Hobart Airport has opened a new arrivals area, complete with an 85-metre U-belt baggage carousel and a Tasmanian-designed outdoor forecourt, marking a major milestone in its $200 million terminal expansion.
The new space, which adds roughly 800 square metres of capacity, will be in use in time for the school holiday travel peak, with around 135,000 passengers expected through the terminal this July.
Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter said the project was now around two-thirds complete, with the terminal on track to double in size once works are finished.
“The project will ultimately double the size of the terminal, providing more space, more choice of food and retail, and more jobs for Tasmanians,” Carter said.
The upgraded arrivals area includes expanded baggage claim space and a new arrivals exit with easier access to car rental offices. One existing baggage carousel has been taken offline for upgrade and expansion while the new U-belt carousel is brought online to handle the school holiday surge.
The outdoor forecourt, designed by Tasmanian landscape architects Playstreet, draws on the state’s natural environment to create what the airport describes as a “distinctly local welcome” for arriving passengers.
Playstreet director Miriam Shevland said the design took travellers on a journey through Tasmania’s landscapes, using native planting and varied paving to guide movement through the space.
“In the rainforest zone, the planters are underlit to subtly evoke bioluminescence, adding depth and atmosphere after dark,” Shevland said. “The design is about more than wayfinding – it’s intended to reflect Tasmania’s rugged coastlines and natural environments, and create a calm, inviting arrival experience.”
Further sections of the terminal will progressively open over coming months as the wider expansion continues.
Carter urged travellers to build extra time into their journey during the works.
“If you haven’t travelled through Hobart Airport recently, you’ll notice things look quite different,” he said. “We encourage passengers to allow plenty of time to get through security, find your gate and take the opportunity to explore some of the new spaces and shops that have opened.”
