Surge in underage drinking prompts push for Manly aquarium’s future to be sorted
The Manly aquarium closed in 2018, but the future of the government-owned site is still clouded. Now authorities have been uged to sort it out as it becomes a magnet for underage drinkers.
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Calls are being made to speed up a decision on the future of the abandoned and derelict Manly aquarium site which has become a magnet for underage drinkers and vandals.
The former Sea Life tourist attraction closed more than two and a half years ago, but the State Government’s Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), which owns the property, has yet to make a decision on what to do with it.
Suggestions from Northern Beaches Council include knocking it down and making it into a public park.
The Manly Daily reported in April that COVID-19 was being blamed by RMS, a division of Transport for NSW, for a decision not being made about what will happen to the land.
RMS has previously said it has been approached by several parties interested in taking on the site on West Esplanade and would seek expressions of interest for the lease of the site in the first half of 2018.
Then in August last year, in response to a local entrepreneur saying he wanted to transform the site into a high-quality live entertainment venue for 1300 patrons, RMS said it “expects to invite formal expressions of interest from the community later this year (2019)”.
The site is currently zoned for recreational waterway use that only allows for boat sheds, environmental facilities and water-based recreation structures.
However, the empty building has attracted vandals who have broken in building several times.
Teenagers have been spotted inside the structure, pulling down shelves and smashing through interior walls with fire extinguishers.
Smashed exterior doors and windows have now been boarded up and graffiti “tags” have been daubed on parts of the building.
Last weekend about 40 youths scarpered, leaving behind alcohol bottles, when police arrived they found one drunk underage female on her own.
Officers said the girl, who had been drinking cask wine, was sitting on the ground. Her speech was slurred and she was behaving erratically. She had also twisted her ankle.
Manly state Liberal MP James Griffin — behind a task force to boost Manly’s economy post-COVID — said the site was “pivotal” to the future of the tourist hub and it was crucial that whatever was to happen got moving soon.
“It’s been long enough,” Mr Griffin said.
“A decision needs to be made.”
Mr Griffin said he had personally raised the matter with Transport Minister Andrew Constance and will be working with his office as well as Transport for NSW and Northern Beaches Council in coming weeks to settle on an agreed approach.
Northern Beaches Police crime manager Mick Boutouridis said officers had been called to the aquarium site on several occasions recently about complaints of unauthorised gatherings and confirmed that drinking on the site would not be tolerated.
“We’re worried about the illegal gatherings,” Chief Inspector Boutouridis said.
“The message from us is that we will continue to patrol in that area, both overtly, with officers in uniform and covertly, in plains clothes, to deter people from gathering there.”
Inspector Boutouridis also reminded the community that there was a 24-hour a day ban on drinking alcohol along West Esplanade and around the aquarium site.
“That area is patrolled by both the police and the council.”
Transport for NSW said this week that it was aware the former aquarium site had been the location of recent unauthorised gatherings.
“(We are) looking at options to detract people from loitering at this location,” a spokesman said.
“There are no plans to fence off the area as the site forms part of the local coastal walk, although enhanced lighting is being considered to assist NSW Police with any compliance action which may be required.
“Transport for NSW plans to engage with council and interested stakeholders about future use of the site.”