Taroona Entry Into Kingborough – Cartwright Reserve
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Taroona Entry into Kingborough – Cartwright Reserve The Taroona Community has raised concern about sign pollution, out of date signs and poles littering Cartwright Reserve. This iconic reserve has the historic stone Grange Horse Trough and forms an entry into the Kingborough Municipality through the urban settlement of Taroona. This site is also the border between Kingborough and Hobart Council on Channel Highway. Figure 1 aerial image of Cartwright Reserve Taroona In 1976 the Channel Highway was realigned and the gully filled in to provide what is commonly known as Cartwright Reserve. In 1978 the historic Grange Stone Trough was reassembled and placed on the southern side of the park. The park was developed by Kingborough and Hobart Councils “with parking bays and ornamental trees” as the municipal boundary passes through the centre of the reserve. The original plan for the reserve has evolved and small gardens have been placed on the Kingborough side and facilities include a picnic shelter, historic trough and parking and other picnic table settings. Figure 2 the stone Grange Horse Trough The current proliferation of signs has negated the historic relevance and importance of this heritage item and the current community conversation could be expanded to consider a joint park development with Hobart and Kingborough where the concept is developed to include improving signage revisiting and rediscovering heritage installing interpretation for visitors improving landscape and facilities on Cartwright Reserve. SIGNS There is a proliferation of signs that are not being maintained and many are competing for recognition and provide only a jumble of visual pollution thereby negating the intention to inform or arrest an interest from passers-by on bikes, buses or in vehicles. The size and location of the signs in many cases defeats the purpose and intent. Figure 3 provides a snapshot of some signs This site is a popular meeting place for walkers attempting to climb the Truganini track to Mount Nelson Signal Station or those just choosing to undertake other recreational pursuits. There are signs that are no longer relevant and poles left in the ground after signs had been removed. Cartwright Reserve has a story that is not being told and interpretation and site improvements could rejuvenate this area. There are a number of groups who display temporary signs here from time to time? In the past few years I have seen signs for: Christmas tree sales, Community Association meetings, both primary and high school events, monthly Sunday Market. There was even a temporary sign at the time of the Danish Royal wedding stating 'Welcome to the princessipality of Taroona’ but that was a one-off courtesy of the high school students! The Taroona Community would like to encourage visitors and residents to access their web site. The Taroona website was the first in Tasmanian to be granted permission by the Australian Domain Name Authority to register a community geographic domain name. In July the Taroona website was shortlisted in the Community Category of the Australian and New Zealand Internet Awards but they have found it difficult to promote the site within the community and seek a sign that welcomes visitors and includes their web address. In wanting this they realised that other active community groups within Taroona would also benefit from promotion. A concept needs to be considered that includes a welcome to Taroona sign similar in concept to the Township Signage Program currently being rolled out by Council but different in design being an urban area and more like a community billboard sign with changeable information. A plan to improve the community facilities within the park could again be an inter council project and this discussion paper offers an opportunity for the community to provide input Existing signs on the park are shown below and show the need for change on this site. Figure 4 arrays of signs on the reserve FACILITIES Being a prominent site on the touring road along the Derwent River and with the Grange stone trough having a heritage listing it would be beneficial to visitors and residents to improve the current facilities on the reserve to attract and inform users. Picnic facilities could be up graded and a landscape plan developed that represents the historic nature of the site and links to native bush of Cartwright’s Reserve and the Truganini Conservation Area. INTERPRETATION This reserve can provide a great opportunity for interpretation and storytelling that encourages visitors and residents to understand the history of the area, make contact with other community groups and be made aware of the significance of this site. For many years this reserve provided information to the community and only in recent years was the structure that provided the information dismantled as it had been wrecked. Now is the time to provide a much needed new form of interpretation and community message board. Most importantly is the need to remove the plethora of signage and temporary signs that destroy the natural qualities of this area. CONCLUSION This paper is a discussion between Council and the community and we will be led by community desire and need to try and achieve a better outcome that ensures community messages are broadcast into the community, that individual groups have the opportunity and that the reserve is reinstated into a gem for Kingborough at the entry to this municipality on Channel Highway. Please send your comments to Attention Kristine Ancher C/- [email protected] .