A Sustainable Future
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A Sustainable Future
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A BETTER EXPERIENCE, ENVIRONMENT & ECONOMY FOR THE MOUNTAIN’S LONG TERM FUTURE.
A mountain journey with lasting public benefits
MWCC brings together an electric cableway, welcoming summit facilities and a long-term contribution to Wellington Park. The $94 million privately funded project includes $13 million of public improvements, with free entry to the Pinnacle Centre for everyone who reaches the summit.
Explore the route, buildings and public spaces below. See how the design responds to the mountain’s landscape and weather, and how community input has shaped the experience.
Scroll down to find out more...
Cable Car
Cable Car
A CARBON-ZERO JOURNEY
The centrepiece of our tourism venture, the Cable Car presents the most exciting mode of accessible transport with the lightest environmental footprint to reach the summit.
Measuring 1000 metres of incline, our Proposal offers the tallest cable car in the Southern Hemisphere. Once welcomed onboard, passengers can learn about the mountain’s importance to the people of Southern Tasmania whilst they silently glide over the canopies of tall regrowth eucalyptus dry forest, the lush wet Myrtle Gully and rocky screes as the dense forest below morphs into alpine country.
Ahead, the sheer dolerite columns of the Organ Pipes, a natural cliff some 140 metres high will loom large. Our Skytram effortlessly rises to the challenge, offering a silent, awe-inspiring ascension over the precipice to reveal the summit beyond. Gliding through mist, snow or blue sky days will be a spectacular, memorable experience for everyone of all ages and abilities.
Stable & Aerodynamic
Modern Aerial Tramways are well-suited for windy environments and long-spans between towers. On kunanyi / Mount Wellington, both Skytrams are secured by three cables, or 'ropes' - two Track ropes for stability and one Haul rope for propulsion. This arrangement gives the cabin stability across the long span with minimal towers, which sits on the sheltered side of the mountain. Staff monitor wind conditions throughout operation.
Silent Ascension
The cabins have no onboard drive motors which keeps the journey quiet and makes efficient use of hydroelectricity.
Counter-Balanced Efficiency
Counterbalanced and synchronised, both trams are fixed to the same haul rope. This means one tram arrives at the summit as the other arrives at the base-station. Offering the most energy-efficient way to scale height, the weight of the descending tram helps pull the ascending tram up, and, at the end of each day as more visitors leave the mountain, net energy gain can be stored in batteries to help offset our energy usage the next morning.
On-board Guides
Each Skytram will be staffed by a fully-trained Cabin Master, who, as tour guide have the important role of ensuring visitors feel welcome upon arrival, seek out more learning whilst at the summit, and leave knowing and sharing more of the mountain's story. Level boarding, large windows and space for groups make it easy to travel together. Each cabin includes an outdoor viewing balcony facing the city.
Flexible Use
These cabins have been specially designed for MWCC. Featuring an outdoor balcony that always faces the city views, flush-floor loading and floor-to-ceiling glass, the journey itself is set to create a memorable, family-friendly experience for all visitors, of all ages and ability.
Night Crew & Freight
The size of our Skytrams will allow us to supply the Pinnacle Centre with all its water, gas and catering needs to operate - even when the road is closed due to snow or ice. At the end of each day, all waste, recycling and even sewerage tanks are ferried via the Skytrams to our loading bay at the bottom for proper treatment off the mountain. This avoids the need for septic tanks at the summit, and reduces service-truck journeys on Pinnacle Road. Importantly, it removes the need for a new service road between the summit car park and the visitor centre.
Using the cableway for everyday deliveries connects the transport system with the practical work of looking after the visitor facilities.
The Cable Car showcases the northern end of the Organ Pipes. This alignment minimises the quantity and height of towers whilst sheltering the system from prevailing winds.
NO 'SCAR'
There is no requirement for a cleared vegetation easement, or 'scar' below the Skytrams and an independent bushfire assessment report has confirmed this. The chosen route achieves a long span between the foothills and summit tower, which keeps most of the mountain face free of any support structures.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
Regular departures every 15 minutes make it easy to plan a visit. Operating hours change with the seasons, with longer summer days and evening hospitality at the summit. The team monitors conditions and manages services to keep passengers comfortable and safe.
