Friday, January 27, 2012
A Star News Group publication
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Museum founder and land carer in Australia Day honours
FEAR OVER TAN SURGE PAGE 3
Shipshape: Henry Hudson at Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.
Picture: Tommy Ritchie
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Stingray show on ‘hold’ over wharf mit through and now we’re just waiting on bureaucracy,” Mr Malouf said. Parks Victoria fenced off the damaged wharf, between Queenscliff Harbour and Swan Bay bridge, more than two years ago. The Independent reported in 2008 that Mr Malouf wanted to operate feeding shows to entertain and educate tourists about Queenscliff’s stingrays in their natural environment. Mr Malouf said his twice-
daily, 45-minute shows would rival Phillip Island’s penguins. “I’ve got an attraction that will bring in $60,000 to $80,000 a year.” Mr Malouf said a 10-week trial in 2008 attracted 5500 spectators. Borough of Queenscliffe Mayor Bob Merriman said the wharf was a victim of “the greatest inactivity ever seen”. “The previous (state) government put in $1.8 million and since the election nothing’s happened. I’d like to see the government get
off its backside and do something about the whole project.” Cr Merriman said he was unable to comment on the stingray proposal because council had yet to see plans. Labor Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville accused State Government of treating the community with “contempt”. “It’s a disgrace that the money is there and this work has not commenced,” she said. A Parks Victoria spokesperson said stabilising works on part of
the wharf started in June but were on hold for review. “Parks Victoria and Queenscliff Harbour are reviewing and re-scoping the Fisherman’s Wharf renewal project to ensure it allows for the future development of a stingray feeding tourism attraction in line with community expectations.” Queenscliff Harbour’s Sean Blackwood hoped the show could begin by Christmas. Queenscliff Harbour leases the wharf area from Parks Victoria.
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BY MICHELLE HERBISON PLANS for a stingray-feeding tourist attraction are stuck in limbo amid inaction on a crumbling Queenscliff wharf, according to the proponent. Andrew Malouf said he had a permit to feed the stingrays but the “absolutely disgraceful” condition of Fisherman’s Wharf was stopping him submitting an application to build a 150-seat auditorium. “I’ve been pushing this for four years. We finally got a per-
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BY MICHELLE HERBISON HENRY Hudson enjoys keeping busy and involving himself in Queenscliff’s community – and this year it’s thanking him. The maritime heritage enthusiast has received an Australia Day award for services to museums, heritage preservation and the community. “It’s rather a surprise and a humbling thought,” Dr Hudson said. Queenscliffe Maritime Museum partly owes its existence to Dr Hudson, who helped found it in the 1980s. “Probably the main reason why we established the museum was because the Queenscliff lifeboat had been taken out of service and it was a pity to just see it in the harbour deteriorating,” he remembered. These days Dr Hudson divides his time between his role as chairman of Maritime Museum of Victoria board, Rotary club activities and teaching U3A classes. “I think one of the most important things is to keep your brain active and keep busy.” Wallington’s Susan Marriott also received an Australia Day award for her international Landcare work. Mrs Marriott set up a Secretariat of International Landcare, bringing to the world Australia’s bottom-up approach to environmental issues. “It kind of happened by accident,” she remembered. “It all started with the idea that if you get people excited by actually showing them something they might do something similar.” Mrs Marriott has travelled to South Africa, Sri Lanka and many other countries to encourage communities to network and share knowledge about how to care for their environments.