The Shed – the final and largest building of the University of Tasmania’s expanded Inveresk campus in the heart of Launceston – has been officially opened.
On Friday, 18 October, a celebration event involving students, staff, community, industry and Government was held inside.
Formalities began with a moving Welcome to Country delivered in palawa kani by Riawunna Head of Service Dave Warrener.
“I do acknowledge that it is a privilege to stand on Country and walk in the footsteps of those before us and to also walk with you all,” Dave said.
“Our Country holds the knowledge of our old people. They have danced around many fires in ceremony. Their songs are in the land and the waterways, they will always be here for all of us.”
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Launceston) and event MC Professor Natalie Brown followed with an introduction which acknowledged everyone’s contributions.
“This has been the work of so many people. It has been designed and built to serve our region and our State for many years to come,” Professor Brown said.
Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare spoke about the transformative power of education.
“I know education can’t change everything, but it is the most powerful change maker that this country has,” Minister Clare said.
“This is not just a building, this is a beacon which shows that you know, like I know, that education is the most powerful course.”
State Minister for Education Jo Palmer said The Shed was a great example of what can happen when all levels of Government come together with a purpose and a dream, and highlighted the far-reaching benefits of the building, especially for the region’s young people.
“They can come in here and they can see that this is their university, it is in the heart of their city,” Minister Palmer said.
“They will look at this beautiful building, our Shed, and they will know that this is part of their future in education. This is an extraordinary gift that has been given to our city and I’m just so excited by it.”
City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the building and wider campus precinct added an exciting link to the CBD while solidifying Launceston’s status as a proud University city.
“With each stage of the transformation we’ve witnessed more and more activity in the local area across the region as people come here to study, they’re coming here to work, they’re coming to live and play, and evidently they continue to contribute to our community whether that’s culturally, socially or economically as well,” Mayor Garwood said.
“On behalf of the city, I express my gratitude to all of those who have dedicated their efforts, their thoughts, their vision, to bring this project to fruition.”
The Shed, which forms part of Inveresk precinct, will help train the region’s future nurses, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, psychologists, biomedical scientists and agricultural scientists.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black was the final speaker and said the new campus at Inveresk embodied a deep commitment to regional education.
“So today, we do more than open a building, we celebrate a vision. A Vision born of a civic pride and confidence in Launceston. A vision that brings education to the heart of the city to ensure a prosperous and equitable future, not just for those who meet at the confluence of these rivers, but for the whole region,” Professor Black said.
“As well as providing facilities equal to any in the nation for students and staff, The Shed will serve families, children, the community, the city and the region that shaped it. That is what this building, and our overall presence at Inveresk, is all about.
“Our future relies on equal opportunities for every person in every part of Australia, on equal access to quality education from the start. Nowhere is that more important than in regional and rural Australia, where inequalities are at their greatest.”
The Shed is now home to 160 staff and 1500 students across health and science including Agricultural Sciences, Health Sciences, Nursing, Nutrition, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences. It also supports new Allied Health courses in Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy.
Built by local firm Fairbrother and designed by architects Wardle Studio, it has been named after the two railway sheds that occupied the site into the mid-1900s – their orientation almost identical to the two wings of the new building.
The new spaces inside will enable community health education programs for children and older adults, professional development workshops, sports science testing and wellbeing initiatives. There are also fully accessible changing facilities available for public use, a parenting room and a takeaway café which will be operational in time for Semester 1, 2025.
The building connects to Inveresk via the laykila/North Esk pedestrian and cycle bridge, with extensive landscaping and outdoor exercise spaces the community can use.
Sustainability is at the core of the project featuring structural Tasmanian timber, recyclable materials and finishes, energy efficient building services and a focus on circular economy. The Shed has 35 percent less embodied carbon than similar projects and has set nation-leading benchmarks in low carbon building in line with the University’s globally recognised commitment to sustainability.
The $97 million development was part of the Northern Transformation Program, funded through the Launceston City Deal, with contributions from the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, City of Launceston and the University.
“This campus is a visible outcome of what can be achieved with collaboration across all levels of government and the University, with a common goal to improve access to education for our region,” Professor Black said.
The opening of The Shed follows completion of the Library and River’s Edge buildings, refurbishment of the Stone building into a staff hub and the Architecture and Design building into The Workshop, and numerous outdoor activity and learning spaces at Inveresk.
The University of Tasmania has been progressively relocating from the Newnham campus to Inveresk since 2021. While the Australian Maritime College and research activities for the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture will continue operating from Newnham, from 2025 all other students and staff will be based at Inveresk as Launceston’s vibrant main campus.
Find out more about the Launceston campus at Inveresk.