Retaining iconic rotunda
• Aerial surveillance of the rotunda on the Sideling by Jeff Jennings.
By Taylor Clyne
October 19, 2022
The historic red roofed rotunda nestled amongst the trees on the Sideling is now in plain view after decades out of sight begging the question if it can be returned to its former glory at a new location.
Construction crews working on the $120 million Sideling redevelopment uncovered the original lookout last week and talks have started on whether it can be relocated to its original home at the Scottsdale Recreation Grounds.
It’s nearly 100 years ago exactly since the structure was first installed at the rec, established in 1922 for the then Scottsdale Brass Band to stay out of the weather.
The Dorset Tasmania History Society said as records state the rotunda was to be octagonal in shape, of handsome design, with a diameter of about 19 feet.
“It was designed to be ‘built in a day’, with various locals willingly donating time and money – timber, painting, labour, refreshments for the labourers,” member Nigel Mercer said.
However, in 1929 the Scottsdale grandstand was built, and the rotunda went into disuse.
“In 1936 the Scottsdale Council advised that money had been made available to erect a kiosk on the Sideling in the vicinity of a panoramic viewpoint, and a suggestion was made to use the band rotunda from the recreation ground.
“Apparently the rotunda was considered in the way of traffic at the rec, but only the roof was considered to be of any use.
“At the time one Councillor objected on the grounds that he could not see more than 20 or 30 people using it on the Sideling in 12 months,” Mr Mercer said.
Following the lead of the Scottsdale Tourist and Progress Association the roof was relocated to the Sideling and associated infrastructure was built to transform the space into a lookout.
“When completed the view from the kiosk of mountain valley and sea will compare more than favourably with any other panorama in the state,” the North Eastern Advertiser reported on October 16, 1936.
For many decades the lookout was used by motorists crossing the Sideling.
It had been re-roofed twice before being left unused due to its treacherous access track and limited pull off parking space when traffic ramped up.
Scottsdale Rotary member Rodney Martin said the group were surveying options as to what would be a good outcome for retaining the structure in the future.
“It’s really early days at the moment but it would definitely be a passion project for the community if they wanted it,” he said.
“The structure is all concrete except for the roof and some decorative stone at the front.
“When construction crews put the new road through there the embankment will be taking pretty much all of the foundations away, so it needs to go.
“It’s really about whether we could actually get the roof structure, we’d need a 20 tonne crane to lift it off and it may not be in good enough condition to reuse it again,” he said.
Mr Martin said talks were continuing but the group were open to practical suggestions by the community.
• The rotunda when it was first relocated to the Sideling in 1936.