About WRAP
WRAP objectives
- To protect Tasmania’s small historic towns, including Westbury and its surrounds, against inappropriate large scale development
- To stimulate the public’s interest in appreciation for the beauty, character and fabric of Tasmania’s small historic towns and their surrounds, including Westbury and its surrounds
- To promote the history and heritage values of Westbury as a small historic town
- To encourage development sympathetic to the character of Westbury and its surrounds
- To encourage tourism in Westbury as a small historic town
On 30 September 2019, the Tasmanian State Government announced the preferred site for the new maximum security Northern Regional Prison is at 135 Birralee Road, Westbury.
Prior to the announcement, the Westbury community wasn't aware that a Westbury property had been put forward as part of the government's Expression of Interest process. Following the announcement, it came to light that the Meander Valley Council had been involved in putting the property foward without proper consultation with the community.
Following a public meeting in Westbury during October 2019, the community action group, Westbury Region Against the Prison Inc (WRAP), was formed.
WRAP is not opposed to a prison being built in northern Tasmania.
Following sustained lobbying by WRAP, on Thursday 18 June 2020, the Tasmanian Government announced that they are no longer planning to build a maximum security prison at the proposed location at 135 Birralee Road, Westbury, Tasmania. Instead they now intend to build the prison on Crown Land approximately 5km north of Westbury on Birralee Road.
WRAP consulted with the Westbury community about the change of prison location and found that the majority of people are still opposed to it. WRAP will continue to lobby the State Government to move the Northern Regional Prison away from Westbury.
WRAP is opposed to a prison being built close to any existing community where the majority of people don't want it.
WRAP supports prisoners’ families. Some WRAP members are also families of prisoners.
WRAP doesn't want places in Westbury like this 
... to become like this
