Living in Dorset

Dorset Council provides community services based on the principles of quality, equity, value and responsiveness.

Services

Community

Contact us

Phone (03) 6352 6500
Fax (03) 6352 6509
After hrs 1300 858 824

Visiting Dorset

Dorset has a unique blend of wilderness, wildlife, stunning scenery, mining heritage, secluded beaches and world class golf courses.

Services

Community

Contact us

Phone (03) 6352 6500
Fax (03) 6352 6509
After hrs 1300 858 824

Business community in Dorset

Dorset Council is focused on providing support to potential investors to facilitate sustainable developments large and small.

Services

Community

Contact us

Phone (03) 6352 6500
Fax (03) 6352 6509
After hrs 1300 858 824

Looking for something specific? Try a search.

Major Projects

Scottsdale Bike Park

Scottsdale Bike Park 2023

Planning has commenced for the Scottsdale Bike Park. Design and construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Timeline of events

2019 – Community petition for a Scottsdale Pump Track

2019 – Labour Election Commitment to build a Pump Track (Liberal win meant the project stalled)

2020 – Project officially picked up by Dorset Council

2021 – Discussions within the community lead to development of a Scottsdale Bike Park concept.

2021 – Successful funding application to Premiers Fund for Children and Young People

2021 – Anonymous donation received to allow us to commence the project

2023 – Concept, design and construction to start!!

Location

Investigations of various sites across Scottsdale have led to the determination that there is really only one viable option – Northeast Park.

Recreation Ground – Area behind the Skate Park– sewer and stormwater lines run beneath significantly restricting the available area. No other sites available at the Rec Ground
Anzac Park – significant size constraints and the Cenotaph
Rail Corridor - limited suitable options, no facilities, lengthy approvals process. Funding needs to be expended within timeframe so this was not considered a viable option under the circumstances.

Northeast Park, while slightly out of town, has many positives including access to toilets, showers, parking and water. In addition the slight sloping nature of the site is perfect for a bike park and will allow us to build something truly unique to Scottsdale that will meet the needs of our community today and into the future.

Concept

The aim is to build a bike park that features a jumps track for intermediate to advanced riders and (budget permitting) a skills development area for novice riders to progress their skills.

Design

Draft designs will be available shortly with feedback invited.

Get Involved!

In order to make the best bike park we can with the budget we have we are actively seeking some assistance with supply of both timber and steel. The materials will be used to build ramps and features for the park so if you are keen to partner please get in touch asap!

To stay up to date with the project keep an eye out on social media for further updates and opportunities to get involved.

Bright Dorset - Youth Project

Dorset Council will partner with the Dorset Community House to deliver a four-year youth development project called Bright Dorset. Delivery of the project is funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund, and Dorset Council will contribute funding to management of the project and invest in the sustainability of the project if data shows it has a positive impact. Bright Dorset will be informed by an Advisory Committee who will meet four times each year. The Advisory Committee is made up of leadership from Dorset Council, Scottsdale High School, Winnaleah District High School, experts on youth development and local young people themselves.

Bright Dorset will invest in supporting positive life outcomes for young people. The project will focus on building connectedness, confidence, soft skills, and access to opportunities. The aim of Bright Dorset is to increase hopefulness about the future and real-life outcomes for local young people. The project will use youth participation, positive youth development and asset-based community development models to deliver engagement, skill building and leadership initiatives across Dorset.

Bright Dorset will focus on the 12-18-year-old age group, with inclusion of 8-25 years as relevant to individual programs. The project will be delivered at sites around Dorset including Dorset House, Scottsdale High School, Winnaleah District High School, local libraries, and community venues such as town halls. The project will provide targeted access to activities and opportunities for young people living in the most remote and isolated areas of Dorset as well as more central areas with the highest population of young people.

The Bright Dorset project is informed by the Dorset Youth Needs Analysis (2022), local school and demographic data. The recent Youth Needs Analysis identified the need for a youth specific approach in the area and for youth participation in local community and decision making. The analysis also identified health, mental health, lack of recreational activities and events, community safety and lack of transport, as major issues of concern for young people and their local community.

Young people in Dorset are creative and capable. They are interested in their communities and in being part of creating a positive future in Dorset. Currently young people in Dorset report a lack of opportunities, lack of choices, and lack of optimism about their futures. Discussions with secondary schools in Dorset revealed that many young people lack opportunities to build skills, social relationships, or networks outside the school environment.

The Bright Dorset project team will consist of two youth workers who will invest in building relationships with young people, schools, and the community to deliver a suite of engagement, leadership, and capacity building programs. These distinct programs will be planned and delivered separately; however, will all contribute to the broader Bright Dorset project objectives. The project will have specific programs to support youth leadership, young women, and young people from remote areas.