Season passes for frequent park users will be available and mountain bike riders will enjoy dedicated service.
In the case of an emergency, the Skytrams can ascend and descend much faster to provide rapid evacuation from the summit in just six minutes. In addition, the system itself will have a novel evacuation system should both the electricity, backup battery and motors all concurrently fail for an extended period of time.
Access AND Amenity have to be solved together.
Please scroll down for each site detail...
Site Detail
Site Detail
PINNACLE CENTRE
A welcoming place at the summit
The Pinnacle Centre brings public lookouts, shelter, toilets, parenting facilities and mountain stories together with a café, restaurant and bar. Entry is free, and visitors arriving by road or on foot are just as welcome as cableway passengers.
The structure also houses much needed support facilities such as a Park Ranger office, medical room, seating, community event space, on-site security, waste management and parenting rooms for young families.
Access
Inclusive, compliant non-slip elevated ramped boardwalks will connect the summit car park with the centre and its lookouts. A lift connects the building’s levels, helping visitors with wheelchairs, walking aids and prams move around comfortably. Whilst we expect the bulk of visitors are likely to arrive by cableway, these facilities are available to all, and will allow for the removal of the existing non-compliant timber walkways.
BASE STATION
A gateway in the foothills
The base station sits in an existing clearing near the Main Fire Trail, with an access road from McRobies Road. It brings together passenger arrival, ticketing, bike facilities and connections to walking and riding routes, which was once the primary walking route up the mountain long before the road.
Our proposal recreates this gateway into Wellington Park with an ideal hub to integrate with new and existing walking and mountain bike trails.
Operational Hub
Discreetly positioned to minimise vegetation clearing and maximise bushfire management, it will host the cableway’s drive equipment, backup power, loading bay and staff facilities.
Keeping these services at the base reduces the amount of servicing needed at the summit.
MASTERPLAN
After the Cable Car Facilitation Act 2017 became law in November 2017, (supported by over 5300 Tasmanian petitioners to Parliament) we resolved to investigate a shorter, simpler alternative to our 2014 concept to keep the entire project contained within Wellington Park. Once the technical suitability was confirmed by our engineers in Switzerland, we consulted with as many nearby residents as possible (that such a change could mostly affect) before we made a final determination in 2018 to pursue this more achievable plan.
Finalised Route
Our proposed cableway length is 2.6km which retains a height gain of nearly 1000 metres. This finalised alignment allows us to honour all of our voluntarily adopted community parameters, with just one custom-designed straight-line system tailored made for kunanyi / Mount Wellington. We decided to reinvest cost-savings from our preliminary proposal into a smarter more inclusive design at the pinnacle, with much-needed public amenities to ensure a spectacularly memorable experience for all ages and abilities.
Appeal Amendment
Our Appeal Amendment (lodged November 2021) proposed a scaled down version of the Pinnacle Centre, a reduction in operating hours to largely daylight only, and a reduction in capacity for our two Skytram cabins. Details Here.
Discover what's proposed below...
Public Facilities
Public Facilities
AMENITY FOR ALL
The following components of our Proposal have all carried through from your wish-list of ideas, put to us and collected since 2013.
Community Event Space
A key request in our design brief, we are delighted to include a wind-sheltered, rooftop amphitheatre that celebrates the vista beyond. For general public use and community events, this space can be used for story-telling, music, wedding photos and school excursions, or just an ideal spot to pull out the thermos, set up the family picnic and admire the city views after a great day out on the mountain.
Surrounding this public space are native alpine gardens to the rooftop edge, to be cared for by our onsite botanist.
Compliant Boardwalks
Tasmania's most popular natural visitor attraction has been neglected for too long. New ramped, non-slip boardwalks will connect the summit car park with spacious rooftop lookouts for all to enjoy.
Seating out of the prevailing wind, sheltered places to pause and information about the mountain will make the journey to the summit part of the experience for all ages and abilities.
Improved Lookouts
The rooftop of the proposed Pinnacle Centre will be the new public lookout, with an enclosed public shelter open around the clock. Early walkers, sunrise photographers and stargazers will have a welcoming place to pause out of the weather.
