City of Busselton gives support to Marine Discovery Centre foreshore location despite business concerns

The City of Busselton has agreed on a foreshore site for a new marine discovery centre, despite some concerns from nearby businesses. The centre, slated to sit on the corner of Jetty Way and Foreshore Parade, is planned to include three storeys with an educational area as well as a function room, upstairs bar and ground floor kiosk. $15.88 million in funding from the State and Federal governments is in place to design, service and construct the building, which follows on from the failed underwater discovery observatory. The lease, approved by council in principle, would be subject to negotiations and receiving the go ahead from the State and Federal governments. Cr Jodie Richards moved the motion and read out a letter concerned about the project sent by Shelter Brewing. “Opposition by Shelter states in their letter regarding the alfresco kiosk cafe, ‘I believe that the foreshore already boasts a diverse range of takeaway and grab and go options, introducing a new kiosk-cafe and may risk saturating the market, detracting from existing businesses without offering substantial added value’,” she said. “’Similarly, we question the necessity of a private function space within the context of a marine discovery centre, particularly when it is located so close to four existing hospitality businesses.’” Cr Richards rebutted the letter, saying if every other business thought it is suitable to have a function room, so should the project. “That to me says that those places that have those venues value them and that they add to their economic value,” she said. “All those other places have them, why should we be excluding the marine discovery centre when its a part of their business case and they’ve received Federal and State funding?” Mayor Phill Cronin raised concerns over the economics of the project, expressing worry the council receiving ongoing revenue from the Centre would be subject to questions of if it passes the pub test. Council staff told the meeting the city would only receive 25 per cent of the gross revenue from the discovery centre section, not the bar or kiosk. The upper floor bar and ground floor kiosk would only pay a rental fee, estimated to be $25,000 each per year. Money from both the discovery centre and associated food, beverage and hospitality would go towards the Busselton Jetty fund. Cr Mikayla Love was against the full proposal, alluding to an alternative motion which approved the project without the kiosk or bar. The alternative motion was ultimately not heard, with the original motion passing 6-3. Cr Love, Cr Kate Cox and Cr Richard Kennedy were in the minority.