The Rockliff Liberal Government continues to invest in tourism infrastructure to recognise and grow our visitor economy and create more jobs for Tasmanians.
Minister for Heritage, Nick Duigan, today launched a new Convict Memorial Hub visitor experience at the National Trust’s Penitentiary Chapel following a $1.25 million investment from the Government into the development of the experience and the conservation of the Campbell Street site.
“Called ‘Unshackled – Hobart Penitentiary’, the experience takes visitors into the recently conserved 1860 interior of the Criminal Court to engage with digital recreations of the convicts whose assignment to private landholders enabled colonial expansion into regional Tasmania,” Minister Duigan said.
“The project has utilised more than one million digital convict records from the Tasmanian Archives, convict images and stories, and was the brain-child of former National Trust Tasmania board member Professor Hamish Maxwell-Stewart.
“The Convict Memorial Hub is a ground-breaking digital attraction that allows visitors to explore the life stories of the 75,000 convicts who came to Tasmania between 1803 and 1853.
“Complementing Tasmania’s existing UNESCO World Heritage convict sites, including the recently launched ‘Re-assign’ visitor experience in Northern Tasmania, Unshackled has the potential to broaden the economic benefit of heritage tourism by connecting visitors with the rural and regional areas to which convicts were assigned to work.
“I’m delighted this will add a new string for Tasmania’s tourism bow, re-introducing relatable people and stories to Tasmania’s incomparable heritage and natural landscapes.
“We know visitors want experiences that tell a deeper story and Tasmania’s rich cultural heritage can be an economic driver for regional communities.
“Activating these spaces with 21st century technology, in collaboration with Roar Film, further highlights the economic value that our heritage places can contribute to Tasmania.
“The Rockliff Liberal Government is pleased to be able to invest in projects that showcase Tasmania, create jobs and also provide a productive and innovative way to ensure our heritage places are conserved into the future,” Minister Duigan said.
