As the first Council to sign a Partnership Agreement with the State Government, Mayor Ross Hine believes that being a small Council, with a population of 8,100 people, has helped Circular Head respond quickly to take full advantage of the benefits on offer.
“Our community is fully supportive of the Agreement,” he said. “There is a clear realisation that Council is stepping out of the traditional Local Government bounds, that it has accepted the challenge and is thinking strategically at the highest level.”
General Manager Paul Arnold said that in spite of the area’s many attributes and its substantial contribution to the State’s GDP, the long distance from the seat of power in Hobart has meant it has often been forgotten. “The Partnership Agreement has turned this feeling of isolation around,” he said.
“The Agreement has 15 separate schedules which were negotiated over a six month timeframe. Fully implemented they have the potential to turn Circular Head into one of the most progressive areas in the State. “The resources of the State and Council will be focused on achieving these outcomes over the next three years.”
Mayor Ross Hine said that Council now has an open line to the Premier. For the first time local initiatives and issues are being canvassed with the State Government at the highest level. With the Partnership program based on Councils working closely with their communities to identify areas for economic, social and environmental advancement, late last year Circular Head ran a number of public forums.
Some 80 residents worked with Councillors and staff to pinpoint the area’s strengths and identify potential for economic growth. Located on the North West tip of Tasmania, Circular Head boasts the very enviable reputation of having the cleanest air anywhere on the planet. Readings taken at the Cape Grim Base Monitoring Station at Woolnorth have been scientifically certified as such.
As the westerly winds reach North West Tasmania, this is the first landform they have touched since South America. This is the longest stretch of uninterrupted ocean anywhere on the planet. With the main industries being agriculture, horticulture, forestry, tourism and fishing, Circular Head is basing its strategy firmly on its ‘clean and green’ reputation.
Initially, emphasis is being placed on its strong dairy sector, and the potential to produce high quality, organic and chemical free products that can fetch premium prices in the global marketplace.
As a result, management of the environment is tied very closely with economic development initiatives. This emphasis on the environment is a further drawcard to the many tourists who each year visit the historic township of Stanley and the surrounding area, as well as improving amenity for local residents.
