Devonport City Council invites expressions of interest (EOI) from individuals or organisations to undertake a complete valuation of the Bass Strait Maritime Centre’s maritime and local history collections.   

 Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff said the Bass Strait Maritime Centre’s collection includes more than 3,000 objects and about 15,000 photographic negatives, acquired since1973.   

 Cr Rockliff said it’s been almost 10 years since Council established the Bass Strait Maritime Centre, which is why a full evaluation of the collection is needed. 
The last valuation was done in 2004 of 112 significant items, which were valued at about $700,000.  

Cr Rockliff said Council expected the latest valuation would be much higher, given the collection has grown in the last 17 years. 

“This is a great collection of Devonport’s maritime history and Council looks forward to finding the right person to value this important piece of our history,” Cr Rockliff said. 

“The Bass Strait Maritime Centre is one of Devonport’s significant cultural facilities, and over the years many pieces of its collections have been donated by families with links to our city’s maritime history. 

“Council is keen to find the right valuer that can provide a valuation of the entire collection or can manage the valuation and sub-contracting segments of the collection.” 

A detailed collection summary can be found here and EOIs close on Friday, 9 April 2021.  

Valuers will have access to the catalogue of works, including digital and hardcopy records pertaining to maker, history, materials, date or period, scale, provenance, and condition.  

On-site visitation is recommended and should be considered as part of a submission. The Bass Strait Maritime Centre will provide staff to assist the audit and valuation where possible.   

The Bass Strait Maritime Centre is located at 6 Gloucester Avenue, Devonport, Tasmania.  

Please address your submission to:  

Geoffrey Dobson  
Convention and Arts Centre Director  
[email protected]  
145 Rooke Street   
Devonport TAS 7310  

Please provide details of your experience and capacity to undertake the valuation, likely period of completion and estimated fee.  

Council has a preferred completion date of August 2021, to align with reporting requirements.   

Please provide details as to whether you can complete a valuation of all segments of the collection as detailed in the appendix, manage the valuation by undertaking 
a portion of the valuation and sub-contracting the remainder, or whether you are proposing to undertake a valuation of only certain segments of the collection.   

Selection criteria:  

Council will assess each submission based on the relevant information provided, with consideration given to:   

1. Whether you can undertake a valuation of the whole collection, or part thereof. 
2. Estimated fee.  
3. Experience.  
4. Capacity to deliver. 
5. Estimated likely completion period.  

 Closing date:  Friday, 9 April 2021.  

Photo: Bass Strait Maritime Centre Coordinator Jaydeyn Thomas looks at some of the centre’s collection. Devonport City Council has called for expressions of interest (EOI) from individuals or organisations to undertake a complete valuation of the Centre’s maritime and local history collections.