LNP promise $10 million for Marine Wildlife Hospital at Sea World
A proposed new $10 million facility at Sea World, which would be the first of its kind in Australia, is being hailed as a win for both tourism and the environment.
Gold Coast
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A Marine Wildlife Hospital to be built at Sea World is expected to provide a significant boost not just to the environment, but the Gold Coast’s tourism industry.
The LNP on Saturday announced it will commit $10 million towards building the facility, which would be equipped to treat marine life including birds, dolphins, sharks, seals and whales.
Members of the public would have the opportunity to view work at the hospital, which would be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
The LNP announcement was welcomed by Village Roadshow Theme Parks CEO, Clark Kirby, and COO Bikash Randhawa, who said it would build on existing work to rescue marine life at Sea World.
“For over 50 years Sea World has been at the forefront of marine rescue and rehabilitation efforts around Australia and this commitment from the opposition will allow our team to have an even greater impact on saving Australian marine life,” Mr Randhawa said.
“The state-of-the-art marine hospital and conservation hub will allow our specialised veterinary and marine animal experts to help more animals as well as educate the millions of guests who visit Sea World on conservation efforts they can do to minimise their impacts on the environment.”
Sea World Foundation Head Veterinarian Dr Claire Madden said the investment would have a “lasting impact” on the marine environment.
“The Sea World Foundation Hospital and Conservation Hub will feature state-of-the-art veterinary equipment, world-class rehabilitation facilities, research laboratories and educational areas,” she said.
“Last year alone, we rescued over 400 individual marine animals ranging from whales, dolphins, dugongs, turtles, seabirds and sea snakes, and with animal rescues on the rise, this facility will greatly expand our capabilities.”
Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism Professor Sarah Gardiner last week told the Bulletin how nature-based tourism was increasingly popular among international visitors, creating opportunities for the Gold Coast.
Speaking in the city on Sunday LNP leader David Crisafulli – who was previously his party’s Shadow Tourism Minister – said what “most excited” him about the Sea World project was that it would also contribute to eco-tourism.
“What I really like about this is it’s not just doing good by the environment it’s also another string to our eco tourism bow as well,” he said.
“I have this view that if you do good by the environment you can (also) make a genuine tourism offering out of it where the economy benefits.
“ … I believe that if you create world class eco tourism projects you will also create a generation of people who become defenders of environmental values.”
Shadow Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Sam O’Connor said the project would cement the Gold Coast’s place as a “world leader” in marine science and conservation.
“It’s not just the local school kids who’ll be able to come through here and see this facility in action, it’s for our future vets and our future wildlife carers who will be able to have a unique opportunity in an Australian and Southern Hemisphere first facility right here on the Gold Coast,” he said.
Originally published as LNP promise $10 million for Marine Wildlife Hospital at Sea World
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