Heated surfaces and handrails help make the lookouts more comfortable in cold conditions, minimising ice and snow build up, with multiple viewpoints and seating to reflect, contemplate and explore the scenic vista.
More Toilets & Parenting Rooms
Our Proposal includes 34 new toilets including 5 disabled facilities and a parenting room for young families. These are conveniently located throughout the Pinnacle Centre from the cableway platform to the cafe.
First Aid, CCTV, Wifi & Security
On-site staff at the pinnacle brings a wealth of benefits for its visitors and the environment. From improved security and better waste management to reduce littering, our proposal also includes a full-time medical specialist at the summit for any unforeseen circumstances.
A Sanctum
In addition to the sheltered outdoor gathering space, inside, a quiet south-facing space gives visitors somewhere to sit and enjoy the mountain away from the activity of the terminal.
Facing true south to beautifully frame the South Wellington range 'Iron Filings', this Sanctum to the Mountain is a refreshing, ceremonial atmosphere tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the cableway terminal, cafe and tour groups.
Story Telling
Starting from the moment you walk in from the cableway platform, stories and displays will help visitors explore the mountain’s rocks, plants, wildlife and human history. Collaboration with Tasmanian artists and storytellers will help connect those stories with the surrounding landscape, a delight for curious minds, in a location best suited to improve awareness.
Public viewing and learning spaces are open to everyone who visits the summit, regardless of transport mode.
40% of the Pinnacle Centre will be free public space and amenity for all mountain visitors.
Recreation
Recreation
NEW & IMPROVED FACILITIES
We've committed to funding new recreational infrastructure once operational:
Safer Walking Trails, Dedicated Bike Trails
Walking and riding connections at the base station will link the cableway with the mountain’s existing routes. Our Community Foundation will help fund trail improvements, including dedicated bike trails that give walkers and riders more room to enjoy their activities, without the stress or anxiety of shared trail use. A new trail connecting the Pinnacle Centre platform to Pinnacle Road towards Big Bend is included in the initial development. Additional trails, including an epic downhill trail connecting the Chalet to Junction Cabin are set to complete the missing links.
Paragliding Launch Ramp
At the summit, sports lockers, snow equipment and a dedicated paragliding launch ramp add practical support for outdoor recreation. Cableway access also makes it easier to return to the summit after a ride or flight.
With a dedicated summit ramp and fast return via cableway, we're keen to make this mind-blowing pursuit safer and more environmentally friendly.
Snow Play & Snowboarders
'Family fun in the snow' was one of the highest rated responses during our community engagement program, and we met with local snowboarding groups and enthusiasts to ascertain what facilities, infrastructure or assistance we could provide to encourage stronger active use of the Mountain's winter months.
Sports lockers, terrain park equipment storage and Snow Trolleys can be hired, to continue the local tradition of building a snowman on car bonnets, for the drive home through Hobart.
Rock Climbing
Whilst no new dedicated facilities are proposed for rock-climbers, we seek to ensure this adventurous community can continue to access and enjoy enthralling locations on the mountain.
Adopting best practice from abroad, our cableway design includes an approach to cable maintenance that avoids external grease dripping onto climbing routes, which is welcomed by the international rock climbing community. We welcome ongoing conversations with recreational groups about making the experience work well for everyone.
Looking for a drink or bite to eat after all that fresh air?
Scroll down to put your feet up and soak in our hospitality...
Food & Beverage
Food & Beverage
COSY CORNERS TO CELEBRATE
What better way to let visitors spend more time appreciating the mountain than to sit down over an offering of the best Tasmanian produce?
Alpine Cafe
Hot Chocolates. Barista coffee. Wood-fired pizza - Just some of the hearty menu items you'll find in our cosy, modern alpine cafe in the Pinnacle Centre.
Featuring spectacular views with nooks for families, groups or lone travellers, the cafe will operate year-round. A communal walk-around fireplace is set to become a focal point when the summit is snowed-in, whilst patrons can soak up the summer rays on a wind-sheltered alfresco deck and watch paragliders launch from their ramp nearby.
