The jewel in the crown of Tasmania's East Coast, the Freycinet Peninsula is a rich and complex environment formed by significant natural values, spectacular landscapes, and a long history extending over 35,000 years. It is now one of the most popular tourism destinations in Tasmania, with approximately 300,000 visitors per year.

Era worked alongside a team of consultants and a steering committee to develop a Freycinet Peninsula Master Plan. The master plan was informed by extensive community and stakeholder engagement, which gave insights into community values and issues. The master plan highlighted an important balance between protecting and managing what makes the Freycinet Peninsula unique and special for Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples, locals and visitors, and ensuring it can continue to play an important part in the tourism industry.

The master plan is currently being implemented by the Parks and Wildlife Service, including the gateway project and the shared access path from Coles Bay to the trail head. In 2019, the project received commendation at the Tasmanian Awards for Planning Excellence, and in 2021 it won the Landscape Planning Award at the Tasmanian Landscape Architecture Awards.

Project Highlights

• Developed a strategic plan to guide visitation in one of Tasmania’s most visited destinations, balancing natural and cultural values with its iconic status.

• Worked collaboratively with the client’s steering committee to deliver community and stakeholder engagement in a contentious local environment.

• Integrated design thinking through planning and landscape architecture with technical ecology and traffic impact inputs approach to identify ways to better manage capacity and peak periods.