Community Environment Art & Design Townscape

1. Community Environment Art & Design
Townscape Projects
St Marys Townscape Project Report
John Latham - Community Townscape Architect (Team Manager)
An inspiring moment arose when a group of soulful locals banded together to properly own the future
of their township. St Marys was in sufferance, not only of routine ‘towards 2000 blues’, but also of
loss of a lot of through traffic because of the East Coast bypass. The plight of the town was somewhat
acknowledged, following application, through Federal, State, Local Government, Break O’Day
Council and even Hobart Council assistance; not forgetting the grit of the local community. Part of
this acknowledgment was in the form of cultural townscape programming.
Sensitive collaboration of community and professionals has produced the ‘St Marys Townscape
Report’ together with a sense of unified direction, self-respect, information and hope within the
township. The report addresses pressing issues of townscape, cultural heritage, hinterland, regional
context, lifestyle and economy by presenting a flexible wish list on which to consider pragmatic
development opportunity as it arises. It enlightens the fading raison d’etre and also gives some tips for
property enhancement. It is acknowledged by the local planning scheme and is available from the St
Marys State Library.
CEAD Australia Council, local Council and community funding. Lorraine Biggs – Artist, Chris Round –
Landscape, Greg Lehman – Aboriginal Heritage, Jenily Venaglia – Facilitator, Robert Vincent – Cultural Heritage
The Bicheno Townscape Manual
John Latham - Community Townscape Architect (Team Manager)
The, community established, East Coast Regional Development Organisation initiated a collaborative
townscape program for a key township under its regional umbrella. With some Federal and
Glamorgan Spring Bay Council assistance and working closely with an existing Bicheno Townscape
Committee and an enthusiastic community packing the zing of sea air a comprehensive manual was
produced. The manual is intended as a ready reference for development or strategy in Bicheno by any
authority or developer. It has enunciated the key aspects of the character of the town and locale
making links with Aboriginal and European heritage, natural landscape, sea, the local theatre group,
the school, town planning, public art and so on. The manual was intended to build on the will of
established community work and evidences the significant connection between physical and living
cultural occurrence in that it has linked to theatre and provided some energy to the movement for the
recent Ships, Settlers and Saw Horses Opera proposal. It is to be considered in the development of the
municipal strategic plan and is held by the Bicheno State Library.
CEAD Australia Council funding. Lorraine Biggs – Artist, Lindi Scripps – Historian, Am O’Brien – Landscape,
Greg Lehman – Aboriginal Heritage, Jenily Venaglia - Facilitator

2. The St Helens Townscape Plan
John Latham - Community Townscape Architect (Joint Team Manager)
The Break O’Day Council commissioned a plan for the future of St Helens township based on the
principles of community ownership and addressing the broader town character, regionality and town
centre detail. Community workshopping and thorough liaison with the Council has produced a
document which addresses the ‘threshold of change’ concept prominent in the community and the
duality of opinions on matters of tourism, town image and breadth of focus. Broader environmental,
heritage and future issues were necessarily weighed into character concepts for the town centre. The
feeling of the community has shifted the planning focus from highway town to destination point cum
seaside recluse; the proposed town heart transcends the strip character. The Plan remains with the
community in Council politics.
CEAD Australia Council funding. Lorraine Biggs - Artist , AnneMarie O’Brien – Landscape Architect, Julie
Stoneman – Artist/Landscape, Greg Lehman – Aboriginal culture, Jenily Venaglia – Community Facilitation
The North Hobart Townscape Project .
John Latham – Project Concept Developer, Coordinator with the Hobart City Council, committee manager and
implementations coordinations.
The Hobart City Council engaged urban designers and an artist to establish an ongoing development
program for Central North Hobart. The project document won a National Town Planning Day
recognition. It has resulted in the Community Cultural Pavement Art and recently a cultural events
bollard and private development streetscape and use guidelines.
CEAD Australia Council, local Council and community funding. Sean Kelly – Project Artist, Leigh Woolley-
Architect, Jerry DeGryse – Landscape Architect, James Jones – Architect, Julie Stoneman – Pavement Artist