Derwent Park has played a significant role in Tasmania’s manufacturing sector. The area was historically home to the
Small Arms Ammunition Factory's Ammunition Factory Derwent Park,
Sanitarium Health Foods, and
Sheridan, a
textile manufacturer producing high-quality bedding and home textiles. Sheridan operated in Derwent Park for several decades, contributing to the local economy and employment. In contemporary times, Derwent Park remains a hub for industrial activities. The shipbuilder
Incat operates at Prince of Wales Bay, adjacent to Derwent Park, and is globally recognised for its innovative wave-piercing catamarans. The company has built high-speed ferries and naval vessels that serve international and domestic markets, cementing Tasmania’s reputation as a leader in maritime engineering. Other significant industrial operations in the area include advanced manufacturing, food processing, and logistics businesses that continue to support employment and economic growth.
Smelter contamination The
Risdon Zinc Works (trading as Nyrstar Hobart) at nearby Lutana, which has been in operation since 1917, continues to produce heavy metal contaminants affecting the air, land and estuary waters surrounding
Greater Hobart. Drawing from data compiled in the
National Pollutant Inventory, a report by the
Australian Conservation Foundation placed Hobart at number six among Australia's most polluted cities in 2018. The data identified medium levels of
air pollution in postcodes 7009 (Derwent Park,
Lutana,
Moonah,
West Moonah) and 7010 (
Glenorchy,
Rosetta,
Montrose,
Goodwood,
Dowsing Point) with average air contaminant readings of 40% (
nitric oxide () and
nitrogen dioxide ()), and
sulfur dioxide (SO2) contributing 57% of airborne emissions. ==Further reading==