Gold Coast Council push plans to sink retired warship to create tourist attraction

A RETIRED warship is set to become the Gold Coast’s tourist attraction under a plan that could annually bring millions into the economy. And a location is already on the cards.

HMAS Darwin began her final passage into Darwin Harbour on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. After 33 years of service and more than a million nautical miles, the warship has farewelled her namesake city before decommissioning next month in Sydney. (AAP Image/Lucy Hughes Jones) NO ARCHIVING

THE Gold Coast City Council will target a retired naval warship in the hope of sinking it to create a dive site off The Spit, which could bring in an economic high tide for the city.

And in the sights of the city’s periscope is the recently retired HMAS Darwin, a target that tourism industry figures say could deliver millions of extra dollars to the economy.

TATE: WHY I WANT A DIVE SITE

HMAS Darwin (AAP Image/Lucy Hughes Jones)

Leading the push is Mayor Tom Tate who said a dive site was a logical next step in creating new attractions for the city.

“There is no doubt we are one of Australia’s major tourist destinations but one thing about being a tourism city is that we need to keep reinventing ourselves and that means additional infrastructure,” he said.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate a evendale council chambers talking about his health and cultural precinct at council meeting. Picture Mike Batterham

“Whether that means spending more money on our theme parks or getting our cruise ship terminal ready, the next part will be developing our diving industry.

“This could mean building our own structure but I would prefer to get something historic and significant like a navy ship.

“Everyone knows we are famous for our beaches and the ocean. We could also be famous for what is in our vibrant marine life. It is abundant and is something we can get the world to know.

Imagine of the proposed dive site off the Gold Coast.

“The best way to do this would be to have a signature dive site and this is something we can work towards.”

Council modelling suggests it would immediately add $5.4 million in direct and indirect economic benefits to the city.

The modelling, completed in 2016, suggested it would immediately create 73 full time-equivalent jobs, with the flow-on to bring in another 81 positions and a further $6.1 million within three years.

Cr Tate said the dive industry had the potential to be worth more than $36 million once established.

The first plan for a dive wreck: Gold Coast Buleltin front page: January 14, 2010.

HMAS Darwin leaves Darwin for the last time. Pic Glenn Campbell

The Darwin, an Adelaide-class guided missile frigate, served in the Persian Gulf, East Timor and the Solomon Islands during its 33-year career before being decommissioned this month.

A final site has not been named but it is expected to be 2.3km off The Spit at a depth of 30m.

The depth was selected to allow both experienced and novice divers to chance to use the wreck.

A report by town planning agency Cardno said a sunken ship would have “no effect on waves’’ on Gold Coast beaches.

The ship is in the crosshairs of the Gold Coast. Pic Jenny Evans

It would take around 20 minutes to make the journey by boat from Marina Mirage to the site.

Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan, speaking to the Bulletin from Canada, said there was “no question”.

“It is a missing area for the Gold Coast and if we had something like the HMAS Darwin we could market it not only in Australia but in Japan and other areas like this where they love the diving,” he said.

“It would be fantastic and if you look at our tourists, they are coming here but not staying very long and this is something we need to change.”

Paul Donovan. Photo by Richard Gosling

The council began investigating the attraction in 2010, with a preference for scuttling a naval vessel because it would have iconic and historic value, would become immediately inhabited by marine life and would be the appropriate height for all suitable dive levels.

After being placed on hold in 2013, other options were investigated before focus returned to scuttling a naval vessel in 2016

The Department of Tourism issued an expression of interest that year but ultimately the Gold Coast missed out on the Tobruk, sparking a battle between Cr Tate and Minister Steve Ciobo.

It is understood the council is prepared to commit more than $1 million to the project from contingency funding in its budget.

City hall has spent nearly $400,000 on the project in the past seven years.