Updated January 2023

Tasman Highway 'Sideling' Upgrade

An election commitment has secured $40 million in Federal Government funding which, matched with State Government funding, will provide $50 million towards a significant upgrading of the Tasman Highway between Minstone Road and St Patricks River.

The objective of the project is to upgrade approximately 24km of the Tasman Highway including the notorious “Sideling” to allow for heavy vehicle usage, transforming the Tasman Highway into the preferred freight route to Launceston. The upgrade will see the straightening of the existing alignment, widening of the road pavement, and the addition of passing lanes and slow vehicle turn out points.

In addition to the obvious benefits to residents of the North East through improved road infrastructure, this project will be the most significant inter-generational investment in the region to date unlocking the potential of the North East, leveraging off the significant investment in irrigation schemes in the region. The project will also provide significant benefit to the City of Launceston by taking the North East freight off the northern outlet and out of Bathurst and Patterson Streets and will provide an improved access route through to the east coast via the Dorset municipality.

The project will be delivered in two stages:

Stage 1 | Section 1 is 4.55km and starts from the intersection of the Tasman Highway and the access road (550m south-east of the Sideling Lookout) to the intersection of the Tasman Highway and Whish-Wilson Road.
Stage 1 | Section 2 is 10.61km and starts from the intersection of Whish-Wilson Road to the intersection of East/West Minstone Roads.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works were engaged to review the project and conducted their inquiry during December 2021 and January 2022, with their final report available to read here in full.

To view the plans and read other information on the upgrade, visit the Tasmanian Government Transport Services website here.

The Department of State Growth will be completing the Sideling Upgrade between St Patrick's River, Targa and Minstone Road, Scottsdale. The works will include improved road safety by providing road widening, lane widening on tight curves and sealed shoulders, including slow vehicle turn outs, with works commencing in August 2022.

The Sideling, which was damaged in the extreme rain event that hit north-east Tasmania in October 2022 and closed by Tasmania Police to keep road users safe, has been restored by the Department of State Growth.

The Sideling will be open on Monday 27 February 2023 from 7:00 am to all vehicles except articulated heavy vehicles.

Traffic changes

During construction there will be lane closures and delays. One lane will always remain open for most vehicles, however, the road will be closed to all articulated heavy vehicles (class 6 vehicles and above), at all times, including outside work hours.

Works will be undertaken between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday and should be finished in May 2024, weather permitting. The Department of State Growth will advise in advance if they need to do any work outside these times.

Traffic management will be in place to ensure the safety of workers and road users and will be designed to minimise impacts on traffic.

Speed limits through the project site will be reduced to 40 km/h during working hours. Motorists should allow up to 30 minutes extra travel time during this work. You may wish to use an alternate route. Please keep to speed limits and follow the directions of traffic controllers and signs.

Updated 27 February 2023

North East Rail Trail

At the November 2018 Council Meeting, Council resolved to confirm its commitment to the construction of the North East Rail Trail. Council also publicly stated its support of the eminently sensible compromise position of the State Government which would see the Rail Trail commence in Lilydale and join up with the existing 17km Rail Trail in Scottsdale. This compromise position provides the heritage rail advocates with the opportunity to realise their vision of a heritage rail which would operate between Lilydale and Launceston (or Coldwater Creek).

Dorset Council lodged a development application for the section of trail within the Dorset municipality (Wyena to Scottsdale) in December 2020, with a decision to approve the application made at the February 2021 Council Meeting. This decision was subject to an appeal which was undertaken through the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (TASCAT) during 2021. A final decision was made by TASCAT in favour of Dorset Council (applicant) and subsequently a revised planning permit was issued in December 2021. Council have written to the Minister for consent to commence the project as required under legislation.

Council lodged a planning application with the City of Launceston for the section of the trail located in their municipality (Wyena to Lilydale Falls). This application was assessed and a decision made to approve by the City of Launceston at their 23 February 2023 Council Meeting.

Updated February 2023

Bridport Marine Zone Master Plan

In late 2018, Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) commissioned a Bridport Foreshore Master Plan to provide a community-led master plan for the Bridport foreshore that provides recommendations on the future of infrastructure and opportunities with better access and improved amenity to the foreshore/waterways including: assessment for a new Bridport pier including recreational boating access, improved boat ramps, parking and launching facilities, and improved access to the port of Bridport. Burbury Consulting were engaged to consult with local stakeholders and interested residents to identify potential locations as well as infrastructure requirements for new and/or improved marine facilities. This consultation included community engagement sessions and formation of a project Working Group to develop, discuss and formulate opportunities for design development and investigations, site assessments and specific area studies, engineering design assessments, project costings and development of a business case for the proposed master plan with recommendations.

In January 2022, MAST released the completed Bridport Foreshore Master Plan to the public, and it can be downloaded in full below.

Updated December 2022

Bridport Foreshore Master Plan Marine and Estuarine Environmental Assessment in Bridport

MAST Bridport Foreshore Master Plan Final Report January 2022 2