A passenger terminal in Wollongong will quickly grow the cruise ship industry in NSW.
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That is the message from Cruise Wollongong, Illawarra Business Chamber and RDA Illawarra who are making a united call to the NSW Government to invest in such a facility at Port Kembla Harbour.
They believe the city holds an immediate answer to attracting more ship visits to the state.
And the government can help that happen without the public, council or Federal opposition presently being experienced in a congested Sydney.
It comes amid noisy opposition to proposed sites in Sydney’s immediate south and the Federal Government ruling out Garden Island as an option for a second terminal.
Cruise Wollongong chair Leigh Colacino, RDA Illawarra’s Debra Murphy and Illawarra Business Chamber’s Adam Zarth are all encouraging the state government to look closely at Wollongong’s successful emergence as a cruise destination.
The city is attracting attention from passengers around Australia and the world and there is a potential for more.
It is felt that NSW investment in a cruise terminal at Port Kembla would would immediately help grow the industry in the state with a huge economic benefit.
Cr Colacino said with MSC Magnifica already scheduling a turnaround visit to Wollongong as part of an around the world cruise it was a perfect time for the NSW Government to invest in developing Port Kembla Harbour as a turnaround facility instead of Botany Bay.
The city also boasts a company that provides beverages to most cruise ships that visit or operate in Australian waters.
The Kollaras Group knows how much easier it is to service a ship at Port Kembla.
Cr Colacino said the opportunity Wollongong provides for the state’s cruise industry, given its proximity to Sydney, cannot be underestimated.
“And Port Kembla’s viability as an existing deep-water harbour is outstanding. We are more than willing to facilitate turnarounds that cannot be accommodated in Sydney.”
Cr Colacino said the recent findings of the NSW Cruise Development Plan represented a big step forward in the quest for a turnaround facility/cruise ship terminal at Port Kembla.
“While our cruise industry is relatively young, we have always had the long-term vision of a fully operational facility at Port Kembla Harbour that will facilitate growth in a sector otherwise constrained in Sydney Harbour,” he said.
“The community of Wollongong has clearly demonstrated that it is proud to be welcoming cruise ships to our city and development of cruise infrastructure is the next logical step in ensuring they continue to have a fantastic experience visiting Wollongong”
The call by Cruise Wollongong, the chamber and RDA on Wednesday morning comes just days after the tourism minister realease the new NSW Visitor Economy Industry Action Plan and called for a significant increase in focus on infrastructure in regional Australia and tripling overnight visitor expenditure by 2030.
Ms Murphy said it was important to have such a united voice in a community so overwhelmingly in favour of more cruise ship visits.
She said a multi-purpose facility at Port Kembla Harbour will have many benefits for business in the region.
“The infrastructure would not need to be limited to a single purpose and, as such, could have flowon benefits to industry within the Illawarra,” she said.
Mr Zarth said the cruise industry presently represents less than two percent of economic value to the region but a cruise terminal at Port Kembla help that grow substantially and benefit the whole state.
He said it made sense to invest in such a facility at Port Kembla because it would provide a clear solution to the increasing congestion of Sydney Harbour where there 367 ship visit days in 2017. Which is more than one cruise visit a day.
“An investment by the NSW Government in additional facilities at Port Kembla would help keep further growth in this sector with our state, rather than losing visitation to Victoria or Queensland,” he said.
Cruise Wollongong will continue to lobby authorities to build a cruise terminal on behalf of the city and Port Kembla Harbour.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
