If you have never been to Hobart, or if it’s been a long while between visits, there are plenty of reasons to be at the August IPWEA International Public Works Conference, where you can connect with this unique southern Australian capital city.
Yes, Hobart’s winters are icy cold with a temperature range of 3 to 11 degrees Celsius, but it is a picturesque destination that revels in having a chilly climate. The frosty season doesn’t stop the city from flourishing for the benefit of its visitors, and the local activities accommodate all preferences for indoor and outdoor exploration.
Attractions close to the IPWEA conference venue, the harbour front Hotel Grand Chancellor, are the city’s heritage venues and museums, most of which are set against a backdrop of waterside and boating scenery and the nearby pristine Mount Wellington.
Extending your conference stay here is the chance to check out Hobart by foot, on a guided walking tour – or even by horse-and-carriage. A ferry trip for a day spent at spectacular cliffside MONA is essential for the artistic experience of a lifetime.
Historic Port Arthur is open for day trips as well as hosting evening ghost tours with a bit of that something extra in the spooky atmosphere of winter-time.
Five kilometres south of the city, the Cascade Brewery is Australia’s oldest. Here you can see colonial history and beer-making techniques mixing old ways with 21st century technology, set among stunning formal gardens.
If historic architecture interests you, the hilly streets of Battery Point to the west will take you back in time. The area is home to an abundance of houses and public buildings of the 1800s that have been preserved in their original glory.
For the adventurous, Hobart even has outdoor activities during winter. You can visit the 1,271m summit of Mount Wellington, or Kunanyi, for the amazing city and distant views, or take a downhill-only mountain bike ride from its peak, back to sea-level. Further out of the city, you can swim in a thermal pool at the Hastings Caves Thermal Springs.
Old meets new infrastructure
Hobart is renowned for its convict-built structures still in use today, like the Richmond and Ross River Bridges, but a modern city culture thrives here with new community infrastructure making life easy for all.
The new $11m Remembrance Bridge is a modern pedestrian and cycleway that crosses the six-lane Tasman Highway. It’s a 10-minute walk from the city’s harbourfront.
Its 2018 construction relied on local subcontractors and suppliers, including sourcing steel fabrication services from a Launceston engineering company. Completing the bridge required the highway beneath it to close to traffic for two days.
Much of Hobart’s charm is in its low-density development and abundant natural scenery. Its population is the highest among Tasmanian cities, at about 206,000. The Tasmanian Government has a pipeline budget of $13.9 billion for new infrastructure works across the state, to 2029.
Register now
Early-bird registration for the 2019 IPWEA International Public Works Conference closes on 21 June, so book your place today to save up to $198 per delegate.
“This is the ideal opportunity to network with global peers and influencers in engineering and learn about the newest projects, standards and innovations in Australian and international public works,” said Ben Balov, acting CEO of IPWEA.
The 2019 theme is ‘Vibrant Futures, Solid Foundations’. This conference is presented every two years for the benefit of engineers, public works managers, supervisors, technical staff, councillors, works officers, infrastructure managers, state government departments, trades groups, public works contractors and consulting engineers.
Visit the website to find out more about the program, keynote speakers, networking events, and more than 30 trade exhibitors hosting displays during the event.