Open House Southern Midlands was launched on Saturday 9 August at the Oatlands Supreme Courthouse – one of the oldest supreme court houses in Australia – and followed the first day of the Heritage & Bullock Festival.
The launch was attended by over 75 people, including Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania and Emeritus Professor Don Chalmers AO, Mayor Edwin Batt and Deputy Mayor Karen Dudgeon of the Southern Midlands Council, and Ian Boersma, of Heritage Tasmania.
Eleven buildings in and around Oatlands, Dysart and Kempton feature in the preview of the program. These range from iconic churches in Oatlands and Kempton – some of which have been converted to new uses; colonial homesteads and cottages which have been restored, and in some instances, sympathetically added to with modern additions; a 1970s artists retreat in the hills of Mangalore; along with service buildings, including the Cantwell Store and the Melton Mowbray Hotel.
More buildings will be added to the program in the lead up to the event, but in the meantime, explore the buildings on the website.
Open House Southern Midlands will be held on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November, followed by Open House Hobart on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November.
Photographer: Matt Sansom
