Loitering with intent: a cultural geography of Sullivans Cove

This is a study that is drawn from the discipline of cultural geography. It explores the proposition that conviviality in public spaces contributes to a civil society, and seeks to identify the physical qualities and characteristics of a place that contribute to convivial activity. I have chosen to study conviviality in the spaces of Sullivans Cove on the waterfront of the capital city of Hobart, Tasmania, a landscape that in the last decade or more has undergone a transformation from a neglected working port to a centre of social and civic activity. I have adopted the character of a flineuse to take the reader through a journey of Sullivans Cove, and in so doing uncover real life activities that support the propositions that I have chosen to investigate. Flineuses are traditionally known as observers and loiterers of public spaces. The idea of the flineuse is used as a device in this study by which the urban landscape can be narrativised. Observing the public sphere with a flineuse raises questions about the aesthetic experiences of public spaces and the possibilities that these spaces hold for citizenship. This research revealed that conviviality has the potential to contribute to a civil society. For conviviality to prosper it requires a place that is both physically and psychologically safe, this is achieved through fulfilling conditions that encourage a diversity of people and activity into an area.rin