From a community development perspective, the Department works collaboratively with community groups, organisations and other stakeholders to build capacity, strengthen community connections and support the achievement of local priorities, goals and objectives. Key areas of responsibility include youth and childcare services, sport and recreation, and the facilitation and promotion of initiatives that support community health, wellbeing, participation and quality of life.
The Corporate Development function has a strategic internal focus, supporting Council to strengthen its organisational capability, governance and performance. This includes the development and review of corporate policies, frameworks, processes and systems, together with initiatives that promote continuous improvement, organisational effectiveness and the delivery of quality services to the community.
Through these functions, the Department contributes to Council’s broader strategic objectives by strengthening community capacity, supporting a healthy and connected community, and fostering an organisation that is responsive, effective and committed to ongoing improvement.
Community Development
The Community Development Program provides support, assistance, information and advice to community groups and organisations across the Southern Midlands. The Program plays an important role in strengthening community capacity, encouraging participation and supporting initiatives that contribute to positive social outcomes and community wellbeing.
Key areas of focus include:
- Facilitating and supporting community-led initiatives that respond to local needs and priorities.
- Developing and strengthening partnerships with community organisations, government agencies and other stakeholders to expand opportunities for community participation and enhance service delivery.
- Improving access to information, resources and funding opportunities, including providing assistance with grant applications and identifying appropriate funding sources.
- Developing and implementing social policies and initiatives that contribute to improved outcomes for individuals, groups and the broader community.
- Supporting Council’s Disability Access and Positive Ageing Advisory Committees to ensure that Council services, programs, facilities and activities are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of people across the community.
Local Business Development
Southern Midlands Council is committed to supporting the sustainability, resilience and long-term viability of businesses operating within the municipal area. Council seeks to foster a supportive business environment that encourages collaboration, strengthens local networks and enables businesses to work cooperatively to pursue shared opportunities and outcomes.
Council provides both financial and practical support to the local tourism industry body, the Heritage Highway Regional Tourism Association, as well as the broader regional tourism organisation, Destination Southern Tasmania. These partnerships play an important role in strengthening the capacity of the region’s tourism industry to promote the Southern Midlands and Southern Tasmania as attractive destinations for visitors.
Businesses engaged in tourism, including the majority of businesses providing services and experiences to the public, are encouraged to participate in and support the Heritage Highway Regional Tourism Association and Destination Southern Tasmania. Active business participation strengthens these organisations’ capacity to collectively market and promote the region, while providing local businesses with opportunities to contribute to industry priorities, influence promotional activities and collaborate on initiatives that support sustainable regional tourism and economic development.
Arts and Cultural Development
The Southern Midlands Council recognises the important role that arts and cultural activity plays in creating a vibrant, connected and diverse community. Council is committed to nurturing and supporting creative endeavour across the municipality and, through its Arts Advisory Committee, seeks to encourage participation, collaboration and the continued development of the arts at both a community and organisational level.
Council adopted the Southern Midlands Arts Strategy in January 2013. The Strategy was developed by Council in partnership with the Arts Strategy Working Group following extensive community consultation. It established a strategic framework for supporting and developing arts and cultural activity across the municipality, reflecting the aspirations, expectations and opportunities identified by both Council and the community.
The Southern Midlands has a longstanding and significant connection with the arts. The history of the current Southern Midlands Council area reflects the amalgamation of the former Municipalities of Oatlands and Green Ponds, together with the Northern Wards of the Municipalities of Brighton and Richmond. Each of these communities has contributed to the region’s creative and cultural identity through a range of artistic initiatives, people, places and projects.
Examples of this heritage include:
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Oatlands: The topiary displays established in the 1960s in the area known as St Peter’s Pass along the Midland Highway continue to be maintained as a distinctive form of public art. They remain a source of community pride and provide a tangible connection between the municipality’s history, landscape and creative expression.
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Northern Ward of Brighton: Chauncy Vale is closely associated with the renowned author Nan Chauncy. The property was her home and provided inspiration for many of her highly regarded children's books, including They Found a Cave, creating a lasting connection between the landscape, literature and the local community.
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Northern Ward of Richmond: The village of Campania is home to a significant bronze sculpture in Flour Mill Park by acclaimed artist and former Campania resident Stephen Walker AM. Created as a Bicentenary contribution to the community, the sculpture continues to provide a strong focal point and source of pride for Campania and the surrounding district.
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Green Ponds (Kempton): The historic Council building known as “The Blue Place”, a former church, was placed in the custodianship of the Green Progress Association Inc. for use by the Greater Green Ponds Branch of Tasmanian Regional Arts for arts and related activities. This reflects the longstanding role of community organisations in supporting and facilitating creative activity within the municipality.
These examples demonstrate the depth and longevity of the relationship between the arts and the Southern Midlands community. They also provide an important foundation upon which contemporary arts and cultural activity can continue to develop.
A significant contemporary expression of this connection is the Shadows of the Past public art project, also known as the “Silhouettes”, which extends along the Heritage Highway (Midland Highway) between Tunbridge and Kempton. Created by Folko Kooper and Maureen Craig, the project applies the historic eighteenth-century art form of the silhouette to interpret and portray aspects of early colonial life along the Heritage Highway. The project was made possible through joint funding from Council and the Tasmanian Government, together with the creative vision and contribution of the artists.
The Southern Midlands also continues to foster and celebrate contemporary creative talent. This is demonstrated through the work of artists, writers, performers, designers and creative practitioners across the municipality, including Levendale-based internationally bestselling author Rachael Treasure. Such achievements highlight the breadth of creative talent within the region and provide inspiration for others to pursue and develop their own creative interests.
For the purposes of Council’s arts and cultural activities, the term creative endeavour is intentionally broad and encompasses the arts in their widest sense. This includes music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture and related fields, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and craft arts, industrial design, blacksmithing, costume and fashion design, film, television, radio and sound recording, as well as the presentation, performance, production and exhibition of these and other creative forms.
Council seeks to build on this strong historical foundation by providing opportunities for greater community participation and engagement in the arts. Through strategic planning, partnerships, community initiatives and support for local creative practitioners and organisations, Council aims to strengthen the municipality’s creative capacity and ensure that the arts remain an integral part of the Southern Midlands’ social, cultural and community identity.
The ongoing development of the arts provides opportunities to celebrate the municipality’s heritage, support local talent, encourage innovation, strengthen community connections and enhance the experience of residents and visitors. Council is committed to continuing this tradition and to working collaboratively with the community to ensure that the Southern Midlands remains a place where creativity, participation and artistic expression can flourish
Southern Midlands Artist in Residence Program
SMC Community Arts Advisory Committee - Terms of Reference
SMC Community Arts Strategy
Creative Communities - Southern Midlands Report 2012
