City of Greater Geraldton opts for more research towards finding location for Yellow Submarine

The City of Greater Geraldton council has decided to hold off on choosing a location for the Yellow Submarine it is due to acquire, opting to conduct more research into locations where it could be installed. The Batavia Coast Rotary Club spent three years and about $30,000 to restore the submarine, with the council voting between four locations to determine the best option to install the vessel. The locations included the 440 Roadhouse in Glenfield, the Francis Street carpark, its original location on Marine Terrace near Lester Avenue, or by the Foreshore Walk near the Geraldton Multipurpose Centre. However, a late submission from deputy mayor Natasha Colliver at Tuesday’s council meeting saw a fifth option emerge, on the eastern breakwater. The current executive recommendation is to place the submarine on a roundabout at the Francis Street carpark. Cr Colliver said while she believed the council should support the acquisition and the submarine could be a tourism icon, she did not agree with the original four locations, indicating the “footprint” it left would be too big. She suggested the fifth location would add tourism options at Francis Street, and more time should be put towards finding a permanent spot. While endorsed by Cr Michael Librizzi and Cr Cooper, there was a common theme in the discussion — that the council had one chance to get it right. Cr Aaron Horsman voiced concerns over “how late it has been brought to the agenda”. The motion was put to the vote, and tied with five votes in favour, and five votes opposing the new proposal. Mayor Jerry Clune voted in favour of conducting an additional site study. At the April agenda forum, Peter Teakle and Greg Eastman, members of the restoration committee, voiced preferences for a Stow Gardens location, which was studied by the city but not listed as the executive recommendation.