wildlife Service.

Section E17.6 of the Code sets out the development standards that apply the Cataract Gorge Management Area, including the siting of structures and buildings, the height and bulk of buildings and tree and vegetation removal.

Section 8.4.1 states that except as provided in sub-clauses 8.5 and 8.6, use or development of land must not be commenced or carried out: without a permit granted and in effect in accordance with the Act and the (a) provisions of this planning scheme; or (b) in a manner contrary to the conditions and restrictions of a permit.

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9.0 Statement of Heritage Impacts and Heritage Management Plan

9.1 Statement of Heritage Effects As described in section 4 of this report, the search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE. The Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. Although, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries of the THR listing.

The field survey was able to confirm that the proposed locations for the two proposed tower pylons and the chair lift station will not physically impact on any of the significant heritage buildings and features that are noted on the RNE and THR listings for the Gorge.

However, the proposed chairlift infrastructure areas are situated in close proximity to the First Basin area and the associated historic features and values. The proposed design for the two proposed tower pylons and chairlift station is yet to be finalized. However, it is clear that the pylon towers in particular will be prominent structures, possibly in the range of 8m in height, which will be sited on local hill summits. These pylons will be clearly visible in the landscape. The proposed chair lift station, sited at First Basin, overlooking the pool and lawn area, will also be a large, prominent structure.

Although the designs for these structures are yet to be finalized, there is no doubt that they will have some degree of visual impact on the Cataract Gorge Reserve area. To what extent these visual impacts will diminish the historic landscape setting and values of the Gorge area is debatable, and will be dependent to some degree of the final designs. As detailed in section 4 of this report, to a large extent the significance values of the Cataract Gorge Reserve relate to its associations with recreation, and for demonstrating characteristics of a Victorian pleasure ground where the scenic natural resources have been embellished with exotic plants and wildlife, and a diversity of stylised architectural features. The argument can be made that the construction of the chair lift facility ushers in a new period in the development of the recreational attractions and facilities in the Cataract Gorge Reserve, which is in keeping with the existing land use activities at First Basin. With this acknowledged, there is a clear risk that the chair lift design may be an overbearing development, which is not compatible with the Victorian style setting of the surrounding landscape.

In order to minimize or negate these risks, the Proponent will need to ensure that there is meaningful and ongoing consultation with the broader public, as well as Heritage Tasmania and the Launceston City Council. This is addressed in the management recommendations below.

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9.2 Management Recommendations The heritage management options and recommendations provided in this report are made on the basis of the following criteria. - The legal and procedural requirements as summarised in section 8 of this report, with specific reference to the Work Guidelines for Historic Heritage Places. - The results of the heritage register searches and field investigation as documented in sections 4.0 and 6.0 of the report. - Background research into the extant archaeological and historic record for the study area and its surrounding regions. - The assigned significance values for heritage areas or features. The recommendations are aimed at minimising the impact of the proposed Cataract Gorge Chairlift Project on the historic heritage values for the study area and surrounds. It should be noted that GHD (2008) has prepared a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the Cataract Gorge Reserve. The CMP was prepared for the Launceston City Council, with the intention of providing a framework to provide management for the Gorge for the next 5 years and beyond. The CMP incorporates that current study area, and addresses historic heritage. The recommendations presented below are in keeping with the CMP prepared by GHD (2008).

1) The Cataract Gorge reserve is recognized as being of high social significance to the Launceston and Tasmanian communities, and is the best known natural feature in Launceston, much visited by tourists and locals for over a hundred years, and serving as the premier venue for cultural events and major community gatherings. Given the high social significance to the local community, it will be critical that the Chairlift project proponent continues to engage with the public, as well as the relevant government stakeholders, in an effort to determine the level of public support for this project. This consultation should also include discussions on the design of the chairlift infrastructure, and ensuring that it is sympathetic with existing heritage values, or at least minimizes impacts on these values.

2) The search of the various heritage registers shows that the section of the Cataract Gorge Reserve around First Basin is listed on the RNE, although the boundary extent for the listing is not clearly defined. As noted in section 4.1 of this report, the RNE ceased to be an active register in February 2007 and from this point onwards sites were unable to be added or removed from the list. The Minister for the Environment is required to consider the register when making decisions under the EPBC Act.

