Gold Coast dive site Wonder Reef named: What do you think of the name?
There has been no shortage of debate around the new Gold Coast tourist attraction but now the name has finally been revealed. WATCH THE VIDEO AND VOTE >>>
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WELCOME to Wonder Reef.
The Gold Coast has named its newest tourist attraction, the $5 million dive site off The Spit.
Mayor Tom Tate confirmed the name after councillors voted at a full council meeting on Tuesday at the Evandale Chambers.
The Bulletin has obtained new footage which shows parts of the floating reef being loaded on a barge at the Brisbane River before it heads to the Coast.
The Mayor has previously admitted the current preferred name was “Wonder Reef”, first revealed by the Bulletin in a report in March. Council received more than 200 suggestions from residents.
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"There was a lot of suggestions and I thank the community. We ultimately agreed with the name that external consultants had come up with, after the consultants liaised with the dive and tourism industries,’’ Councillor Tate said.
“Behind the scenes, we had to ensure the name was legally available and marketable so in that regard, I believe we have found the perfect fit.”
The fabrication of the dive structures was nearing completion, with the reef foundations already transported to Brisbane for final works before being barged to the Coast for installation later this month, Cr Tate said.
“Weather permitting, they will be lowered into the water in coming weeks," he said.
Monitoring and safety checks will undertaken throughout 2021 while also allowing time for marine life to begin to inhabit the site before the site.
The attraction will officially open to the public in early 2022.
“This project will bring $32.8 million into the region’s economy in the first 10 years,’’ Cr Tate said.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Palaszczuk Government had invested $2.5 million in the reef project and provided a 50-year lease over the seabed off Main Beach.
“The Palaszczuk Government is working with tourism destinations across Queensland to help the industry rebuild,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“We know this project is set to make a real splash with local divers and visitors. It has created 18 jobs during construction and 82 once operational which is great news for Queensland’s economic recovery.’’
Environment and Great Barrier Reef Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the project was a great addition to the Coast’s long list of exciting attractions.
“The Coast is renowned for its natural beauty and fun attractions. This project will combine these two perfectly,” Ms Scanlon, the Gaven MP said.
“This project is expected to entice more than 16,000 diving enthusiasts to the Gold Coast and deliver an extra $2 million a year to the city’s visitor economy.’’
Key components will be nine sculptures towering about 20m above the ocean floor, four moorings for commercial tour operators and divers, and navigational markers to indicate the 500m by 500m precinct.
ISM Manufacturing in Maryborough started work on steel components of the reef in February before those parts were moved to Hemmant in Brisbane.
Council would have full responsibility for the dive precinct, organising access and permitting arrangements and maintaining exclusive rights to manage bookings and collect fees.
An earlier council report says the proposed per diver permit fees, subject to final commercial considerations, were $25 for each private and club diver for a two-hour timeslot.
For commercial operators, it would be $10 for each diver, per dive excursion with a minimum fee of $8000, for up to 800 divers, to be paid annually.
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THE city’s newest tourism attraction is set to be called Wonder Reef – but not all councillors are understood to be happy about ticking off the name for the dive site.
Mayor Tom Tate confirmed after a council transport committee meeting this week that a range of names for a purpose-built reef had been discussed by councillors behind closed doors.
While the final decision was one for all councillors, the Mayor admitted the current preferred name was “Wonder Reef”, first revealed by the Bulletin in a report in March.
He said the facility was to be lowered into the water off Main Beach at the end of this month, depending on the weather. The $5 million floating reef will be 2.5km east of Philip Park at The Spit on a sandy sea bed.
“Divers will not be able to access the site until relevant safety tests are completed. This could take up to seven months,” the Mayor said.
Councillors are again likely to debate the name in closed session at a full council meeting on Tuesday before a vote is taken and an announcement made.
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Council’s communication branch had earlier employed an agency to “taste test” potential titles for the site among stakeholders and focus groups, and Wonder Reef was the preferred name, followed by Sea Spectra.
