Amphitheatre plan for harbour’s stingray feeding

Jessica Benton
A 180-seat amphitheatre could make stingrays a new tourist attraction at Queenscliff.
Charter boat operators Jan and Andrew Malouf hope to have the seating in place by the end of the year after drawing crowds to stingray feeding in the town’s harbour.
Ms Malouf said the feedings would be a tourist drawcard.
“We were feeding the rays and dolphins the frames when we got back from our fishing trips then last year marine wildlife consultant David Donnelly taught us how to feed and train the stringrays,” Ms Malouf said.
“Over summer we drew about 5000 people to view the public feedings.
Ms Malouf said safety fears over the amount of onlookers watching the spectacle in a harbour area not set up for crowds had forced the shows to stop.
However, support from Queenscliff Harbour, which is redeveloping the area, promised to allow the feeding shows to return.
“They’re all behind us and hopefully the new area will be built and finished by December,” she said.
Ms Malouf had seen concept drawings for the harbour development including the amphitheatre.
Queenscliff Harbour corporate affairs spokesperson Jeni Coutts said the feedings would be a “major tourist attraction”.