Craft Bar & Artisan Lounge
Showcasing the finest selection of Tasmanian wine, whiskey, gin, beer and cider, our proposed Craft Bar will be a connoisseirs delight.
A tantalising alpine bar featuring Tasmanian timbers with unforgettable views to the Iron Pot and South Wellington range. A roaring open fire, knowledgeable Sommeliers, locally-made designer furniture and a grand piano. All the ingredients to celebrate that special occasion, a tempting pre-dinner drink, watching the snowflakes float by or a nightcap to linger a little longer until the last Skytram descends for the night.
indicative only
Fine Dining Restaurant
Extending from the Craft Bar, we propose a fine-dining restaurant to rival the most renowned in Australia with arguably the most spectacular view.
The restaurant, its event planner, chefs and staff can be booked for private functions such as weddings, community, sporting or corporate events with a seating capacity of 140 (round tables of 10), expanding up to 200 if the Craft Bar & Lounge is hired as well.
A magical place to pop the question!
So, how does this fit all together?
Scroll down to view the floorplans, elevations and impressions below:
Architecture
Architecture
PINNACLE CENTRE FLOORPLANS
See how the design fits
The Pinnacle Centre is shaped to sit below the summit’s natural profile. Its rooftop becomes a public lookout, while the enclosed spaces sit beneath it. Carefully positioned towers and dark finishes reduce their prominence in the landscape.
Explore the plans to see how the public spaces, hospitality areas and cableway connect. Use the image slider to compare existing views with the project from locations around Hobart. Tell us if there is a view or design feature you would like to discuss.
ELEVATIONS
NORTH ELEVATION
Optimising the natural tiers of the site has allowed the northern profile to sit discreetly within the landscape, which can be enhanced by the removal of the existing shelter. Be sure to check the Visual Impact Analysis to see the building in 3D from around Hobart.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
SOUTH ELEVATION
The bulk of the southern profile sits discreetly within the landscape and below the horizon, which can be enhanced by the removal of the existing shelter. Be sure to check the Visual Impact Analysis to see the building in 3D from around Hobart.
CLICK TO ENLARGE
PLEASE NOTE: ELEVATIONS ARE 2-DIMENSIONAL. KEEP SCROLLING TO SEE TRUE VISUALISATIONS FROM AROUND HOBART.
External Aesthetics
Constructability and Materiality have been just as important for the team to consider as has been planning the functional layout, circulation, compliance, acoustics, lighting, heating and atmosphere of the proposed Pinnacle Centre.
Shown here is a cross-section detailing the use of natural local stone from the site for the building's pedestal base, as well as the tailor-made, weathered steel facade proposed for the bulk of the concrete and fire-proof shell.
Emergency Refuge
In case of sudden, unexpected and catastrophic fire danger, the building is designed to act as a safe refuge for all mountain visitors - a marked improvement on the status quo.
All designs are pending approval. View the full architectural blueprints on our download page.
ARTIST IMPRESSIONS
Drag each white slider bar left or right to see the difference between now and our proposed solution
ANIMATION
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What will this look like from around Hobart?
Scroll down to explore the Visual Impact:
Visual Impact
Visual Impact
RESPECTING THE SKYLINE
(Lodged DA version shown)We are delighted to have pushed the world's best and most experienced tramway engineers to achieve a single summit tower solution; - a solution only achievable with our proposed route.
INSTRUCTIONS: Simply click and drag the white slider on each image left and right to discover the difference.
FROM THE CITY:
FROM THE SUMMIT:
FROM SOUTH HOBART:
FROM KINGSTON:
FROM GLENORCHY:
FROM SALAMANCA:
* All designs are Subject to Council Approval (STCA). The full Visual Impact Assessment is available on our Downloads page.
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So that's how it should look from around Hobart. Is the impact better than expected or worse? Scroll down one last time for the traffic impact on and off the mountain.
Traffic Impact
Traffic Impact
SMARTER TRANSPORT
A shorter, safer route through a mixed zone precinct.
