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Construction progress celebrated at West Park

Newsroom

Construction of the University of Tasmania’s future waterfront campus at Burnie’s West Park continues to progress, with the upper level now being installed.

As the development arrives at the next key stage of works, partners of the project inspected site activity on Wednesday, 22 July.

The once-in-a-generation development will help improve educational outcomes and strengthen the North-West as a distinctive learning destination.

It will create vibrancy closer to Burnie’s CBD, foster economic benefits, and pave the way for increased community and industry partnerships that enable the region to prosper.

The West Park campus forms part of the Northern Transformation Program, and is being funded through contributions by the Tasmanian Government, Federal Government, Burnie City Council and the University.

It will be the first building completed through the program, which also encompasses a new campus at Inveresk.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black said the campus would be a legacy for the Cradle Coast region and its communities in the many years to come.

“The West Park campus is helping us realise our mission of being a University for Tasmania which works closely with communities to identify and address the issues that matter,” Professor Black said.

“It will improve access to education, ensure equity for regional students, and offer distinctive learning experiences that prepare and position them to make positive contributions to Tasmania, and from Tasmania to the world.

“The project is not just a commitment to the Cradle Coast, it is part of a commitment to a whole island to support its ongoing development and growth while ensuring its communities are healthy, prosperous and sustainable.

“The new campus is enabling a transformation of our teaching and learning model, and the delivery of new, regionally-distinctive courses such as Nursing and an accelerated Bachelor of Business.

“It will help strengthen our partnerships with the community and industry who we want contributing to our programs in ways that significantly enhance the student experience.

“It is tremendous to see Cradle Coast being the first region to benefit from the Northern Transformation Program, which will have long-lasting, positive outcomes for the State’s North.

“Amid these uncertain times, construction has continued, providing the local workforce with employment while contributing to the regional economy.

“The West Park campus is a $50 million project. Overall, the build is supporting more than 100 local jobs and there is scope for this figure to increase as work progresses.”

Construction firm Fairbrother will continue overseeing the development, and site works will be undertaken in a staged approach.

Features of the new campus include contemporary teaching and research facilities, informal spaces for student and community activities, a central courtyard, and an environmentally-sustainable green roof.

The development is scheduled for completion around mid-2021.

The accelerated Bachelor of Business will commence at existing University sites in February 2021 and the accreditation process is well underway to enable the Bachelor of Nursing to also commence in 2021.

View the full media statement.

Further information and artist impressions of the campus can be viewed at: https://www.utas.edu.au/northern-transformation/west-park-campus

Pictured from left; Fairbrother General Manager Kurt Arnold, Burnie City Council Mayor Steve Kons, Minister for Infrastructure Michael Ferguson, Federal Member for Braddon Gavin Pearce, and University Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black