Mayor Tom Tate wants a new, pyramid dive site for Coast after plans to sink HMAS Darwin are scuttled
THE Gold Coast has lost the HMAS Darwin to Tasmania, but Mayor Tom Tate has come to the rescue with a particularly unique diving site for the city in its replacement.
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MAYOR Tom Tate has unveiled a grand plan to create a massive pyramid dive site off the Gold Coast in a bid to attract divers of all abilities from around the globe.
The man-made pyramid would be the first of its kind in the world and has been given a thumbs up by Tourism Minister Kate Jones, who said the State Government would be happy to tip in half of the $5 million cost to make it happen.
Cr Tate revealed his plan to the Bulletin — which has campaigned hard to secure a dive site for the Coast — after it was revealed that Tasmania has scooped the HMAS Darwin.
“I’m very disappointed about the Darwin but I have a Plan B and another project ready to go — I want to sink a pyramid off The Spit,” Cr Tate said.
“The size of this pyramid would make King Tutankhamun proud. I’m very serious about this project.
MAYOR STEPS IN OVER DIVE SITE STOUSH
“As Gold Coasters, we get knocked down but we get up again. We lost the HMAS Torbruk to the north and now the Darwin has gone south, so we have to go to Plan B.”
Cr Tate said he was lobbying to have the massive pyramid built locally and sunk at a total cost of $5 million off The Spit — in the exact spot where the Darwin would have been scuttled.
“I have already got approval from the Federal Government’s Department of Natural Resources and my next step is to present our drawings to the State Government,” he said.
“We are shovel-ready. We’re ready to go. I have $2.5 million to spend on this project and I am requesting the State Government also invest $2.5 million.”
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Ms Jones last night told the Bulletin she was eager to work with the Mayor on the pyramid dive site proposal, saying the Government was ready to provide the $2.5 million needed from its new Tourism Infrastructure Fund if the project stacked up.
“We’ve always said we’ll support a new artificial reef on the Gold Coast. Projects such as this are what the new tourism fund are all about,” she said.
“I’m very keen to sit down with the Mayor to discuss getting this project up and running as soon as possible. It will be a unique Gold Coast experience that will capture people’s imagination.”
Cr Tate first floated the pyramid idea in 2014 but said he put it on hold when the Gold Coast was in the running to get the HMAS Torbruk and then the HMAS Darwin for a dive site.
“I believe securing a dive ship for our city has run its course. I am not going after any more warships for the Gold Coast. We will now go after a man-made pyramid, which is doable,” he said.
“All I have to do is get the tick from the State Government and that’s it. I don’t need to wait for a ship to be cleaned and decommissioned.”
Cr Tate said tenders could be out very soon and the project would be a boost for local businesses.
TOM TATE: WHY WE NEED TO HAVE A DIVE SITE OFF THE COAST
“The marine industry is here on the Gold Coast. If we can build a superyacht, we can build an underwater pyramid.
“I want it to be built as a graduating structure so that divers of different abilities can use it. Beginners would dive near the top while experienced divers would dive further down.
“You have to be a very proficient diver to dive on a warship but a beginner can dive on a pyramid.”
Cr Tate said the pyramid would be built with a mixture of tubular, marine-grade materials, which would attract fish and other marine life, while allowing barnacles to grow on it.
“The idea is not to put stainless in the ocean, which nothing grows on. My aim is to also encourage the growth of coral on this structure.
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“We still have to do more homework on the best material for this project and I envisage every section of the pyramid may be slightly different.”
He confirmed the location of the pyramid would be at The Spit — the same spot where a warship would have been sunk.
“This will be another tourism attraction for our city and the first of its kind in the world,” he said.
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