Concrete Segmental Pavements (May 1993)

Salamanca Place in Hobart is a unique historic area dating from the 1830s. Georgian sandstone warehouse buildings flank a 24-m-wide roadway built over a reclaimed area originally used by the whaling fleet and shipping lines. The refurbished warehouses now function as professional offices, restaurants, a foundation covering most facets of the arts, a pathology laboratory, art gallery, Marine Board workshop, taverns, two wholesale traders in fruit and vegetables, and a flour mill. As well as these diverse activities Salamanca Place hosts Hobart's open market where more than 130 stalls operate every Saturday and the roadway itself becomes a shoppers mall. This functional area also incorporates traffic and parking areas and the usual loading and unloading facilities of a wharf. In the second half of the 1970s a comprehensive restoration programme was commenced for Salamanca Place, including the road pavement. Project design was by Hobart City Council with architectural advice from the National Trust and funding assistance from the Commonwealth Urban Local Road Fund. Commencing in 1979 and extending over five stages the roadway in Salamanca Place was restored and upgraded using 16 000 m2 of concrete segmental paving over an 800-m length.