Beautiful and bountiful
I was elected to the Northern Midlands Council in 1999. In 2000 I was elected Mayor, a position I still hold today.
The Northern Midlands Council was formed in 1993 following the amalgamation of several municipalities. It covers 5,130 square kilometres. We maintain the longest length of roads of any Council in Tasmania and have 154 bridges. We were the first council in Tasmania to become debt free. Our large industrial estate, Translink, nestles beside the Launceston Airport. Our 12,000 residents live in the historic heartland of Tasmania.
Many outstanding products come from our area. We have two abattoirs, a large cattle feedlot, wool production and crops including poppies (producing opium alkaloids for the pharmaceutical market). Harvest Moon grows, packs and markets its vegetables to many parts of the world. With the introduction of huge irrigation schemes our farmers will assist Tasmania to become the food bowl of Australia. Aquaculture is thriving in the Northern Midlands where Petuna Seafoods will shortly be producing 6.5 million premium salmon per year. We are world renowned for our trout fishing. Our berry industry is growing from strength to strength. Burlington Berries near Cressy grow strawberries and raspberries for the Californian berry company Driscolls. The Gourmet Sauce Company near Evandale provides its delicious produce to many of the hotels in Dubai and mustards to Japan. Our Joseph Chromy Wines recently won the best in show chardonnay at London’s World Wine Awards.
Tourists love to explore our heritage towns, villages, historic Clarendon House, Ross Wool Centre and World Heritage listed convict built estates Woolmers and Brickendon. Convict craftsmanship endures throughout the area; the intricate carvings on the Ross Bridge (1836) are intriguing. Buried in our bosom are the famous colonial artists Tom Roberts and John Glover. Cyclists love to visit and are passionate in helping Council refurbish a velodrome track. Ben Lomond National Park and Ski Resort dominate our northern skies. Longford was the home of the Australian Grand Prix in 1950s and 1960s. Symmons Plains attracts 60,000 people to watch the V8 Supercars each year.
Challenges ahead
Some of Council’s challenges are the ability to live within our means, attracting growth and development, flooding and stormwater issues and succession planning. However we have many innovative programs and policies including providing walking tracks within towns, an economic development strategy for the area, a health needs assessment for the northern part of the municipal area, property ownership rationalisation and private management of our sports centre. Some specific successes include the vision of fully treated water to major towns, sewer reuse schemes, establishing waste transfer stations, building infrastructure upgrading programs, replacing timber bridges with concrete structures (only three major bridges to go!), setting up local district committees and a special grant program for community groups and events.
Council has won several national awards for its services and products. We keenly participate in a sub-regional alliance of councils so that we can continue to improve our practices and reinforce the fact that the Northern Midlands is a great place to live, work and play.
