Ship set to sink

Jessica Benton
Authorities are set to sink a navy frigate for an international diving attraction off Point Lonsdale after settling a wrangle over the preferred site, according to a dive industry representative.
Victorian Artificial Reef Society president John Lawler said HMAS Canberra could be sunk as early as August after state and federal governments finally agreed on a location.
Mr Lawley said “government protocols” were now the final hurdle to scuttling the ship.
“The vessel is ready to go and I’d hope the sinking takes place between July and September, hopefully by the middle of August,” Mr Lawler said.
“There’s some additional survey work that has to be undertaken to ensure the exact location is right but I understand that the location has been chosen.”
Mr Lawler said the scuttle location was off Point Lonsdale about 500 metres from an iconic J-4 submarines dive site.
The region’s diving industry was looking forward to its new attraction, he said.
“The scuttling of HMAS Canberra is a win-win for the environment and the commercial operators.
“To have something of this magnificence will be an enormous boost to the local tourism and dive industries on the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas.”
Mr Lawler predicted the ship’s dive site would produce a financial windfall of between $1.5 million and $3 million for the region’s tourism economy.
The sunken ship would become a “centrepiece” of Victoria’s diving attractions to make the site a world-class destination for divers, he said.
HMAS Canberra has been at Graincorp’s Geelong wharf since mid-2008 undergoing clean-up and other works in preparation for the scuttling.
The Independent revealed in 2006 plans to sink the boat.
However, in 2007 the diving industry blamed government “red tape” for holding up the project.
The industry had wanted the diving attraction in place before the 2008 start of the Victorian Government’s controversial bay dredging project, fearing cloudy water from work on deepening shipping channels would drive away divers.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts confirmed the “required clean-up” was close to finalisation.
The spokesperson said the department was also reviewing “additional information” from the Department of Defence and Victorian Government.