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Bellerive's beautiful waterfront

I grew up on Victoria Esplanade opposite the starting box and spent a lot of my childhood on the foreshore as I grew up. I am now still living in Bellerive as an adult with my own children who are now 4 and 7 years old. We still visit Victoria Esplanade weekly when visiting my parents who still live there.

The foreshore has changed a lot since I was young. When the bike track was first put in, it was such a contrast to the old dirt track! It looked too stark for my liking. I had the same reaction when the carparks were put in. What has transformed this area for the better is that the council have made this place highly accessible through the development of the bike track in this area. It is now regularly a hub of activity, even in the winter. For me the thing that sets this apart from the rest of the bike track all the way to Howrah, is the outstanding landscaping that has been conducted by CoastCare and supported by the council. I regularly travel on the bike track as both a pedestrian with my dog as well as a bike rider from Victoria Esplanade all the way through the Howrah Primary, and this Victoria Esplanade section is without a doubt the most beautifully maintained and cared for part of the track. The whole walking/riding experience already has the outstanding natural backdrop of the Derwent and Mount Wellington across to the city, and the existing landscaping makes this whole area stunning. I would personally like to pass on my congratulations to the council and CoastCare for the work they have done - I have run out of superlatives to express how positively I feel about this area!!

What concerned me about the 'Project Information' in this 'Have your say', is that the people reviewing this project do not seem to feel the same way. It appears that the perception of the landscaping is negative. I am specifically writing today so that the team in charge of the project know that I love this space and I know that others in our community who I speak with feel the same way - I am not the only one! With the new carparks created, the accessibility issues which I agree would have been problematic for prams and people with disabilities, have not been rectified.

As someone who travels on this path regularly, I have no issues as a rider or pedestrian with the proximity of the vegetation to the path. To me the way that it sweeps with the track creates a wonderful new aspect of the experience. This landscaping has not only improved the aesthetics of the whole area, it provides invaluable habitat for our local native animals (a further drawcard for visitors and tourists to the area). Please value this beautiful creation. It is a natural asset that should be maintained and appreciated.



Consultation has concluded

brass band about 4 years ago
Congratulations Dal on your 2020 Citizen of the Year award, very well deserved. Unfortunately CCC and state government continue the neglect of the Bellerive Fort. Probably the best viewing site of Hobart, Sullivans Cove and the Derwent on the eastern shore. Combined with the Fort buildings and structures that depict our cultural, heritage and historical background it is an opportunity waiting to happen.