Launceston's ultimate fixer-upper could be yours for $0. But there's a catch. By Joe Colbrook March 24 2026 - 5:30am
A last-minute amendment to a council motion, made by Councillor Tim Walker, means the two-bedroom, one-bathroom house will be made available to the public to take on at no cost before the wrecking ball swings.
Air quality tests show the house is riddled with mould and, like the majority of council-owned buildings, requires significant structural work.
The last inspection, in 2024, found timbers were rotting, plaster walls were cracking, footings had settled unevenly and parts of the floor were fire-damaged.
It is also believed to contain asbestos.
Although the potential new owner would get the building itself for free, they will be liable for all costs involved and would have to satisfy some yet-to-be-determined criteria set by the council.
Demolishing the building would cost about $64,000 while repairing it, and leaving it in place, would cost $400,000.
If the hefty repair bill wasn't bad enough, transporting the building away from the site is another logistical challenge.
Fred Pfeiffer, director of Pfeiffer Cranes, said the overall cost of transporting the house would depend on its final destination and it would be a somewhat involved process to relocate it.
For starters, the roof would have to come off and the rest of the building broken into pieces for transport before being reassembled at its new location - a "cut-and-shut" job.
He said the power lines that line Gorge Road would also pose a problem, and the vehicles moving the house would require an escort.
The need for permits, and compliance with building standards, added to the challenges - logistically and monetarily - but the project was feasible for a person with the right appetite and deep enough pockets.
"Nothing's impossible," Mr Pfeiffer said.
Once the house is demolished, or otherwise removed, the land will be returned to public open space and could possibly become pickleball courts.
Because you can, does it mean you should?
The house's demolition was discussed at the council meeting on March 19, and although Cr Walker came prepared with an alternative motion to spare it, he almost missed his chance.
He and Councillor Alex Britton were late to resume their seats after a short break in the meeting, meaning discussion around the original motion began in their absence.
This was to note the intent to demolish the building, and amend the lease over the land to remove all reference to it.
Rather than tabling a whole new motion, Cr Walker was able to amend the original one and add a clause that forced the council to seek expressions of interest for the building first.A
"Maybe no one will apply for it. Maybe 30 people will. I don't know, and I'm not going to try and guess that today. It's the principle of the matter I think is important," he said.
"In a housing crisis, at a time when waste recovery is important, this seems like a simple step that we could take to ensure that all possibilities have been explored."
Councillor Lindi McMahon was the only councillor to vote against the amended motion, given the state of the house.
"Given the fact that there's extensive mould and there is asbestos, is that the kind of building that we should be offering to someone for free, to be relocated?" she asked.
The answer from council officers was that was a personal question of ethics, and not one they could answer.
Other councillors were broadly in favour of the motion, and Alan Harris said relocating the house was an idea with merit, notwithstanding the challenges inherent in it.
"I do feel in this particular instance, we should at least give the community the opportunity to do so, rather than simply getting a demolition crew to just demolish it," Cr Harris said.
Good afternoon Councillors,
Further to my verbal update in workshop today, confirming that we have received an application for the demolition of 180 George Street, Launceston. I am only making you aware due to the interest this can generate in the community.
As the property is not currently heritage listed, the application has a permitted status and therefore cannot be publicly notified. Under the requirements of the planning scheme, we must issue a planning permit for the demolition within 28 days of receiving a valid application.
This house was identified in the Paul Davies study as having State Heritage Significance. On that basis, the Planning Assessments Team Leader contacted Heritage Tasmania earlier this month to advise them of the application for demolition. They responded that the place does not demonstrate heritage values at a state level and therefore it is not recommended for entry in the Tasmanian Heritage Register.
This property has also been identified for inclusion as a Local Heritage Place in the Launceston Provisions Schedule of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, and this was communicated to the landowner during the community consultation in March 2023. As you may recall, the Heritage Review Project commenced with listing 38 properties considered 'quick wins', and 180 George Street was not included in that initial group. Once the first amendment was approved, the Place Making Team shifted its focus to developing Heritage Precincts. Work on several precincts is underway, with Newstead Crescent to be considered at the next Council meeting.
It has now been identified that several unlisted properties, including places similar to 180 George Street, are potentially at risk. As a result, our priority is to compile a list of these properties and progress a planning scheme amendment to avoid similar situations. We are aiming to present this amendment to Council this year. As also mentioned at workshop, a Heritage Officer role has come from Connections and Liveability back into Community Assets and Design, which is currently vacant. We need to recruit into this role in the coming months.
We recognise concern around this potential building loss, and we are prioritising actions to protect other at‑risk heritage buildings. However, it is important to understand the property owner is exercising their rights and the demolition will be permitted.
Kind regards,
Chelsea
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