Australian National Maritime Museum forecast massive drop in visitors over Mirvac development
A popular tourist destination in the heart of Darling Harbour is warning it could face a massive drop in visitor numbers in the budget, with a major harbourside development blamed.
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The Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour is warning the Federal Government of budget woes due to “the impact of the ongoing Mirvac development”, with hundreds of thousands less visitors forecast over the next financial year.
Mirvac’s $764.5 million mixed-use redevelopment of the harbourside shopping centre was approved in December, forecasting the revitalisation of the now-demolished entertainment precinct as part of a towering 50-storey skyscraper vision.
The highly-contentious development is set to include 265 new apartments as well as 42,532sq m of retail and office space, alongside communal green spaces.
Neighbouring businesses, surrounding residents and the City of Sydney Council launched staunch opposition to the proposal, with the ANMM now forecasting an estimated 600,000 visitor drop on patronage from the last financial year.
“The impact of the ongoing Mirvac development at Darling Harbour is still expected to impact on our budgeted financial statements but to a lesser extent than first budgeted,” the papers revealed.
Meanwhile, the museum forecast total expenses of more than $37.755 million in the next financial year, with just $10.508 million in its “own-source revenue”.
Budget papers confirmed the Federal Government is propping up the ANMM with $27,247 in funding this financial year, with a massive $18 million in cash splashed on “employee benefits” for the 115 staff working at the Darling Harbour-based museum.
“Employee benefits will increase in 2024–25 in line with the new Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027,” budget papers state.
“This enterprise agreements reflects the 11.2 per cent pay increase over 3 years agreed across the Australian Public Service.
“ANMM have increased pay rates across all levels to ensure pay parity across the Australian Public Service.”
It is a similar financial situation for the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, which is set to spend more than $67 million in the next financial year, while only expected to generate $10.9 million in revenue.
A total of $56.4 million is expected to be contributed by the Federal Government for the national museum.
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