Ship comes in for a diving windfall

Jessica Benton
DIVERS will have their first glimpse of HMAS Canberra when it sails into town next week to create an economic boon for the Bellarine Peninsula.
Victorian Artificial Reef Society member Alan Beckhurst said the former warship was due to arrive from Perth on Monday.
“It’s on its way,” he said.
“The ship is probably just off the Western Australia-South Australia border about a couple of hundred nautical miles south.”
Mr Beckhurst said the ship would be sent to Graincorp Wharf for the next six to eight months before it was scuttled off Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove in March.
Mr Beckhurst told the Independent in February that HMAS Canberra was the diving industry’s “salvation”, after Port Philip Bay dredging began the same month.
“This is the life and death for the dive industry,” he said.
“If for some reason it’s not operational next summer, the operators will struggle to survive.”
Dredging of Port Philip Bay had had a major affect on the diving industry, Mr Beckhurst said.
“We’ve been struggling with the dredging in the meantime,” he said.
“The visibility is pretty awful and it’s bad enough with the work on the heads but it’ll get worse when the dredging starts on the southern channel because of all the silt.”
Mr Beckhurst said federal and state government bureaucrats had delayed the transfer of the vessel from a Perth dock.
“The hold-ups have been in government,” he said.
“The government wouldn’t commit to the project until all the funding was in place.
“We’ve since received $7 million from the Federal Government and $1.5million from the State Government.
“The VARS has really had to work hard to keep the governments on it.”
Mr Beckhurst said the Victorian diving industry had struggled for recognition in the past but HMAS Canberra would put the area on the map.
“This is a first for Victoria,” he said
“There’s other wrecks in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, so hopefully this will finally showcase Victoria’s diving potential.
“HMAS Canberra will provide a focal point for people to want to come here and then we’ll be able to showcase the area.”