February 2023
And here it is in PDF format Summary of tCA meetings – 7 February 2023
January 2023
To book for the Community Vision workshop click HERE
November 2022
YOU CAN BUY THESE RAFFLE TICKETS @ PORT HAIR AND BEAUTY, 21 MARY STREET, CYGNET or ONLINE
Transfer the amount you want to spend to:
The Cygnet Association
BSB 633000
Account No 152 375 879
Put your name and phone number as the reference and on the 10th December we’ll let you know which prize you’ve won! Just in time for Christmas.
August 2022
Proposed amendments to the Cygnet Association constitution
July 2022
Invitation to ‘Cygnet Skills up for Success’
What is the Cygnet Association up to this month?
Summary of Cygnet Association meeting – 5 July 2022
May 2022
Landcare Cygnet has been meeting on the last Sunday of the month at 10am in Burtons Reserve – armed with weeding tools of all sorts.
By working together for 2 hours a lot can be achieved and the Native Food Garden is in much better shape for it.
There is still plenty to do in Burtons and across the road along the Agnes Rivulet. If you would like to join the group simply turn up at 10 am on the last Sunday of the month with your gear.
And if you bring your lunch there are usually a few who stay on to BBQ or picnic.
February 2022
The Cygnet Association was pleased to welcome Julie Collins MP to visit the new Water Station that we have recently installed.
Her office facilitated the granting of an Australian Government ‘Stronger Communities Grant’ of $8250 that allowed the Cygnet Association to purchase and install the unit. The filtered water tastes perfect – not a hint of chlorine.
So don’t forget to have a drink while passing and fill up your bottle.
- Good hydration is essential for good health.
- Less plastic waste is good for our environment.
The Cygnet Association: “making Cygnet an even better place to live, work and visit”
JULY 2021
MAY 26 2021
All comments have now been scanned and can be viewed at https://cygnetassociation.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/scanned-comments.pdf
MAY 16 2021
98 local residents participated in our Community Consultation today. We now have a mass of information to work through. So, thanks to all of you who took this opportunity to consider and comment on the submissions we received over the last few weeks.
And, of course, thank you to those of you who sent in the comments that are displayed at New Street – comments & suggestions
It will take time to study the information we now have but one thing is immediately obvious: the proposed new street is considered important by many in the community.
MAY 2021
During the recent election campaign the Tasmanian Liberal Party pledged $5 million towards street improvements in Cygnet.
April 2021
For various options and relevant information click:
New Street
For comments and suggestions click:
New Street – comments & suggestions
March 2021
At the Huon Valley Council’s AGM on the 10th March tCA proposed this motion which was passed unanimously and so it will be a topic for discussion at the next Council meeting.
MOTION TO HVC AGM
The Cygnet Association moves that a report be prepared for Councillors detailing all the costs involved in advancing the “Cygnet New Street” project to “shovel ready” status and recommends that the sum needed to advance this council-endorsed community investment should be included in the 21-22 budget.
BACKGROUND:
The Cygnet Association recognises the rapid increase in population in our township and surrounding area and this has been quantified to some extent by the SGS population growth projections through to 2036 that indicate that this trend is likely to continue and probably accelerate.
We also recognise on a day to day basis the increased traffic congestion and difficult parking in Mary Street as the population grows while simultaneously Cygnet becomes an increasingly popular destination for day visitors from Hobart.
HVC consistently approves new subdivisions and recommends the rezoning of land for residential development. As a result Council receives more and more rates income from the district but, historically, Council has spent less in Cygnet, on a per capita basis, than in any other township in the municipality.
We also recognise that Huon Valley Council endorsed the Cygnet Township Plan in 2009 that includes a new street (parallel to and to the east of Mary Street) and supplementary parking. This was also a feature of the 2004 township plan
To the best of our knowledge the construction plans have not yet been prepared and required land has not been acquired for this street. Not much progress has happened in the last 12 years. We all know that deferring essential infrastructure spending simply results in it being more expensive later.
We also acknowledge that this is a major project that will require external funding to fully realise. This is why we consider it so important that this project be advanced to “shovel ready” status. We all know that the best candidates for grant funding are “shovel ready” projects. Especially during times of economic uncertainty and stimulus funding.
Businesses and individuals around the country are currently taking advantage of these historically low interest rates to borrow money to invest for the future while the Huon Valley Council is sitting on some $13.4 million that is currently losing value in the banks because interest returns are less than inflation.
We suggest that the required funds should be allocated in next year’s budget even if they have to be withdrawn from the very significant cash reserves that Council appears to still be holding in low interest Term Deposits.
January 2021
Cygnet’s population growth seems likely to outpace infrastructure abilities
The population of Cygnet is growing much faster than either Council or most of us in the community anticipated.
This has provided opportunities and relative prosperity for some, but there have also been negative impacts. Houses and rentals are now far more expensive which means that there are people who were born and grew up in Cygnet who simply can’t afford to live here any longer and are having to move away from family and friends. This is not good for the sense of community that Cygnet has always valued so highly.
