{"id":676288,"date":"2026-05-17T07:28:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T07:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/676288\/"},"modified":"2026-05-17T07:28:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T07:28:24","slug":"tasmanias-newest-suburb-dowsing-point-army-land-to-make-way-for-1000-new-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/676288\/","title":{"rendered":"Tasmania\u2019s newest suburb: Dowsing Point army land to make way for 1,000 new homes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Up to 1,000 new homes will be built on defence land at Dowsing Point in Hobart\u2019s northern suburbs, under a joint deal between the federal and state governments announced today.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jeremy Rockliff unveiled the plan at Derwent Barracks in Glenorchy this afternoon.<\/p>\n

The 31-hectare site, currently home to Australian Army Reserve units, will be redeveloped into what Rockliff is calling \u201cTasmania\u2019s newest suburb\u201d.<\/p>\n

It will include new parks, community facilities, local shops and a future ferry terminal. Social and affordable housing will be in the mix.<\/p>\n

\"\"The 30-hectare defence site at Dowsing Point will be transformed into housing. Image \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

The number of homes has more than doubled from the original estimate of 400.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been greater due diligence around that,\u201d Rockliff said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Dowsing Point on Sunday<\/p>\n

\u201cDowsing Point has the potential to deliver far beyond the 1,000 new homes through well-planned medium-density development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDowsing Point represents a generational investment in Tasmania\u2019s future \u2013 boosting housing supply and supporting jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Rockliff dodged repeated questions on how much the state would pay for the land.<\/p>\n

Pressed three times on whether there was a price threshold the state would not exceed, he would not commit to a cap.<\/p>\n

\"\"The new suburb will include parks, community facilities and local shops. Image \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a very positive co-investment of which will be very good value for Tasmanian taxpayers\u2019 money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said the state would access federal infrastructure funds as part of the deal.<\/p>\n

Rockliff said he first wrote to Albanese about the site in late 2023. The prime minister said the deal balanced defence and housing needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe federal government is delivering on its commitment of a fit for purpose estate for our defence forces, while also opening up opportunities for better community use of divested land,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"The 30-hectare defence site at Dowsing Point will be transformed into housing. Image \/ Pulse<\/p>\n

\u201cAll proceeds from property sales arising from the Defence Estate Audit will be reinvested back in defence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The site is currently home to around 20 full-time Australian Defence Force personnel, along with reservists and cadets.<\/p>\n

The transfer of personnel is expected to take at least 12 months. The Defence and Veterans Workshop will remain on site.<\/p>\n

\"\"Housing Minister Kerry Vincent and Premier Jeremy Rockliff at Dowsing Point on Sunday<\/p>\n

Any transfer to the state will be subject to market value and mutually acceptable terms, including access to the federal Housing Support Program \u2013 Local Infrastructure Fund.<\/p>\n

Rockliff envisaged the homes being delivered within a decade, alongside the planned Wilkinsons Point retail and hotel precinct next door.<\/p>\n

\"\"Housing Minister Kerry Vincent and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese look over the plans for Dowsing Point<\/p>\n

The Housing Industry Association welcomed the announcement, with Tasmanian executive director Benjamin Price saying it was a strong opportunity for Hobart.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing surplus public land for housing is one of the most direct ways governments can help boost supply,\u201d Price said.<\/p>\n

Planning work will continue over the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Up to 1,000 new homes will be built on defence land at Dowsing Point in Hobart\u2019s northern suburbs,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":676289,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-676288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/676289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}