The Cataract Gorge Reserve is also listed on the THR. However, the proposed infrastructure areas for this project are situated outside the boundaries of the THR listing (see Figures 9 and 10). Works to places included in the THR require approval, either through a Certificate of Exemption for works which will have no or negligible impact, or through a discretionary permit for those works which may impact on the significance of the place. Because the proposed chair lift development footprint does not site

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within the designated boundaries of the existing THR listing for the Cataract Gorge Reserve, there is no formal requirement for the Proponent to seek these approvals. However, it is noted that Heritage Tasmania is currently in the process of developing a revised THR Listing Datasheet or the Cataract Gorge Reserve. This revised version will provide greater detail on the heritage values of the Gorge, the key historic themes and features, and will most likely redefine the boundaries for the listing.

Taking into consideration the recognized significance of the Cataract Gorge around First Basin, the revisions being undertaken for the THR listing of the Cataract Gorge Reserve, and the possibility that this project may impact on the visual impacts to the heritage values of the Reserve, it is recommended that the proponent should continue to liaise with Heritage Tasmania regarding the proposed designs for the project, and any future statutory requirements that may arise when the amended THR listing for the Cataract Gorge Reserve is formally adopted.

3) The Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the Launceston City Council zoning, with the requirements of use or development of land within the area governed by then Launceston Interim Planning Scheme 2015 (LIPS).

Section E13 of the Scheme deals specifically with the Local Heritage Code. Given the identified heritage significance of the Cataract Gorge Reserve, Section 13 will be directly applicable to this project.

Based on information provided in section E17 of the LIPS 2015, it is apparent that the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project is situated within the boundaries of the Cataract Gorge Management Area, and is subject to the requirements of the Cataract Gorge Management Area Code (see Figure 13).

Section E17.6 of the Code sets out the development standards that apply the Cataract Gorge Management Area, including the siting of structures and buildings, the height and bulk of buildings and tree and vegetation removal. These development standards are directly relevant to this project.

The Proponent will need to directly engage with the Launceston City Council in order to ensure that the development proposal meets the relevant development standards, that the project meets specified heritage requirements, and that the required Permits have been obtained.

4) It is assessed that there is a low to very low potential for the proposed infrastructure works for the Cataract Gorge Chair Lift project to impact on undetected Heritage features. However, as per the Practice Note No 2 by the Tasmanian Heritage Council, processes must be followed should any unexpected archaeological features and/or deposits be revealed during works. An Unanticipated Discovery Plan for the project is presented in Section 10 of this report.

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10.0 Unanticipated Discovery Plan

The following text describes the proposed method for dealing with unanticipated discoveries of heritage features or objects during the proposed construction of the Cataract Gorge Chairlift infrastructure. The plan provides guidance to project personnel so that they may meet their obligations with respect to heritage legislation.

Please Note: There are two different processes presented for the mitigation of these unanticipated discoveries. The first process applies for the discovery of all cultural heritage objects or features, with the exception of skeletal remains (burials). The second process applies exclusively to the discovery of skeletal remains (burials).

Discovery of Heritage Objects or Features Step 1 If any person believes that they have discovered or uncovered a heritage object or feature, the individual should notify any machinery operators that are working in the general vicinity of the area that earth disturbance works should stop immediately.

Step 2 A buffer protection zone of 5m x 5m should be established around the suspected heritage find. No unauthorised entry or earth disturbance will be allowed within this ‘archaeological zone’ until such time as the suspected heritage find has been assessed, and appropriate mitigation measures have been carried out.

Step 3 A qualified heritage practitioner should be engaged to assess the suspected heritage find. As part of this process, Heritage Tasmania (HT) should be notified of the discovery.

If the heritage find is a movable object, then the find should be recorded, photographed and a decision should be made as to whether the object should be re- located to a designated Keeping Place.

If the find is an unmovable heritage object or feature, then the find should be recorded and photographed and a HIA and HMP developed for the feature. This should be then submitted to Heritage Tasmania (HT) for review and advice.

Discovery of Skeletal Material Step 1 Under no circumstances should the suspected skeletal remains be touched or disturbed. If these are human remains, then this area potentially is a crime scene. Tampering with a crime scene is a criminal offence.

Step 2 Any person discovering suspected skeletal remains should notify machinery operators that are working in the general vicinity of the area that earth disturbing

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 works should stop immediately. Remember health and safety requirements when approaching machinery operators.

Step 3 A buffer protection zone of 50m x 50m should be established around the suspected skeletal remains. No unauthorised entry or earth disturbance will be allowed with this buffer zone until such time as the suspected skeletal remains have been assessed.

Step 4 The relevant authorities (police) will be contacted and informed of the discovery.