A recent report from SGS Economics & Planning shows that in the past 9 years, 110 new housing lots have been created within the township itself and they estimate that there will be demand for another 730 dwellings by 2036 and around 100 of these are already in the pipeline.
The report does not include the many new dwellings being built in the surrounding area, or “greater Cygnet”. These, of course, contribute to the traffic and other infrastructure issues. The SGS report concludes that “In the current market, land values may become prohibitive for households to move into Cygnet.”
President of the Cygnet Association, Howard Wilcockson, says that
“Council has fallen behind in providing the infrastructure needed to keep up with population growth. More houses, more people, more traffic. Twenty years ago traffic was hardly a consideration but now Mary Street is often congested and even finding a parking spot or simply crossing the street can be a challenge. It would seem to me that there is a substantial pedestrian /vehicle clash which could easily result in a serious accident.”
Mr Wilcockson pointed out that the issue has been around for a long time.
In 2004 Council engaged the town planners, Inspiring Place to develop a Cygnet Township Development Plan. Even back then the planners could see that Mary Street would become congested as it is not only the main street but is the only road through Cygnet. The planners proposed that a new street should be built on the flat land behind the shops.
The 2004 plan was revised in 2009 and the proposed new street was extended to join Mary Street next to the BP servo with a new car park at the entrance. This was endorsed by Council but it’s now well over a decade since then and nothing has been done.
This is the most recent plan for the New Street
In the meantime Council continually approves new residential developments and traffic congestion and parking gets worse though the new car park behind the Town Hall certainly helps.
“We recognise that this is a major project and no one expected it to happen overnight. But Council has now had plenty of time to purchase the required land and put the funding aside to proceed. So far no plans have been prepared and Council has given us no indication of a time frame.
The Cygnet Association has lobbied Council over this issue for quite a few years but we have received no meaningful commitment.
We call on Council to act now and, at the very least, acquire the land and finalise the plans so that if the State or Federal Governments are looking for “shovel ready” projects to stimulate the economy this can be presented as ready to go.
We understand why people want to settle here. It’s a great place to live and the Cygnet Association wants it to stay that way. But if the population grows much faster than the infrastructure and services can cope with, it will not remain so.”
One of Council’s primary roles is to ensure that infrastructure matches development.
If you are interested in reading the entire SGS report it is available here: SGS Report
For updates on the New Street click: New Street
Hydration
remember to drink regularly
November 2020
New subdivision planned for Cygnet
(Here is the representation we sent to Huon Valley Council)
PSA 2/2017 and SUB 36/2017 Channel Highway, Cygnet
The Cygnet Association committee has discussed the proposed rezoning and subdivision of land on the lower side of the Channel Highway (Lot 1) currently zoned Particular Purpose and within the Urban Growth Boundary of Cygnet.
The proposal is to rezone the land to General Residential, with a subdivision of 61 lots (72 houses) with potential additional dwellings on many lots.
The Cygnet Association recognises the increasingly rapid population growth that has been occurring within the township and in surrounding areas and the need for provision for additional housing within the township, both through infill and greenfield development. It is likely that the lots created through this subdivision and advertised online will result in many new residents from other parts of Tasmania, interstate and overseas. Current residents and businesses need to be assured that the demand on services, such as health and education, have been fully considered as well as the need for jobs for new residents of working age. Access to the assessments made, ie the data, should made available.
Cygnet is a small town with a historic streetscape and a diverse population and has for many years been characterised by its arts and cultural activity, so the design of new housing within the town should ideally reflect these aspects of the life of Cygnet. The situation at the head of the spectacular bay that is Port Cygnet is one of the important features of the town and views of the water are part of the draw for people to live in the area.
The rezoning and subdivision of the site at Lot 1 Channel Highway represents an opportunity for subdivision with high quality design standards and visual amenity. This is particularly important when the area of the subdivision is viewed in relation to the rest of the town because it is such a large site compared to previous subdivisions.
Issues that were raised by the Cygnet Association committee include the following:
Traffic
- Infrastructure provision in the centre of Cygnet is currently being stretched by the growing population, both within Cygnet and especially in the surrounding area, and the council’s township plans of 2004 and 2009 must be immediately reviewed and action taken to relieve traffic congestion in the centre of the town.
- The entrance/exit of the subdivision is close to the crest of the hill for traffic from the south and the plans show no slip road for entry into the subdivision from the south. From a road safety perspective this appears to be more important than the road widening on the north side because the sight distance is much shorter and traffic entering the town has been travelling on a country road, and therefore likely to have been travelling at a higher speed than that from the centre of the town. The speed limit drops to 50km/h shortly before the crest. There is a real risk that minor traffic hold-ups at the entrance/exit will cause up to a dozen vehicles to queue as far as the crest and that rear-end collisions will result.
