The Victorian Premier has announced plans for a $100 million development at the site of the historic Quarantine Station at Point Nepean, on the Mornington Peninsula. The plans include a proposal to establish a national research centre for coasts and climate.
Premier Denis Napthine said the planned development is aimed at attracting more tourists to the site, which is located in a national park, and preserving the existing historic buildings. “One of the problems at the moment is that people think Point Nepean is an area where they can’t go, and if they do go there’s not much to see,” Dr Napthine told The Age.
He said the plans for the project, which was the result of a competitive tender process, include tourist accommodation, a health and welfare centre, retail outlets, a heritage museum and cafes and restaurants. “It is expected to generate up to 220 jobs during construction and a further 390 ongoing jobs,” he said.
A spokesperson for The University of Melbourne said: ‘The National Centre for Coasts and Climate will undertake education, outreach and research activities that seek to enhance the coastal environment as well as social and economic productivity of the coast. The centre will seek to advance our knowledge of the world’s oceans and their unique marine life, how these have evolved over centuries and how we can ensure our coastal and marine environments remain healthy.’