Step 5 Should the skeletal remains be suspected to be of Aboriginal origin, then Section 23 of the Coroners Act 1995 will apply. This is as follows:

1) The Attorney General may approve an Aboriginal organisation for the purposes of this section. 2) If, at any stage after a death is reported under section 19(1), a coroner suspects that any human remains relating to that death may be Aboriginal remains, the coroner must refer the matter to an Aboriginal organisation approved by the Attorney General (In this instance TALSC). 3) If a coroner refers a matter to an Aboriginal organisation approved by the Attorney-General – (a) The coroner must not carry out any investigations or perform any duties or functions under this Act in respect of the remains; and (b) The Aboriginal organisation must, as soon as practicable after the matter is referred to it, investigate the remains and prepare a report for the coroner. 4) If the Aboriginal organisation in its report to the coroner advises that the remains are Aboriginal remains, the jurisdiction of the coroner under this Act in respect of the remains ceases and this Act does not apply to the remains. In this instance the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975 will apply, and relevant Permits will need to be obtained before any further actions can be taken. 5) If the Aboriginal organisation in its report to the coroner advises that the remains are not Aboriginal remains, the coroner may resume the investigation in respect of the remains.

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References Cited

Australian ICOMOS. 1988. Guidelines to the Burra Charter.

Australian ICOMOS. 1999. The Burra Charter.

Bethell, L.S. 1957. The Story of Port Dalrymple: Life and Work in Northern Tasmania. Hobart.

BOM. 2018 Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) website. Accessed October 2015 from .

Bowdler, S. 1984. Archaeological Significance as a mutable quality. In Sullivan, S. and Bowdler, S. (eds.) Site Surveys and Significance Assessment in Australian Archaeology. Department of Prehistory, ANU Canberra.

Cassidy, Jill, 2007, ‘Flour Milling’, in Health, Wealth & Tribulation: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge (ed. Paul AC Richards and Murray Johnson), Myola House of Publishing, Launceston.

De Gryse, J. Pty Ltd, and Hepper Marriott Tasmania Pty Ltd, 1996, Cataract Gorge Reserve Management Plan, report prepared for the Launceston City Council.

Dent, J. 2006. Launceston’s First Buildings 1805-1808. The Examiner: John West Memorial Lecture, Symposium: It’s a Busy Place Launceston from Settlement to City. Launceston Historical Society 2006 Papers and Proceedings. pp15-20.

Dimmock, G.M., S.B. Spanswick and D.B. Kidd. 2001. Revised Beaconsfield-George Town Reconnaissance Soil Map of Tasmania. Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment.

GHD 2008 Cataract Gorge Conservation Management Plan. Prepared for the Launceston City Council.

Green, A. 2006. Progress: but with Prudence of Perseverance? Launceston’s growth and development during the nineteenth century. The Examiner: John West Memorial Lecture, Symposium: It’s a Busy Place Launceston from Settlement to City. Launceston Historical Society 2006 Papers and Proceedings. pp21-28.

Hamilton, Rhonda, 2007, ‘Imagery of the Cataract Gorge: Photography for Pleasure and Profit 1860–1940’, in Health, Wealth & Tribulation: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge (ed. Paul AC Richards and Murray Johnson), Myola House of Publishing, Launceston.

Johnston, C. 1994 ‘What is Social Value: a discussion paper.’ Australian Heritage Commission Technical Publications: Series Number 3.

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Johnson, Murray, 2007c, ‘Cataract Gorge and Hydro Electric Power’, in Health, Wealth & Tribulation: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge (ed. Paul AC Richards and Murray Johnson), Myola House of Publishing, Launceston.

Marquis-Kyle, P and Walker, M. 1992. The Illustrated Burra Charter. Australian ICOMOS Inc.

McIntyre, Jo, 2007, ‘Colonial Artists and Launceston’s Cataract Gorge’, in Health, Wealth & Tribulation: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge (ed. Paul AC Richards and Murray Johnson), Myola House of Publishing, Launceston.

McLaughlin, A. 2006. ‘Launceston’ in The Companion to Tasmanian History (available online at: http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_hist)

Morris-Nunn, M. and Tassell, C., 1982, Launceston’s Industrial heritage: A Survey, Part One, Australian Heritage Commission, Queen Victoria Museum of the Launceston City Council.

Nicolls, K.D, (1958) Reconnaissance soil map of Tasmania. Sheet 47 - Longford. CSIRO Div. of Soils, Divisional Report 14/57. (Revised by S. Spanswick & P. Zund (1999) Department of Primary Industry Water & Environment).

