New Coast dive site proposed

Matthew Killoran  -

IT could be a case of 'better red than dead' for the Gold Coast diving industry, with the city council considering former Soviet warships for a shipwreck to be sunk off the shoreline.

To boost tourism, the council's economic development and tourism committee will recommend the full council on Friday endorse the investigation of two potential sites for the wreck, one south of the Gold Coast Seaway, the other offshore from Currumbin or Tugun.

A council report revealed the Coast attracted just 20 per cent of the Queensland diving market and a shipwreck would be needed to keep competitive with other areas which already have a site.

The council will ask the State Government to acquire HMAS Tobruk, a Royal Australian Navy vessel to be decommissioned in 2012, or the HMAS Manoora or Kanimbla which are next in line for decommissioning.

Cr Peter Young said the council should investigate acquiring a decommissioned Soviet warship to scuttle for a shipwreck to give a point of difference from places like the Sunshine Coast which has HMAS Brisbane as a dive site.

"Divers I've spoken with have spoken about wrecks in the Pacific and some dive sites are much more popular than others because of the type of ship," he said.

"The possibility of having another Australian ship doesn't provide that special point of difference."

He said a former Soviet warship, or something similar, would provide the Gold Coast with a unique attraction to make divers chose it over other locations.

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