Townsville Bulletin, TEL launches Save Our Aquarium campaign after government funding snub

After being overlooked in the recent federal budget, a community campaign hopes to save Townsville’s beloved Reef HQ and see it reimagined and reopened for generations to come. How you can help.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith at the empty site of the proposed new aquarium in Flinders Street. Picture: Evan Morgan

After being overlooked in the recent federal budget, a community campaign hopes to save Townsville’s beloved Reef HQ and see it reimagined and reopened for generations to come.

The Townsville Bulletin is today partnering with Townsville Enterprise in their ‘Save Our Aquarium’ campaign, demanding a $100 million investment from the federal government to refurbish the facility into the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium.

TEL CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith called on the community to help save an asset the federal government had “forgotten”.

“We will not stop,” she said.

“The government will not stop hearing us talk about it. Our ask is very clear. We are calling for $100 million that will enable the valuable community facility to be rebuilt.”

“Omitting any contribution toward our nation’s greatest natural asset, the $56B Great Barrier Reef, has not gone unnoticed by the communities, particularly science leaders and reef advocates, who call North Queensland home.”

Marcus Finch-Uren, 4, at Reef HQ in 2016. Picture: Evan Morgan

TEL had sent Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a letter from a ‘city leaders’ point of view’ and will work with Townsville’s Reef Guardian schools to present local kids’ letters and drawings to Canberra.

The general public can also sign an online petition, and TEL is calling on businesses to send letters of support.

“We will take a delegation down to Canberra to deliver all the information materials and show the heartstrings of the Townsville community,” she said.

“There are so many memories here that have been made. We need to bring them out; we need to tell them because, ultimately, we want the next generation to have similar memories.”

Expressing their disappointment of not receiving the allocation towards rebuilding the aquarium in the recent federal budget, Ms Brumme-Smith said it was time to act.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith at empty site of the proposed new aquarium in Flinders Street. Picture: Evan Morgan

“The ultimate goal is that we are not going to stop until there is $100 million dollars on the table to rebuild this facility,” she said.

“This is the national education centre for the Great Barrier Reef. We have to remember that it’s not just Townsville’s aquarium; it’s the national reef education centre, and it’s owned by the federal government. They need to take responsibility of reopening it.”

Reef HQ, which opened in 1987, closed in February 2021 with the intention of an $80 million makeover, funded by the former coalition government. As work began to rebuild the facility, the project team discovered that the building and tank were unviable, and a full demolition was needed.

This required an additional $100 million from the Albanese government.

“Back then, everyone thought it would be like an old house; we could build a new facility around the existing tank,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.

“We are looking for that additional funding now so that the aquarium will be here 20, 30, 40 years more, if not longer.”

“It’s really important that we now get the capital investment to the new build, but then also have a commitment to the new operational expenditure because it needs to be properly maintained.”

Behind the scenes at Reef HQ. Aquarist Samantha Kentwell. Picture: Evan Morgan

A key point in the Save Our Aquarium campaign is its focus on preserving the reef and furthering reef education for the next generation.

“We want to show that the next generation of our city and the next generation of Australians deserve this education facility to be reopened,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.

“Every year, so many schoolchildren come to visit, and so many parents bring their kids. That’s where we learn about how to protect the environment, not letting plastic in the oceans, the turtle hospital and the education on all the amazing sea life. That’s an important message.”

Ms Brumme-Smith also highlighted the importance of the aquarium to those unable to visit the Great Barrier Reef.

“If anyone is coming to Townsville from around the world that is unable to swim, uses a wheelchair or is a small child and cannot go out to the actual reef, this is the only facility where they can see a living coral reef,” she said.

“They should not be disadvantaged.”

New images of the proposed Global Great Barrier Reef Centre of Excellence and GBR Aquarium.

Townsville Enterprise also says the economic value of the refurbishment will help the city’s waterfront area, particularly Flinders Street, as part of the Townsville Waterfront Renewal.

“By missing out on the $100 million, we are also missing out on about $500 million of additional private sector funding,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.

“The $100 million to ensure this facility can be built will allow for development in the precinct, which it desperately needs.”

“One of the things that happened, by letting the facility get to the state it is now, is the owners of the buildings around Reef HQ didn’t want to invest.”

Ms Brumme-Smith said Townsville’ needs the government to lead by example’.

“If the government, who always claim to be climate warriors, don’t invest in a facility like this, I don’t know how we create that environmental stewardship.”

Click here to sign the petition.

Originally published as Townsville Bulletin, TEL launches Save Our Aquarium campaign after government funding snub