Centre vow broken

Andrew Mathieson
A broken pre election funding promise has forced Queenscliff Marine Discovery Centre to slash its opening hours and axe school holiday programs, according to a group of volunteers.
Friends of the Marine Discovery Centre’s Amanda Bianco said the Government pledge of $400,000 had still not arrived almost a year after the election.
The Government promised the money over four years after the friends group warned in the lead up to the election that the centre was struggling to keep its doors open to the public.
Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville announced the funding as she battled to win a second term in parliament against a Liberal challenge.
Ms Bianco said the centre had been forced to close on weekends, reduce operating hours by half during the week and axe school holiday programs and activities after the cash failed to flow from the Department of Primary Industries.
“We’re getting cranky about it because this year’s funding should have come through a while ago,” she said.
“As it stands, the public isn’t getting much use out of the place.”
The friends group reformed two years ago after the centre slashed its services.
Ms Bianco said the friends group would be prepared to instigate a business plan to target more tourists for the centre, she said.
“It’s a good tourist attraction and is great for families on weekends but a lot of people can’t get there during the week,” Ms Bianco told the Independent.
“The money would be earmarked for making it more accessible and having staff there on the weekend.”
The Independent’s photographer was refused access to the discovery centre, which occupies a grass-topped building on the shore of Swan Bay.
But a Department of Primary Industries website said the centre provided “education and eco tourism services” and a “unique location to learn about the plants and animals that inhabit our coast and marine environment”.
“The marine discovery centre provides curriculum based education for early childhood, school and tertiary groups as well as programs for the general community,” the website said.
“In addition, we offer a number of specialised programs such as work experience, volunteer training, a friends group and a sand dune revegetation program.”
The website listed facilities in the centre including an aquarium, a student laboratory, a classroom, a resource room and an “educational gift shop”.
Ms Bianco said schools paid to visit the centre.
Ms Neville did not return the Independent’s call for comment before the paper went to press yesterday.