“A few of the councillors were not fussed on that (Wonder Reef),” a council source said. “The Mayor then asked the community for input. We’ve got hundreds of names.”
A shortlist of five names will be considered but officers support Wonder Reef having last November met with dive operators, a dive attraction artist, and a design and construct contractor.
Officers in their report said Wonder Reef “references the sense of wonder and awe that will be inspired by the unique floating dive attraction design” and would appeal to divers and non-divers.
“It reflects the reef design and vision, evokes feelings of wonder, excitement and entices engagement. (It is) easily recognised and accessible, easy to pronounce and spell and translates well for a range of languages including Japanese, Korean and Chinese,” the report said.
First look: Coast’s $5m dive site under construction
April 5, 2021
THEY don’t look like much but these metal pipes are the Gold Coast’s newest tourist attraction.
Images released by the Gold Coast City Council on Monday show construction of the $5 million dive precinct is well underway and ahead of its expected opening in July.
It is being fabricated in a factory at Maryborough. The pieces will then be transported to Brisbane and barged to the Gold Coast where it will be installed in its final resting place 2.5km off Narrowneck.
Mayor Tom Tate said the floating artificial dive site was on track to open on time.
He renewed his calls for the public to contribute to the attraction’s name.
“We want to hear what you think the site should be called,” he said. “Time is running out so log on to our City Facebook site.”
More than 100 suggestions already have been lodged with the council to replace its working title, WonderReef.
Among those already suggested are DiveWorld, GCSea and GOAL (Gallery Of Aquatic Life).
The attraction is the first of its kind – a floating dive site with the spiral flutes anchored to the seabed.
The design will enable divers to experience the flutes, from 10m to the lowest point of almost 30m.
Council is already discussing plans to further expand the dive site, with a second stage in the works.
MARCH 29
ENTHUSIASTIC Gold Coasters have flooded the council’s website with suggested names for the new $5 million artificial dive site.
More than 100 suggestions have already been lodged with council for the new tourism infrastructure, which is expected to open in July.
Mayor Tom Tate said while the current suggested name was WonderReef, city leaders were open to new ideas.
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“I’ve seen the names DiveWorld, GCSea and even GOAL (Gallery Of Aquatic Life) put forward,’’ he said.
“There’s still time to name it so I call on all Gold Coasters to put forward their suggestions.’’
The site will be the latest tourism attraction on the Gold Coast once installed 2.5km off Narrowneck in July.
Cr Tate said the new dive site would be the first major piece of new tourism infrastructure to open post COVID-19.
“Once it is lowered in to place, we will let it settle in to the ocean floor and then conduct pre-dive inspections,’’ he said.
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“I want to see everyone diving on it as soon as possible after July.’’
Destination Gold Coast modelling estimates show that COVID-19 has cost the city $3.5 billion in tourism expenditure, a decline of 60 per cent when compared to 2019.
There was a 49 per cent decrease in total visitors, or around seven million fewer tourists.
The attraction is the first of its kind – a floating dive site with the spiral flutes anchored to the seabed. The design enables divers to experience the flutes, from 10m to the lowest point of almost 30m.
The facility is being prefabricated offsite and will be brought by barge from the Brisbane River to its location in June.
It is expected to boost the city’s tourism appeal with additional bed nights and visitation from across Australia and internationally.
Council is already discussing plans to further expand the dive site, with a second stage in the works.
Cr Tate has called for the state government to commit more than $1 million to the project.
“The initial structure will be installed around June 2021, so I will be pitching for at least a further $1 million from the state government to invest in a further underwater structure that will support the dive experience,” he said in January.
“It may be an underwater sculpture or series of smaller structures.
“I’ll rely on the dive industry reference group to guide us on what they feel is phase two of the precinct but securing the funds would be key.”
Originally published as Gold Coast dive site Wonder Reef named: What do you think of the name?
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