Max Bryant started work 18 years ago to realise his dream of a Victorian Maritime Centre in Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula to commemorate Australian service at sea in peace and war.
Designed as a major, world-class tourist attraction, exhibits will include HMAS Otama, an Oberon class submarine decommissioned in 1999, and the MV Wyuna, a 63-metre classically-designed vessel that served as a Port Phillip pilot ship from 1953-1979.
Max, 66, is president of the Western Port Oberon Association, which was granted $500,000 to buy the Otama and tow it from Fremantle to Western Port 14 years ago.
MV Wyuna was donated to the association in 2004 after serving as a training ship for Launceston’s maritime college.
The project brief for the Maritime Centre includes a state-of-the-art interpretation complex, memorabilia displays, a theatre/auditorium, conference facility, cafe and shop.
“After council amalgamation (in the 1990s) WesternPort became a backwater. There was nothing for kids to do,” Max said.
“That was the major reason I started this project.
“This has always been about raising funds for self-help. The maritime centre is a not-for-profit organisation and there are many good community projects that would get their seed funding from the centre.
“Hastings is dying – we’ve got 26 empty shops in town. Local businesses need this project.
“It would bring people to the area and provide local jobs.”
He says it has been a frustrating journey, including years of wasted time, effort and money trying to procure a site.
Various state and federal government ministers and others have expressed support over the years, but Max believes the need for action to start the project is urgent.
The first stage will be to move the submarine on to land.
“The Otama cannot stay moored where she is for much longer,” he said.
“Already we’re going to have to do a lot more work than we originally thought 10 years ago to restore the outside of it.
“We have to dig a channel and get it on to land as soon as possible.
“Government has to come on board. We’ve spoken to a lot of corporate interests who want to see government money put in first before they would commit anything.
“We had lots of meetings with the previous state government and are still in discussions with Spring Street.
“We’re also waiting to meet our local federal member Greg Hunt, who’s been supportive of us in the past.”
“The frustrations over the years have been heartbreaking really, but I have the tenacity never to give up on this.”
The Western Port Oberon Association welcomes new members, people with expertise who could assist with furthering the project, and donations.