Nyman, L. 1996. The West Tamar People: the story of the early settlement and its well established families. Regal Publications, Launceston, Tasmania.

Pearson, M. and Sullivan, S. 1995. Looking After Heritage Places. Melbourne University Press.

Richards, Paul AC, 2007, ‘Brewing’, in Health, Wealth & Tribulation: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge (ed. Paul AC Richards and Murray Johnson), Myola House of Publishing, Launceston.

TheLIST: Land Information Systems Tasmania website, Department of Primary Industries and Water, Hobart, Tasmania. Accessed 10th November 2014 from .

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Appendix 1

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List: Register of the National Estate (Non-statutory archive) Class: Historic Legal Status: Indicative Place Place ID: 12394 Place File No. 6/03/050/0019

Nominator’s Statement of Significance The awesome beauty of the cataract was acknowledged by the first explorers of Port Dalrymple in the 1800s and remained the greatest natural attraction Launceston had to offer. Guidebooks quoted Virgil and made comparisons with the scenery of Powerscourt and Dargle.

In 1889 the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association was formed by a group of public-spirited citizens whose aim was to improve nature and provide a pleasure ground for the common man. Their efforts have provided us with an English picturesque landscape idea transposed onto this dramatic backdrop of Australian bush and basaltic rocks.

A narrow path following the 'cyclopean' cliffs provided glimpses of the 'Crusoes Hut' and 'Crow's Nest'. Wherever possible grass was laid and native and exotic trees and shrubs were planted. At the end of the path one was rewarded by the more familiar and English Picnic Grounds where one could listen to Strauss being played from the bandstand surrounded by trees and peacocks in a parklike setting overlooking the first basin.

Cataract Gorge is of significance as the only refuge known for two relict species of biogeographic significance, Neopseudogarypus scutellatus and Migas plomleyi, as the type locality for five species of land Mollusca: Pasmaditta jungermanniae (only known surviving population), Roblinella mathinnae (very rare species) Discocharopa lottah (rare species), Cystopelta petterdi and Discocharopa mimosa, and the type locality for a Collembolon, Australotomurus echidnus which is the type species of an Australian endemic genus with six described species and one undescribed species in southern Australian heathlands.

RFA Statement of Significance Biogeographic values present in Trevallyn are endemic fauna, disjunct flora, fauna at the limit of their range and primitive and relictual fauna. These are important indicators of past evolutionary and biogeographic processes (Criterion A.1).

Tasmania's extreme southerly position and the fact that it is an island means that virtually all Tasmanian species could be interpreted as having biogeographic values. In the Tasmanian comprehensive regional assessment, thresholds were defined rigorously, being based on the coincident occurrence of a number of species which are endemic, disjunct or at their range limits within the Tasmanian context, rather than species being interpreted as significant simply because of Tasmania's biogeographic position.

Disjunct flora This place is important as an area which hosts flora populations which have become physically separated from other populations of the same species, resulting in minimal or no gene flow between them.

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Limit of Biogeographic Range of Fauna This place is important because there is a high coincidence of fauna species at the limits of their range. Numerous invertebrate species occur at this site.

Endemic Fauna It is important as a centre for fauna endemism, being an area in which a number of fauna species which occur only in the Tasmanian forest region, coincide. Significant taxa include; MIGAS PLOMLEYI, NEOPSEUDOGARYPUS SCUTELLATUS and BEDDOMEIA LAUNCESTONENSIS.

Primitive and relictual fauna This place is important for primitive and relictual fauna. It has special importance within the Tasmanian forest region in terms of both space (biogeographical relicts) and time (phylogenetic relicts). It is the only known refuge for NEOPSEUDOGARYPUS SCUTELLATUS and MIGAS PLOMLEYI.

Cataract Gorge is an important habitat for south Esk pine (CALLITRIS OBLONGATA) which has a restricted distribution and at Cataract Gorge is at both the northern and western limit of the species distribution.

Trevallyn is important for significant wetlands. It is important as a core habitat area that is critical to the continuing viability of the Tasmanian flora and fauna as a whole (Criterion A.2).

The rare and uncommon plants including the nationally rare EPACRIS EXSERTA (Nr, r3) and PROSTANTHERA ROTUNDIFOLIA (Sv) and SPYRIDIUM VEXILLIFERUM (r2) have been recorded from within Cataract Gorge.

