MumMe Time moves into former location of Vic Hislop’s Shark Show after years of location vacancy

After years on the market, the beachfront space which housed Vic Hislop’s shark show at Hervey Bay is about to be reopened as a new business at the weekend - and you won’t believe what’s replaced that old frozen great white. VIDEO.

The future of the site which once housed Hervey Bay’s famous shark museum can finally be revealed after eight years of closed doors.

MumMe Time, a brand-new fitness and self-care centre for pregnant and postpartum mothers, will open its doors to the public on Saturday, November 2.

Located at 553 The Esplanade, MumMe Time will offer fitness classes, workshops and events with a self-care focus, while also providing in-house childcare while mothers engage in these activities.

MumMe Time moves into this prime Urangan location after years of speculation about what would replace Vic Hislop’s Shark Show.

The attraction was synonymous with Hervey Bay for 30 years but shut in 2016 after Mr Hislop cited personal reasons for its closure, and later sold in 2021.

The exhibit gained notoriety for Hislop’s strong views about shark hunting and display of frozen carcasses which in their later years caused strong odours to emanate throughout the museum.

Vic Hislop with two 3m white pointer sharks he caught at Wiseman's Beach, SA on April 20 1985 (Pic by unidentified staff photographer)

The now-serene space however has been taken over by Amelia Todd, an accredited exercise physiologist along with certifications in pregnancy and postpartum fitness.

She created the centre to help local mothers with their health and wellbeing after noticing a striking gap in the fitness market.

“When I became a mum, I could tell a place like this was needed”, said Ms Todd.

“It just shocked me that nothing like this existed anywhere near here.

“The response I’ve been getting to the business is amazing”.

MumMe Time founder Amelia Todd has been blown away with the support she has already received from Hervey Bay mothers.

MumMe Time caters to pregnant and postpartum mothers, while also welcoming women past that stage of their lives.

Features of the space include a gymnasium area, a kitchenette and changing station, ‘The Sanctuary’, a space for mothers to relax, and the children’s play area, which includes a sensory tent for neurodiverse kids.

The seafront Sanctuary, located at the northern point of the space, was the room that once housed Hislop’s 5m great white shark carcass and Ms Todd has embraced it’s history - even adding plush toy sharks and other marine creatures to the children’s play area.

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The location of the site was the main reason for Ms Todd deciding where to start her business, stating that “being able to see the water is really good for your wellbeing”, while the local response to the wellbeing centre has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Everybody that comes past says ‘thank goodness something is going in here”, she said.

“Everyone is just so glad this building is finally being used for something”.

Removing glued carpet, building furniture and breaking down the 30-year stigma of a stinky shark exhibit have been the main items on Ms Todd’s to-do list.

'The Sanctuary', an area that mothers can use to relax, used to house Vic Hislop's great white shark carcass.

“I have had a few people ask me if it still smells in here.

“A lot of people have some great stories about this building and have filled me in on the details.

“There is still a fin painted on the outside that I will have to fix down the track”.

The centre's children's play space has bought into the building's heritage with 2 shark plush toys swimming around.

With the grand opening fast approaching, Ms Todd and her 11 associates are looking forward to seeing what the location can become.

“We are getting a range of different people to come in and run different workshops, particularly mothers in business.

“We are going to have different events to support in all the ways that we can.

“I’m really keen to make this accessible to everybody”.

MumMe Time officially opens on Saturday November 2 from 9 am to 3 pm.

Originally published as MumMe Time moves into former location of Vic Hislop’s Shark Show after years of location vacancy