Sandy Bay Sauna Expression of Interest

We undertook community consultation to hear the community's views on a proposed sauna trial at Long Beach in Sandy Bay.

Consultation was advertised through our Your Say Hobart website, signs at Long Beach, and letters to nearby residents. It was open from 18 February to 14 March 2025.

Most feedback was positive, however, some submissions were unsupportive or expressed concerns.

We received 76 submissions:

• 60.5 per cent (46) of submissions were supportive
• 28.9 per cent (22) were unsupportive
• 10.5 per cent (8) were not clearly for or against.

A summary of comments we heard is listed below.

Benefits

• Health and wellbeing
• Location
• Tourism
• Local businesses
• Community

Concerns

• Inappropriate use of public land
• Parking
• Cost to the City of Hobart
• Noise, location, views, smoke and fire safety
• Commercial competition (with an existing sauna)
• Impact on existing uses and reduction of available green space

Other concerns

• Cost to users
• Support for either part-year or year round operation
• Alternative location suggestions
• Insurance and planning permits
• Public facilities and amenities
• Lawn/site remediation
• Bike parking

You can find more information on community consultation in the FAQ section below.

The proposed sauna will be set up on a vacant, grassed area of public open space next to Long Beach in Sandy Bay.

The City conducted a thorough review of potential sites, assessing factors such as location, beach access, accessibility, park values, nearby facilities, and title restrictions.

Long Beach was the only site that met all necessary criteria.

The proposed operational period is from April to October (inclusive), with the infrastructure removed from the site outside this period.

The grassed area near Long Beach will remain accessible to the public while the sauna is in operation.

The business will not be allocated any specific parking spaces, however there are several public car parks nearby and this project is not expected to have a significant impact on parking availability.

The operator would require a planning permit for the site, which would include any relevant traffic management requirements.

Saunas offer a low-impact health and wellbeing experience that enhances the natural beach setting.

Similar businesses in other parts of Tasmania have been highly popular, and the City has received multiple requests for a local sauna.

The project would align with the Capital City Strategic Plan 2023, by providing a unique economic opportunity and attractive destination that activates open spaces and connects people to nature.

The private operator of the sauna business will determine the cost to use the service.

Applicants will be encouraged to provide additional community benefit in their EOI applications.

Applications open Friday 1 August and close 5 pm Friday 12 September 2025.

Download and review the Expression of Interest (EOI) documentation. The completed application form and any associated proposal information must be submitted to Council by 5 pm Friday 12 September 2025, either by email or post.

The initial license will be for 12 months, with the option to extend for a further two years, subject to CEO approval. A project review will then assess its long-term viability.

The Expression of Interest will be for a full commercial proposal, without subsidy or financial or in-kind support from the City of Hobart.

If such a proposal isn't received, the City will not proceed. This is important in relation to competitive neutrality.

If a suitable Expression of Interest is accepted, consent (as landowner) will be given for the lodgement of a development application for a proposal reflective of the EOI.

Yes, any sauna operator selected will be required to meet applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, including any planning permits, health and safety requirements, and insurances. It is noted that there will be the ability to make representations in relation to the planning scheme application, should the matter progress to that point.

Proposals will be assessed against their identification of site impacts and proposed mitigation measures.

The trial has been designed to limit potential impacts to existing uses, with limited operation from April to October (inclusive). It is considered that a sauna is complementary to other uses of the public open space, with room still for these still to occur. Substantial green space is also available nearby at Long Beach Reserve, Blinking Billy Point and Alexandra Battery Park. Furthermore, the selection criteria includes consideration of additional community benefit offered by the operator.