Cataract Gorge was the type locality for the Tasmanian Torrent Midge EDWARDSINA TASMANIENSIS (Diptera: Blepharoceridae) before the waterway was modified in 1956, resulting in the local extinction of that species.

Trevallyn is important as key fauna habitat which is necessary to sustain fauna populations and processes. It contains core habitat areas that are critical to the continuing viability of the Tasmanian fauna as a whole (Criterion A.2).

Trevallyn is important for fauna species richness having a high diversity of fauna species within a restricted area (Criterion A.3).

Trevallyn is important for flora species richness showing considerable diversity of plant species within a restricted area (Criterion A.3).

This place is important for type localities for rare and threatened vascular plants, lichens and allied (usually lichenicolous) fungi, and/or bryophytes. This is important for information contributing to a wider understanding of natural history in the Tasmanian forest region (Criterion C.1). Flora type localities at this place include that for GYROSTEMON THESIOIDES (Hook. 13 A.S. George).

Trevallyn is important for forest communities which are characteristic of their forest type, taking into account the abundance, distribution and variability of each community (Criterion D.1). It includes characteristic examples of ALLOCASUARINA VERTICILLATA and EUCALYPTUS VIMINALIS grassy forest.

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Cataract Gorge is significant as a cultural landscape demonstrating characteristics of a Victorian pleasure ground where the scenic natural resources have been embellished with exotic plants and wildlife, and a diversity of stylised architectural features including period style gates, a rustic style picnic shelter, a Victorian style rotunda and lookout shelter, and a Crusoe-style hut (Criteria A3 and D.2).

Trevallyn is significant as a forest place of aesthetic value, important to a community for aesthetic characteristics held in high esteem or otherwise valued by the community (Criterion E.1). Cataract gorge is recognised by the community for its aesthetic value through the well-known works produced by the generations of artists that represented it. It exhibits scenery with a great variety of contrasting form such as rugged cliffs, exposed rocks, waterfalls and rainforest vegetation. There are also small decorative architectural features which create visual focii.

This place is important as a forest place of social value, being highly valued by a community for reasons of religious, spiritual, cultural, educational, or social associations (Criterion G.1).

Cataract Gorge is of social significance to the Launceston and Tasmanian communities as the best known natural feature in Launceston, much visited by tourists and locals for over a hundred years, and serving as the premier venue for cultural events and major community gatherings.

The natural and non-indigenous cultural values of were assessed as part of a comprehensive regional assessment of national estate values. This assessment was undertaken jointly by the Commonwealth and Tasmania as part of the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement process, using the best information available at the time.

It is possible that Indigenous cultural values of national estate significance exist in this place. As yet the Australian Heritage Commission has not identified, documented or assessed these values.

This information has been generated by the Commonwealth from data produced during the CRA process in Tasmania. It has not yet been verified by the State.

Description The Trevallyn State Reserve and Adjacent Area is within 5km of the centre of Launceston. It is bounded by the South Esk River on all but the northern side. In the east is the Trevallyn Lake, formed by the Trevallyn Dam, and in the east is Cataract Gorge.

The vegetation of the place is primarily dry sclerophyll forest with ACACIA DEALBATA, EUCALYPTUS AMYGDALINA and E. VIMINALIS, with LOMANDRA LONGIFOLIA and PTERIDIUM ESCULENTUM common in the understorey. Along the South Esk River ALLOCASUARINA VERTICILLATA forest dominates the landscape with some areas of riparian vegetation present and wet gully scrub, containing POMADERRIS APETALA, BEYERIA VISCOSA, ASTEROTRICHION DISCOLOR and ACACIA MELANOXYLON in sheltered gullies.

Cataract Gorge is a major landmark in the City of Launceston and represents a cultural signature for the city. It is the steep-sided entrance of the South Esk River

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 to the Tamar River. The water in the Gorge persists with a maximum depth of 1.5 m and a maximum permanent depth of 0.5-1 m.

The Cataract Gorge has been formed by the action of the South Esk River eroding its course across Jurassic dolerite. The soil above the bedrock is brown in colour with a high peat content. Within the dolerite, the river's course has been determined by local faulting and jointing. At the First Basin, the faulting of softer Tertiary sediments has provided the river with the opportunity to scour out a larger depression as well as creating a focal point for local drainage.

