Gold Coast dive site: New tourist attraction to open in mid-2021 to revive city’s biggest sector

Gold Coast's newest tourist attraction has been given the green light - though there may yet be a twist in the tale. READ THE FULL REPORT

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THE council has been given the green light for the Gold Coast's newest tourist attraction with the dive site on track for the Christmas-New Year holiday season.

The Bulletin in a report in March revealed the $5 million attraction, to be built off The Spit, faced a key risk in terms of it being built on time.

Mayor Tom Tate was negotiating with the Federal Government to secure all approvals including a sea dumping permit.

Gold Coast dive site under construction ahead of its sinking off Narrowneck in July 2021. Picture: Gold Coast City Council

To meet funding approvals, the attraction needed to be completed by June, built during calmer winter seas. The possibility then was it being opened as early as  the New Year holiday rush.

The Bulletin has sought an update, and Mayor Tom Tate confirmed the good news.

“It’s all systems go for our dive site," he said.

“We have now received the final approvals at federal level and with fabrication well underway, we are on track to see the dive attraction installed in late June.

Branding for the Gold Coast dive site attraction.

 “We will then give the reef time to establish marine life and undertake a series of tests and monitoring working with the local dive industry.

“This floating dive attraction is the first of its kind in the world so we are breaking new ground.

“Council will soon determine the dive attraction name, considering ideas from the community.’’

Council has embarked on a public naming process for the dive attraction name.

It is favoured to be called Wonder Reef.

The buoyant or floating reef is the first of its kind with mapping showing it will be located 2.5km east of Philip Park on a sandy sea bed.

Location of the proposed dive site off Philip Park at The Spit on the Gold Coast.

A council report suggests diver fees could range from $25 to at least $8000 for diving companies.

The council will be responsible for the lease conditions.

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THE Gold Coast’s newest tourist attraction – a long-awaited $5 million off-shore dive site – will launch in 2021 to help kickstart a visitor recovery effort.

Fabrication off site of the eight giant buoyant “sculptural reef flutes” has passed the halfway mark and are expected to be delivered in the new year before being sunk off The Spit.

Mayor Tom Tate said the new attraction, a partnership with State Government, would play a key role in revitalising the city’s biggest industry after a tough 2020.

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Concept for Gold Coast dive attraction. Picture: Gold Coast City Council.

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“It will be great for our domestic economy and it will mean visitors stay longer,” he said.

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.

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Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

If Greater Sydney, the Gold Coast’s largest source of domestic overnight visitors, remains closed throughout summer, it is feared the city could potentially lose up to 175,000 visitors, worth an estimated $225m in visitor spend.

Destination Gold Coast chairman Paul Donovan said there five key ways the city could revitalise the tourism sector:

1: Re-establish flight routes between the Gold Coast and its major markets including Melbourne and New Zealand;

2: Spend more promoting the Hinterland, which he described as being “under-utilised”;

Destination Gold Coast boss Paul Donovan at the Hot Shott cafe. Picture: Tertius Pickard

3: Fast-track construction of light rail stage 3 and commit funding to the stage 4 airport route.

4: Upgrade and expand the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.

5: A strong marketing campaign.

Mr Donovan said Destination Gold Coast was preparing to unleash a marketing blitz on the city’s biggest destinations once border restrictions were finally removed.

“This will capitalise on the demand and things will be more competitive than ever in a very cluttered marketplace,” he said.

Mr Donovan said accommodation figures had gradually improved since June, though occupancy was down 47 per cent for the month of August.