Granite Island arts and museum complex proposed for Victor Harbor’s tourist icon
A PROPOSED $20 million art complex to revive Victor Harbor’s Granite Island would incorporate the areas’s natural rock formation and is backed by an Oscar-winning director.
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AN OCEANIC museum, Aboriginal art gallery, wine tasting room and restaurant are part of an elaborate vision to transform Granite Island into an arts Mecca.
The proposed $20 million arts and cultural complex, similar to Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art, is being backed by Oscar-winning South Australian director Scott Hicks.
Mr Hicks believes the proposal, which includes the island’s natural rock formations becoming a sculpture park, would revive the tired tourist drawcard.
“When I first went to Granite Island as a teenager it was always magical, so the other day I was struck when I went and there was nothing,” Mr Hicks said.
“So the idea of a sculptural trail together with a building that embraces the arts and history, seems to me, to be a brilliant idea.”
In recent years, the island has declined after its sole restaurant and kiosk closed in 2015, followed by the penguin centre in January last year.
However, a Swim With The Tuna experience starting in June and the proposed two-storey arts complex, named Break Water Point, may help rejuvenate the island.
“This centre would be a fantastic focus on all elements of tourism, nature and the arts and be an absolute gift to Granite Island,” Mr Hicks said.
“It is just what this part of the Fleurieu Peninsula really needs to give visitors a focus and sense of enrichment of where they visited.
“It would become a destination building in the way MONA is or Ukaria concert hall in Mount Barker.”
Port Elliot artist Will Hendriks is the visionary behind the project. He first proposed the arts project 27 years ago in a bid to secure the future of Granite Island.
“I designed this nearly 30 years ago and since then the island has been run down and nothing decent has ever been proposed to fix it,” Mr Hendriks said.
“Granite Island is a jewel for South Australia and the only way to protect something as beautiful as the island is through the arts, so whatever we do has to world class.
“My drive is to establish something for the arts in South Australia and something that will boost the Fleurieu Peninsula by creating a wonderful icon.”
Mr Hendriks said the island’s sculpture park would be the perfect conclusion to a 70km sculpture symposium drive from the Adelaide Hills to the Fleurieu.
He said the project could be completed by the end of 2020, but it was dependent on State Government support and private investment.
A business plan was being considered by the Government, after being presented to a community forum last week.
Although Victor Harbor Council would not be involved in funding the project, Mayor Graham Philp said: “The future of Granite Island is highly important to both our community and visitors to Victor Harbor.”
The council was also in the midst of investigating its own ways to increase tourism numbers, including allowing cruise ships to dock at Victor Harbor and increasing the appeal of its historic horse-drawn tram.