Lutana is a residential suburb of Greater Hobart in the Australian state of Tasmania. It lies within the local government area of the City of Glenorchy, approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south‑east of the Glenorchy town centre and adjacent to the western shore of the River Derwent. At the 2021 census, Lutana recorded a population of 2,616 residents and is designated by the postcode 7009.
Geography
The suburb is bounded to the north by Derwent Park Road and the Brooker Highway, while its eastern edge follows the shoreline of New Town Bay and the River Derwent. The area is largely situated on Store Point, underlain by fine‑to‑medium‑grained dolerite. Coastal wave action has produced minor thermal joints in the rock, but the underlying geology is generally massive and suitable for construction.
History
Lutana developed in connection with the Risdon Zinc Works, established in 1916 by the Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia (EZ). To provide housing for workers, EZ embarked on an industrial‑welfare scheme that created a planned village of around 60 poured‑concrete Arts and Crafts‑style houses, together with weatherboard and brick dwellings. The design was influenced by garden‑city principles and was planned in consultation with Melbourne architect Walter Butler.
The suburb’s original name, Risdon Rise, was replaced in 1920 after a competition run by EZ; “Lutana” is a Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) word meaning “moon”. Although intended as a model village for up to 200 houses, the scheme was scaled back due to cost considerations. A community hall opened in 1923, and a separate enclave known as “Drip Village” was built in the early 1950s for zinc‑works managers, featuring Art Deco‑style stucco concrete houses. Lutana was officially gazetted as a locality in 1961.
Demographics
According to the 2021 Australian Census, Lutana’s population was 2,616. The suburb’s housing stock includes the original early‑twentieth‑century worker homes, as well as later townhouses and apartment developments.
Amenities and Environment
Lutana contains several community parks and open‑space areas, including Apex Park, the Athol Street Playground and the Lutana Woodlands Reserve. The suburb adjoins the New Town Bay Golf Club, a private nine‑hole course situated on the banks of New Town Bay and the River Derwent.
Industrial activity from the nearby Risdon Zinc Works has resulted in elevated concentrations of zinc, lead and cadmium in local soils, particularly within the upper 20 mm of the profile. Studies have recommended the use of raised garden beds with clean soil for the cultivation of certain vegetables. In 2018, the Australian Conservation Foundation identified Hobart, including postcodes covering Lutana, as among the most polluted cities in Australia, with notable contributions from nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.
Transport
Historically, Lutana was served by the Risdon and Abbatoirs branch railway lines (1919–1974), which included a passenger station in the suburb. Following the cessation of suburban rail services, the former rail corridor has been proposed for conversion into a walking and cycling route—sometimes referred to as the “Lutana Link” or “Zinc Link”—to connect Lutana, Derwent Park and the Intercity Cycleway. As of 2025, the project remains unbuilt.
Road access is provided primarily by National Route 1 (the Brooker Highway) along the suburb’s south‑western edge, with local streets linking residential areas to the highway and surrounding suburbs.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census.
- “Lutana”, Wikipedia, retrieved 2025‑10‑01.
- Barton, Ruth (2020). “Communal life, common interests and healthy conditions: industrial welfarism at Electrolytic Zinc, Hobart 1918‑27”. History Cooperative.
- Australian Conservation Foundation, National Pollutant Inventory data (2018).