Tas Courts Plans to Repurpose 200-Year-Old Treasury

The repurposing of a complex of buildings in Australia’s second-oldest city has moved forward as calls for “bold, transformational ideas” herald the beginning of an expressions-of-interest campaign.

The Treasury Building Complex in Hobart, built from 1824 to 1957, is eight interconnecting buildings comprising 8200sq m of floor area on a block bounded by Macquarie, Davey, Murray and Elizabeth streets, neighbouring Franklin Square.

In November of last year, the Tasmanian Government announced it would seek developer interest to create a future for the buildings.

Now, a registration-of-interest process is under way, which will pave the way for the expressions-of-interest campaign.

Premier Guy Barnett said the precinct was “ripe for a suitable development that can stimulate investment, growth and confidence in the state right throughout the design, construction and operational stages as well as create more jobs and economic activity within Southern Tasmania”.

“We have seen the amazing development at Parliament Square and the Tasman, which has not only preserved the heritage characteristics of the buildings but is now home to … hospitality offerings, accessible to Tasmanians and visitors,” Barnett said.

The push to redevelop the complex was first mooted in 2018 when an expressions-of-interest process was begun but was abandoned after the pandemic shifted government priorities.

▲ The complex of buildings is a block from the historic waterfront of Hobart.

Leasing, selling, refurbishing or repurposing the complex are all suggested as possible outcomes for the future of the complex by the government website for the project.

The buildings in the complex include the oldest Supreme Court in Australia, which was built in 1824.

Another seven buildings were constructed from then to 1957, including the Police and Convict Office in 1835 and Public Offices in 1841. Both were designed by colonial architect John Lee Archer. The latter, constructed by convict James Blackburn, was the first public building to house the treasurer of Van Diemen’s Land, the colonial name of Tasmania.

The complex has also housed offices for the attorney-general, the chief justice, the premier and a variety of government ministers.

The current occupants of the complex include about  250 Tasmanian government staff from the Department of Treasury and Finance, and the government’s courier service and ministerial drivers.