Outcomes -February Council Meeting

At the Council meeting held 24 February, Council: 

• Received questions on notice from a member of the public relating to gyms operated by West Coast Council – The General Manager advised new equipment has arrived recently, with the Director of Infrastructure & Operations working to resolve the maintenance contract.  The matters raised in the questions relate to operational, contractual, and service delivery issues. These matters are currently being reviewed and will be addressed through a forthcoming Council report on gym operations, scheduled for consideration at a future Council meeting. Accordingly, responses to the questions will be provided through that report rather than during Public Question Time. The General Manager will also communicate with the member of the public as more details are confirmed. 

• Received a question on notice from Cr Iwanicki asking when the community and businesses will receive an update on the progress of the Next Iconic  Walk – The General Manager followed up with project lead from Parks and Wildlife on 17 February and was advised further communication will be available shortly on the project as the  project scoping remains incomplete especially in relation to the carparking solutions for walkers and several sites are being considered.  There are a number of zoning issues being worked through with various sites being considered. It was reiterated in conversations that the community is keen to understand the project and would welcome as early as possible further updates.  

• Received a question on notice from Cr Iwanicki regarding the previously announced funding, in partnership with the Queenstown Junior Basketball Association, for upgrades to the Queenstown Sports Stadium – This grant has recently been reviewed, and a detailed response is included in the closed meeting due to financial details for Councils consideration. The General Manager advised he understood the project would be completed by the end of 2026.  

• Received a question on notice from Cr Iwanicki asking for an update on efforts to secure the purchase of Mandy Hunniford’s “To those that did not return home” memorial artwork – Records indicate Council wrote in March 2024 to a number of mining companies following the Council Workshop held in February 2023 to seek interest in a collaborative purchase of the artwork. Some indicative interest was received; however, the contributions offered did not meet the amount sought and we believe no agreement was entered into. The matter was managed by the General Manager and staff at that time, and further review of records is required to confirm what correspondence was provided to the artist by previous staff. The Mayor advised he also been in contact with Mandy several times, and this matter may need to be reviewed this year given the change in mining companies and leadership.  

• Received a question on notice from Cr McKay regarding Fossey River toilet upgrade, asking if any correspondence or information has been received from Waratah-Wynyard Council, and what progress has been made regarding the design, functionality and delivery of the upgrade  – The project was followed up directly with State Growth and the project is being completed based on the following. Project commenced on the 19 January and is due to be completed by June 2026 depending on weather impacts. Project plans have been requested and will be circulated as soon as available. Initial inquiries with the Waratah Wynard Council have shown little consultation has occurred.  

• Received a question on notice from Cr McKay regarding the extended closured of Dick Clarke’s Jetty – The Director of Infrastructure & Operations confirmed the jetty is owned by Crown Land, with West Coast Council leaseholders. Under the lease, Council is responsible for any construction and repair. Applications for MAST funding have closed. The Director advised the jetty requires extensive repair works and may need to send divers in to inspect underwater. A Request for Quote (RFQ) has been developed to enable Council to receive a repair price and develop appropriate budget allocation next financial year. The Mayor reiterated that Council staff had previously been asked to seek MAST grant funding from MAST and more efforts should be made to secure MAST assistance with inspections and funding.  

• Received a question without notice from Cr McKay regarding parking in the Strahan Slipway carpark and the issues being experienced by those needing to pay for parking, seeking clarification of how parking can be paid and clearer messaging regarding parking – The Manager of Organisational Performance advised that Council is aware of the parking machine issues. Many users have been selecting the incorrect parking option, often because the touchscreen responds slowly and requires patience while it changes screens. To assist, Council arranged for Visitor Centre staff to spend time on site helping people use the machine. While the app is not the only payment method, it is the probably the best option. Council has updated the explanatory signage to make it clearer, and through the Visitor Centre we have encouraged tourism operators to advise visitors to download the app when booking Strahan experiences, so they are prepared ahead of time. Council has provided refunds to people who accidentally selected the wrong parking option and will be adjusting the order of options on the machine so that daily parking appears first. Councillors also noted the EasyPark app is used throughout Tasmania. 

• Discussed the Premier’s response to Council’s query regarding access to breast screening for West Coast women.  Noting that the breast screen bus is scheduled to visit Queenstown in May 2026. 

• Noted updates from each department. 

• Approved the renewal of a lease with the Zeehan Community Christian Church for the Zeehan Community Hall for five years.  

• Approved the renewal of a lease with the Bureau of Meteorology for part of the Strahan Aerodrome for a further five years. The BOM use part the facility for a weather station. 

• Received a report relating to Tasmania’s 20-year preventative health strategy, with Councillors raising concerns about the strategy placing additional pressures on local government.  Council endorsed a response to be provided to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing 

• Endorsed a Community Engagement Policy, Community Engagement Framework and Staff Toolkit 

• Endorsed the Safeguarding Children and Young People 2026-2030 Policy and Action Plan, and resolved to continue to advocate, through the Local Government Association of Tasmania, for additional State Government support, to implement recommendations. 

• Endorsed the lighting up of Miner’s Siding in Queenstown between 8-15 April 2026 to raise awareness around Parkinson’s Disease, as part of Parkinson’s Disease Association #SparkTheNight initiative. 

• Approved the renewal of a lease with the Rosebery Athletics Club for part of the Rosebery Memorial Hall for a further five years. The Club use a room for storage and to hold meetings. 

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The live streaming of the meeting, via our YouTube channel failed.