Editing Queens Domain (section)

==History==
Twenty-one Aboriginal sites within the Queens Domain are recorded in the Tasmanian Aboriginal Sites Index (TASI). Most sites are located along the Derwent River foreshore, with some extending inland. The foreshore and remnant grasslands are considered culturally significant to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. A designated high-sensitivity zone extends from the foreshore to the 50-metre contour. All sites are protected under the ''Aboriginal Relics Act 1975''. Management guidelines ensure the preservation of Aboriginal heritage values in consultation with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council (TALC).<ref name="masterplan"/><ref>{{Citation | author1=Hobart (Tas.). Council. | author2=Austral Archaeology. | title=Queens Domain Cultural Heritage Management Plan | year=2002 | section=Electronic text (95 p.) : PDF file, col. ill., maps, plans. | location=Hobart, Tas | publisher=Austral Archaeology | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1382126296 | id=nla.obj-1382126296 | access-date=9 February 2025 | via=Trove }}</ref>

European occupation of the Domain began in 1804 after the colonists abandoned their first camp at [[Risdon Cove]] and settled at the site of the current [[Hobart City Centre]].<ref name="masterplan"/> Initially set aside for the pleasure and profit of the Governor of the colony, the Queens Domain gradually evolved into a developed public space with a rich and layered history.<ref name="masterplan"/> Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Domain was used for a variety of purposes, including housing abattoirs, quarrying building materials, agisting animals, growing food, boat building, storing munitions, and accommodating the Governor of Tasmania.<ref name="masterplan"/>

Over time, the Domain became increasingly isolated from the river and adjacent city and residential areas. The construction of a rail line in 1875 severed the connection to the Derwent River, and further disconnection occurred in 1943 with the creation of a link road between the floating bridge and the city, which later expanded into an extension of the Tasman Highway.<ref name="masterplan"/> The construction of the Brooker Highway in 1961 along the length of Park Street reinforced this separation.<ref name="masterplan"/>

Despite extensive development, the Domain retains nationally significant remnants of its original grassy woodland landscape. Amongst the seven native plant communities mapped within the area, two are considered particularly rare. Lowland Themeda triandra grasslands are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and Eucalyptus globulus forest and woodlands are listed as ‘Threatened’ under the Nature Conservation Act 2002.<ref name="masterplan"/> These communities support over 130 native plant species, with several classified as endangered or vulnerable under conservation legislation.<ref name="masterplan"/>

The Domain’s role as a public recreational space expanded over time with the establishment of carriage drives, botanical gardens, a zoo, baths, sporting facilities, ceremonial spaces, and event venues.<ref name="masterplan"/> after the colonists abandoned their first camp at Risdon Cove and settled in Hobart. Initially reserved for the pleasure and profit of the Governor, the Domain has undergone significant transformation over time. It has served various utilitarian purposes, including housing abattoirs, quarries, food production, and military storage. It also accommodated residential areas and the Governor’s residence. Over time, the Domain evolved into a public space, hosting carriage drives, botanical gardens, a zoo, baths, sporting facilities, and ceremonial spaces. However, infrastructure developments have progressively isolated the Domain from the city and river, including the 1875 railway, the 1943 floating bridge link road (now the Tasman Highway), and the 1961 Brooker Highway.<ref name="masterplan"/>