In the words of mayor Vicki Jellie they opted to be aspirational and voted for a business case to be completed on moving the gallery from its current site and building a state-of-the-art centre on Cannon Hill.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being aspirational, in fact, we applaud councillors for wanting to set up the city for the future. It is something that was lacking in the final years of the previous council and naturally missing from this council as members took time to settle into their roles.

In just one meeting earlier this month councillors showed their willingness to think beyond today when they voted for the business case to be prepared for building a new gallery at Cannon Hill, the cheaper of two options at an estimated $40m.

They also effectively sealed the future of the city's saleyards at the same meeting in rejecting a motion to award a tender for $5.66m in upgrades.

Council officers had recommended councillors develop a business plan for redeveloping the gallery's existing site at the Civic Green given community feedback against Cannon Hill because of the views it offered.

But deputy mayor Debbie Arnott urged her colleagues to be brave on the gallery decision because a survey and community consultation hadn't produced decisive opinions.

On a 4-3 vote, they elected to pursue the Cannon Hill business case.

Cr Jellie pointed out completing the business case didn't mean the project would go ahead at Cannon Hill.

"Council doesn't have to commit to an outcome," she said.

"Cannon Hill would provide a point of difference to all other regional galleries.

"I think we've got to have aspirations."

But it would be a brave council to spend upwards of $100,000 of government funds on looking at a project and then rejecting it in favour of presumably spending just as much on a business case for the existing site.

Now a group of residents are mobilising opposition to the notion of a gallery being built at Cannon Hill, arguing the spectacular views across the foreshore are too valuable and shouldn't be lost for future generations.

"It's very important that the ratepayers and the citizens of Warrnambool get behind us in our petition to stop the city councillors from taking these prime multi-million-dollar views away from all of us, for our grandchildren, our great grandchildren," businessman Brian Guyett said.

"It's literally ludicrous. It's ridiculous for them to even consider what they're trying to do to take this away from all people.

"To even consider it by the councillors is quite concerning in our opinion."

A petition has already garnered more than 1100 signatures but will it stop the council from investigating the business case? Will councillors, or one, change their minds?

This council was elected on the back of representing residents' views and vowed community consultation was critical to it restoring confidence after the previous team's tumultuous final two years.

If the public view is so overwhelmingly against the Cannon Hill idea, they have to change their minds don't they?

But if they do, what happens to their desire to be aspirational and brave?