Wellington Park VRS
Wellington Park is one of Tasmania’s largest natural reserves outside the World Heritage Area. kunanyi/Mount Wellington is Tasmania’s most visited natural attraction and, for the people of Hobart, a place of connection, retreat and wellbeing. The Park is managed jointly by the Wellington Park Management Trust, City of Hobart, Glenorchy City Council, Parks and Wildlife and TasWater, and visitors want very different things from it.
The Trust engaged episteme to prepare its Visitor and Recreation Strategy for 2022–2032. Through an extensive co-design process, we heard from more than 1,000 people through surveys, 78 workshop participants, and representatives of many stakeholder groups.
The research identified six recreation values that matter most to visitors. They include being surrounded by nature, having space and peace, freedom to pursue activities, and quality, inclusive facilities. The strategy’s goal is to build an inspiring, integrated and connected visitor experience of the Park for everyone, while preserving and protecting its natural and cultural values. Eleven principles guide that goal, from designing for the visitor experience and dispersing visitors to improving accessibility and monitoring impacts. They are delivered through an adaptive action plan with two-, five- and ten-year horizons.
This work assisted in the delivery of Our Mountain’s Future - a vision for Wellington Park and Wellington Park visitor segmentation research.