The north and the south Esk rivers used to meet on the surface of an old lake bed about 152 metres above the level they occupy at present. The north Esk and Tamar rivers flowed over soft sediments and eroded them away relatively quickly, washing downstream about 30,000,000,000 tonnes of the old lake deposits during the past 2-5 million years. Thus these valleys dropped to their present level. The south Esk River was much higher as it could not eat away its bed of much harder dolerite rock so quickly. It has tumbled over the hard Trevallyn-West Launceston Hillside, confined in the narrow gorge which its steep cataract flow has produced.

At the first basin, it passes through a line of crushed and torn rock formed when these hills were ruptured at their birth 40 million years ago. The depression produced at that time has been deepened further by the river, which has been able to erode more readily the rocks which have been shattered by its ancient stresses. The gullies in the north and south of the basin, along which the roads enter are also due to the weakness in the surface left by the fractured rock beneath.

Natural features of Cataract Gorge were embellished during the 19th Century by civic groups, primarily the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association whose aim was to "improve" nature and provide a pleasure ground for commoners. Architectural features such as a Crusoe hut and Crows Nest provided a glimpse of views from the walkers' track. An English style picnic ground was developed with rustic style picnic shelters and a Victorian style bandstand.

The gorge has a long history of recreational use, picnics, nature walks and swimming since the nineteenth century. Cataract Gorge was recognised for its awesome beauty by early white explorers of Port Dalrymple. It is listed in tourist guides from the 1870s, and remains Launceston's major natural tourist attraction today.

Development of Cataract Gorge into a "pleasure ground" started in 1889 when the Launceston City and Suburbs Improvement Association was formed for this purpose.

Cataract Gorge has also been an important centre of cultural life for Launceston, hosting musical events such as 'Symphony in the Park' and many other major entertainment events that bring the people of Launceston and Northern Tasmania together.

Visual representations of this popular tourist and picnic area were common before the Second World War when it was photographed by James Watt Beattie (1859- 1930), Francis J Hurley (1885-1962), Herbert J King (1892-1973) and Stephen

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Spurling III (d1962). It also featured in several picture post cards, and the early nineteenth century artists, Ludwig Becker (1808-1861) and Thomas Chapman (1790-1864), both produced paintings of the area.

The Duck Reach power station cottages in this place are listed separately on the Register of the National Estate.

There is a relationship between the power station and cottages and the intake for the power station resulting from the river Gorge.

This place has been identified and assessed in the context of the Tasmanian Comprehensive Regional Assessment/Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) process. The national estate values identified in this RFA region are described in the Tasmanian national estate report (PLUC 1997) and its accompanying maps.

This place has been defined by a 'best fit' boundary which has been drawn to include areas which have sufficient national estate significance to warrant listing, taking into account appropriate management considerations.

This information has been generated by the Commonwealth from data produced during the CRA process in Tasmania. It has not yet been verified by the State.

Condition and Integrity

The condition and integrity of this place was assessed using the biophysical naturalness scheme adopted in the Tasmanian comprehensive regional assessment. Biophysical naturalness is an indicator of the level of disturbance to the functioning of natural systems on a scale of 0 (high disturbance) to 5 (low disturbance). Datasets used in assessing biophysical naturalness are described in PLUC (1996).

15.2% of the area has a biophysical naturalness rating (BN) of 5, 0.5% has a BN of 4, 63.6% has a BN of 3, 1.0% has a BN of 1 and 17.9% has a BN of 0. There is no BN data for 1.8% of the area.

It should be noted that some national estate values correlate very highly with naturalness, or the absence of human disturbance, (e.g. wilderness, old growth forest) while other values are unaffected by disturbance (e.g. some geological values) and other values are a product of human activity (e.g. historic roads, buildings and other structures).

The Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) sets out an agreed approach to the regional protection of forest-related national estate values in Tasmania. The RFA recognises that national estate values vary in their sensitivity to various types of disturbance and hence have different management requirements. Protection of some values will be achieved primarily through reservation within the CAR reserve system. Other values will be protected through management prescription in off-reserve locations, or through a combination of reservation and off-reserve management. Regional protection implies that national estate values will be adequately protected across the region as a whole, although some expressions of sensitive values may be locally impacted as a result of land use activities.

The decision to enter this place in the Register of the National Estate indicates that its values are protected through reservation in the CAR reserve system, by

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Cataract Gorge Chair Lift Project, Launceston Historic Heritage Assessment Report CHMA 2018 other measures appropriate to the value, or that its values will not be affected by timber harvesting. The place may also contain values which are sensitive and, if located in unreserved tenures, could be locally impacted by forest operations or other land use activities. Under the RFA, these values will continue to be protected at the regional level.

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