EDITORIAL: THE ailing Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is finally getting some attention.
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A funding injection of almost $3 million, shared by the Warrnambool City Council and the state government, is aimed at giving the tired attraction a badly-needed revamp.
The money will mainly be spent on upgrading the Shipwrecked sound and laser show, which tells the dramatic story of the tragic wreck of the Loch Ard.
The show will become multi-lingual in a bid to attract more customers. At the moment, the story is told in English only.
Different stories will also be developed and the upstairs section of the complex will also get a facelift.
Making the facility multi-lingual is a smart move, given that Asian visitors make up the lion’s share of the tourism dollar to south-west Victoria, largely because of the Great Ocean Road.
Warrnambool has struggled to attract its fair share of overnight visitors from the world-famous road, with busloads of visitors travelling down the coast from Melbourne early in the morning and then doubling back without visiting our city.
It has been an ongoing frustration for tourism providers and the council.
As it stands, Flagstaff Hill loses money and there is no guarantee that this upgrade will turn it into a profit-making venture.
Although this funding is welcome and long overdue, it should form a part of a greater vision for Flagstaff Hill.
Even after the upgrade is complete, it will remain difficult for the attraction to get people through the gates in the winter months when tourism numbers drop off dramatically.
Flagstaff Hill must also become an attraction for the local market because at the moment it is under-utilised in that regard.
The community has a soft spot for Flagstaff Hill, but if you have been there once there is no pressing reason to go back.
That must change if it is to survive long-term as a relevant and worthwhile attraction for visitors and locals alike.