Tourists expected to support Marine Discovery Centre

The opening of the Centre, located in the former Tourist Information Centre on the shores of Terrigal Lagoon, is the culmination of five years of hard work and planning on the part of the Central Coast Community Environment Network and the University of Newcastle. Along the way the venture has been supported by the business and tourism sectors as well as the local dive industry.

Established as an education and tourism facility, the Centre aims to encourage the sustainable use and understanding of the local coastline and oceans. It’s hoped it will generate greater awareness in the community and among tourists, the local marine and estuarine environments, as well as offer new environmental programs and interpretive facilities for students, both school and university.

The Centre, which opened its doors for the first time on Boxing Day, is manned seven days a week by trained volunteers from the Community Environment Network and students.

The refurbishment of the old tourist centre was carried out by volunteers and funded by donations from the community with equipment supplied by local businesses.

It will eventually provide a unique field-study location and be of great benefit to students studying Marine Science and Sustainable Resource Management at the University of Newcastle’s Ourimbah Campus.

The CCMDC aims to become a Centre of Excellence in education and research in temperate marine environments. It’s hoped the Centre will also attract students and academics to the Central Coast as well as researchers from the fields of tourism, human geography, economics, and education.

The University of Newcastle’s marine scientists will also lead research into the creation of artificial reefs and the impact on fish stocks when the ex-HMAS Adelaide Dive Wreck is sunk off Avoca Beach just 1.8 km off-shore in 32 metres of water on 27 March 2010.

According to John Asquith Chairman of the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre said the Central Coast was the ideal place to establish a marine discovery centre.

“Here is a unique opportunity with the close co-location of the ex-HMAS Adelaide Dive Wreck and the Marine Discovery Centre, to provide first hand monitoring of the reef development as well as excellent diving for local, national and international tourists,” said Mr Asquith.

The University of Newcastle (UON) Foundation has been directly involved in assisting the centre open in its new premises by helping to source display and office equipment.

Local businesses Harvey Norman Erina and Sheather and Merrigan Business Equipment have enthusiastically supported the Centre with audio visual and other equipment.

The role of the UON Foundation is to attract philanthropic support for University.

According to UON Foundation Donor and Faculty Relations Manager Libby Rodgers-McPhee, the Foundation hopes to play a role in the development of business and industry partnerships with the Centre.

“We hope we can attract support for scholarships for postgraduate and post-doctoral researchers, research funding and technological infrastructure for the CCMDC. In the long term the University is hoping to establish a Professorial position in Marine Science on the Central Coast.”

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