Wednesday, February 25, 2009
61
YOUR WEEKLY
SEVEN-DAY TV
GUIDE LIFTOUT
Museum proposed
BY SANDRA MORELLO
Email: sandra@tbw.com.au
THE proponents of a $4m Mount Gambier
museum proposal are calling for the ambi-
tious project to be placed back on the agenda
and believe the world-class facility is now
achievable.
Moves are afoot to resurrect the dormant
steering committee, which was buoyed by an
invitation last week to present their detailed
proposal to a city council workshop.
The museum, which is mooted to be
built alongside the Lady Nelson Visitor
and Discovery Centre, would showcase the
district’s rich cultural, geological and human
history and potentially lure thousands of
tourists through its doors each year.
The 1260m² facility would not only
showcase the Mount Gambier district’s
indigenous rock engravings — which are
considered to be the most valuable engrav-
ings of their kind in the world — but would
reveal hidden folklore such as the possible
German submarine submerged off the coast
of Port MacDonnell.
It would also allow the community to
recognise famous and prominent characters
in Mount Gambier’s history, such as Sir
Robert Helpmann and the late Mr Allan
Scott AO.
Mount Gambier resident Colin Thompson
— who is the public face of the museum
plan — told The Border Watch yesterday it
was time the proposal was “cranked up”.
Mr Thompson said the project had gone up
considerably in cost compared with two years
ago when the blueprint was developed.
“We can’t move forward without council
support,” he said.
“We have already spent $15,000 on devel-
oping a detailed proposal and business plan,
so it is ready to go.”
While acknowledging the hefty $4m
price tag, Mr Thompson said cities and
towns across Australia had museums,
which were vital tourism and community
infrastructure.
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According to the business plan, the
museum could have an operating deficit of
$270,000 per year.
“Council spends $1.2m on parks and
gardens and that is an operating deficit; a
museum would also add charm to the city,”
Mr Thompson said.
“Such an attraction would entice tourists,
it would hold visitors in the town and would
showcase the Mount Gambier district.”
He said it was also vital infrastructure to
allow Aboriginal artefacts — being housed
at the Adelaide Museum — to be returned
to the community.
Mr Thompson said it was believed some
valuable Aboriginal artefacts from the Mount
Gambier district had already been sold to
collectors in France.
“We definitely have community support for
the project. We have a lot of volunteers who
would help run the facility,” he said.
“We also have written support from the
Education Department, as well as schools
in the city.”
Under the blueprint, the museum would
include 10 separate galleries, an exhibition
hall and café. Interactive world-class displays
would feature throughout the facility. pABOVE: The museum would capture
the history of Mount Gambier’s RAAF
“The community has been pushing for
a museum since at least the 1950s,” Mr observer school which accommodated
more than 1000 service men and
Thompson said.
He said he felt there was a growing sup- women during WWII. Twenty-six lives
were lost in the district due to accidents
port within the council membership for the
project. during training. The wartime interactive
display would also unearth folklore
But Mayor Steve Perryman said council
could not afford to subsidise the operational about a German submarine submerged
off the coast of Port MacDonnell.
costs of the museum.
“That is not council’s core business,” Mr
Perryman said.
He said council invited museum propo-
nents to a workshop so new councillors could pRIGHT: Long-time museum
campaigner Colin Thompson holds a
be briefed on the proposal.
While council could not allocate financial photograph of a number of prisoners of
war, who were housed at a war camp
resources for the project, Mr Perryman said
council would support proponents in their at Nangwarry during WWII. The
district’s rich wartime history would be
efforts to gain State Government funding.
“Council hasn’t considered it formally, showcased in the museum.
but we do know it would require a large
capital cost and large ongoing costs,” Mr
Perryman said.
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