Sewerage
-
There has recently been a proposal by TasWater to move the outlet from the Cygnet Waste Water Treatment Plant (CTP) so that the discharge is further down Port Cygnet and further out in the bay in deeper water.
-
Detailed data on the volume of sewage currently processed and the total expected increase if this subdivision and others proceed needs to be provided, since it is proposed to reduce the attenuation zone around the CTP (PSA 1/2020) in order for this subdivision to proceed, and the complete data is important in that context.
Stormwater
- There is potential to design the development using the principles of water sensitive urban design as set out by Hobart City Council. This is particularly important for a greenfield site where there is potential to use modern design and technology to minimise runoff into Port Cygnet, which is an important conservation area.
- Permeable surfaces and appropriate vegetation can both reduce runoff and increase residents’ amenity in an area which is the boundary between the town, the rural surrounds and, most importantly, the waterway.
- Is it sufficient to use a treatment solution that simply removes pollutants from the stormwater without making provision for minimising runoff?
Visual amenity
- The rezoning includes the removal of 60m of the scenic overlay so that building lots immediately adjacent to the Channel Highway can be provided. The scenic overlay was included in the Huon Valley Interim Planning Scheme 2015 in order to protect the views of Port Cygnet and, if anything, the scenic protection corridor should be extended back towards Cygnet so that views along the whole section between numbers 7381 and 7357 Channel Highway are protected. Buildings in the subdivision would then be further from the road and less subject to traffic noise.
- This extension of the scenic overlay would also allow a footpath between the existing highway and the subdivision and enable greater appreciation of the views towards Port Cygnet.
- Permit conditions for the site could also specify appropriate street trees, which would contribute to water uptake and reduce runoff. Such landscaping would enhance the desirability of the lots, thus increasing the developer’s return and the rates income to the council from the subdivision.
Public Open Space
- The land allocated for public open space is the plan shown is minimal and this is not consistent with the council’s Health and Recreation Strategy in which the council recognises the need for recreational walking tracks convenient to townships.
- In the subdivision plan additional public open space could be allocated to provide setback of dwellings from the Channel Highway by 10 – 15m to provide a walking track for residents of Cygnet as well as those living in the development.
- The bushfire hazard zone to the east of the subdivision could be rezoned Open Space and a narrow strip behind lots 42 to 48, where there is already proposed to be a sewer easement, could be allocated to public open space to link a walking track from the Esplanade to the Channel Highway via the scenic route around the subdivision.
- The footpath beside the Channel Highway from no. 7381 to the corner of Smith Street would need to be upgraded.
July 2019
At the June 26th meeting of Huon Valley Council two significant items related to Cygnet.
- The decision was made to sell the Cygnet Medical Centre
- It was decided to demolish the existing toilets in Burtons Reserve and replace with new ones.
The minutes of the meeting will be on the HVC website within a few days.
For those of you who are interested here is the letter we received from council about the proposed medical centre sale:
190627 Letter to CA from HVC
Cygnet Township Development Plan 2009
The 10th anniversary of this development plan is rolling round and little has been achieved.
We know that money is always in short supply but traffic and parking are becoming ever more significant issues. The population of our township and surrounding areas is increasing and with this the income that council receives from us increases as well. Surely after 10 years it is, at the very least, time to purchase the required land for Stage 1 – the proposed new street.
This new street would alleviate much of the congestion on Mary Street by removing some of the traffic and allowing delivery vehicles direct access to the back of the shops.
Please let us know what you think at cygnetassociation@gmail.com or comment on our Facebook page Facebook – Cygnet
Proposed sale of the Cygnet Medical Centre
March 2019
At yesterday’s HVC meeting it was resolved unanimously to revisit the decision by Adriana Taylor to sell the Cygnet Medical Centre.
For information about the “Old School Farm” development consultation click “HERE”
Huon Valley Council (HVC) owns a large block (approx. 4ha / 10 acres) of vacant land, right in the heart of Cygnet, behind the new Medical Centre in George Street. This was the Cygnet Area School farm and currently HVC /ratepayers get no income or other financial benefit from ownership of this valuable land. It may even be costing us money.
In 2003 plans were drawn up for a 31 housing lot sub-division and then in 2009 new plans were prepared for a combination of 13 housing lots and 18 pairs of con-joined “independent living units”. For various reasons nothing has happened. For more click here: More ……..
Looking south at the council depot
www.handmadeincygnet.com
Cygnet was once a “gold rush” town and there is still gold in our hills. As for the Le Weekend cabaret a glass of wine and finger food will be provided. Do come to this year’s cabaret, support our town, learn more about it’s history and support The Cygnet Association. Bring your friends! It should be a great night.
Keep Australia Beautiful
has just awarded a Heritage and Culture certificate of excellence to:
Le Weekend Team
Le Weekend at Cygnet – Celebrating Cygnet’s French history
cygnet.org.au 