HUON ROAD,
PILLINGER DRIVE &
PINNACLE ROAD:
181,383 Less Vehicle Trips per annum
With a significant reduction in road traffic up the mountain (59.6% high scenario, 42.4% low), not only can our native wildlife catch a break, we believe the lifespan of the 80 year old road can be extended. This avoids the costly and unsightly widening that would otherwise need to occur without our sustainable transport solution, (It has taken 50 years of regrowth to hide the road scar) and less pressure on emergency services.
Less traffic also means up to 700 tonnes* less carbon emissions in the Park, whilst offering a safer road and quieter experience for families of all ages, bird-watchers, bushwalkers and bikers.
With more visitors from less vehicles, the likely forecasted impacts are shown below:
CASCADE ROAD
5.63% Extra Vehicle Trips per annum
Cascade Road is the artery of South Hobart, currently serving nearly 3.1 million vehicle trips each year and carries only half of its built capacity at peak times.
Weekends on Cascade Road are significantly quieter and this is when we expect to be our busiest. We also propose to operate slightly different hours between Summer and Winter, providing four operating models throughout the year.
On weekdays, we propose to only open after the morning rush hour of 8 - 9am.
We also propose to incentive customers to use our regular shuttle service from the waterfront, reducing the number of cars further. In total, we expect an annualised average of 1 extra vehicle trip (either way) every 79 seconds during open hours.
A copy of the full Traffic Impact Assessment is available on our Downloads page.
A NEW CONNECTION TO THE FOOTHILLS
A new link road will provide improved public access into the foothills of Wellington Park, alleviating pressure on Old Farm Road. Commencing from the existing roundabout at the end of McRobies Road (before the tip gate), this new road will join up to the Main Fire Trail at the boundary of Wellington Park, adjacent to the existing high-voltage transmission line easement.
Designed as an S4 class sealed rural road, this new access will provide safer, faster emergency access into the foothills of Wellington Park, and a legitimate connection from the Tip-Top mountain bike trail onto McRobies Road - a current missing link.
Extensive ecology studies throughout the area were conducted to refine the road alignment. Proven wildlife protection methods are included into our design and operational plan.
A SEPARATE IDEA FOR SOUTH HOBART
MWCC has listened to local residents about their existing traffic issues on Cascade Road. In response, MWCC propose the existing one-way slip lane turn-off to McRobies Road is upgraded to cater for two-way traffic, via a tiered road with a new T-junction. In this plan, West-bound traffic on Cascade Road remains unchanged (upper tier) whilst vehicles wanting to turn into McRobies Road can seamlessly drive down the new two-way road and give-way at a new T-Junction on the lower tier. City-bound traffic flows down and through the lower tier but with the added benefit of being able to turn into McRobies Road at the T-junction.
Whilst this solution is not part of our proposal, MWCC commissioned civil engineers to confirm whether this recommendation is practical and technically achievable solution within the existing road easement. If upgraded, this new junction will divert all current tip traffic away from the Female Factory Historic Site as well as residential properties in Degraves and narrow Apsley Streets.
It also provides new traffic-calming measures for the Rivulet Track and additional off-street parking for residents.
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CLEANER MOUNTAIN JOURNEYS
The emissions saving comes from changing how visitors travel: a shorter road journey to the base station, followed by an electric cableway ride. The transport assessment estimates that this change will save around 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year overall.
* Carbon emissions were calculated based on 12 month traffic data collected 2009-2018 on Pinnacle Road and FCAI emissions data assuming every vehicle (motorbikes up to minivans) is a standard 2013 model unleaded small car.
Still have questions? Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Design Feedback
Design Feedback
PUBLIC FEEDBACK RESULTS:
Thank you!
Over 8,000 Tasmanians responded during August and September 2018 to our call for feedback on the above designs. Feedback was received over two months at our Public Display Centre at Brooke St Pier and via this website. From all of us at MWCC, we are so grateful for your time, honesty and considered thoughts. Your input helped us improve the final detail which was formally lodged for council approval on the 12th June 2019.
The council sought public feedback over a 4 week extended statutory submission window to June 22, 2021, which attracted over 5,000 unique formal submissions in favour of the proposal - A truly unheard of phenomenon in Tasmanian planning history.
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