Joint Release with the Premier of Tasmania Will Hodgman, Minister for the Arts Mitch Fifield and Senator for Tasmania Richard Colbeck
The Huon Valley is set to play host to a new world-class tourist attraction, with the Federal Government and the Tasmanian Government teaming up with Dark Lab to back a new project to attract more visitors to the region.
Dark Lab is a subsidiary of the globally-acclaimed Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) and is responsible for the highly-successful Dark Mofo festival.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said the $1.5 million funding commitment from the Liberal-National Government, in conjunction with $500,000 from the Tasmanian Liberal Government, for a major public art installation in the Huon Valley will help provide a much needed tourism boost to the region.
“Given the recent bushfires had an impact on tourism, this project is about bringing more visitors back into the Huon Valley and more importantly tourism dollars back into the local community,” Minister Birmingham said.
“This art installation will be situated in the Huon Valley and I expect will be a major tourism drawcard for Tasmanians but also thousands of interstate and international visitors.
“Tasmania has been long-regarded for its natural beauty, but more recently experiences like Mona and the Dark Mofo Festival have well and truly put Tasmania on the cultural tourism map. I expect this unique installation will add to Tassie’s incredibly rich visitor experience.”
“I acknowledge the Tasmanian Liberal Senate team for their continued advocacy for this project and other initiatives to help with the bushfire recovery efforts in Tasmania’s south.”
Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman said that encouraging tourists to visit the Huon over the coming months is a key focus of the recovery process.
“This exciting project will be a huge boost to the visitor economy in the Huon and will support local businesses and tourism jobs,” Premier Hodgman said.
“The Tasmanian Liberal Government, through our investment of $500,000, is very pleased to be collaborating with the Morrison Government, and Dark Lab to deliver a unique tourism experience to the Huon.”
Minister for Communication and the Arts Mitch Fifield said the project would draw on the success of other major public art installations as experienced at recent Dark Mofo festivals, such as the iconic ‘spectra’ lighting beam.
“I have no doubt an art installation of the scale and ambition under consideration, will help lure more tourism numbers to the region, providing a welcome boost to the local economy.
Senator for Tasmania Richard Colbeck said the funding commitment was welcome news for Tasmania’s far south following the indefinite closure of the Tahune Airwalk.
“Growing Tasmania’s tourism industry has made an enormous contribution to the turnaround of the Tasmanian economy and our Government with the Tasmanian Government is delivering this new tourism opportunity to help get the Huon Valley back on its feet.”