Sea World Marine Wildlife Hospital

[Brad2912]

A Marine Wildlife Hospital to be built at Sea World is expected to provide a significant boost not just to the environment, but the Gold Coast’s tourism industry.

The LNP on Saturday announced it will commit $10 million towards building the facility, which would be equipped to treat marine life including birds, dolphins, sharks, seals and whales.

Members of the public would have the opportunity to view work at the hospital, which would be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The LNP announcement was welcomed by Village Roadshow Theme Parks CEO, Clark Kirby, and COO Bikash Randhawa, who said it would build on existing work to rescue marine life at Sea World.

“For over 50 years Sea World has been at the forefront of marine rescue and rehabilitation efforts around Australia and this commitment from the opposition will allow our team to have an even greater impact on saving Australian marine life,” Mr Randhawa said.

“The state-of-the-art marine hospital and conservation hub will allow our specialised veterinary and marine animal experts to help more animals as well as educate the millions of guests who visit Sea World on conservation efforts they can do to minimise their impacts on the environment.”

Sea World Foundation Head Veterinarian Dr Claire Madden said the investment would have a “lasting impact” on the marine environment.

“The Sea World Foundation Hospital and Conservation Hub will feature state-of-the-art veterinary equipment, world-class rehabilitation facilities, research laboratories and educational areas,” she said.

“Last year alone, we rescued over 400 individual marine animals ranging from whales, dolphins, dugongs, turtles, seabirds and sea snakes, and with animal rescues on the rise, this facility will greatly expand our capabilities.”

Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism Professor Sarah Gardiner last week told the Bulletin how nature-based tourism was increasingly popular among international visitors, creating opportunities for the Gold Coast.

Speaking in the city on Sunday LNP leader David Crisafulli – who was previously his party’s Shadow Tourism Minister – said what “most excited” him about the Sea World project was that it would also contribute to eco-tourism.

“What I really like about this is it’s not just doing good by the environment it’s also another string to our eco tourism bow as well,” he said.

“I have this view that if you do good by the environment you can (also) make a genuine tourism offering out of it where the economy benefits.

“ … I believe that if you create world class eco tourism projects you will also create a generation of people who become defenders of environmental values.”

Shadow Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Sam O’Connor said the project would cement the Gold Coast’s place as a “world leader” in marine science and conservation.

“It’s not just the local school kids who’ll be able to come through here and see this facility in action, it’s for our future vets and our future wildlife carers who will be able to have a unique opportunity in an Australian and Southern Hemisphere first facility right here on the Gold Coast,” he said.

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/lnp-promise-10-million-for-marine-wildlife-hospital-at-sea-world/news-story/73be27915a681c548c1a1323564cb6d1

[Naazon]

18 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

Members of the public would have the opportunity to view work at the hospital, which would be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Did they forget about Australia Zoo's hospital, or by "first of its kind" they mean first marine only.

[Tricoart]

13 minutes ago, Naazon said:

Did they forget about Australia Zoo's hospital, or by "first of its kind" they mean first marine only.

It's taken from this article, which specifies "First of its kind Marine Wildlife Hospital". Also, important note within that article that shows both the motive & that the project is nowhere near finalized/could well and truly not come to fruition, which Gold Coast Bulletin fails to mention or elude to the related uncertainty of:

Quote

“Only by voting LNP and showing Labor the door in 2024 will the Gold Coast have a world-class Marine Wildlife Hospital."

Edited 5 hours ago by Tricoart

[Brad2912]

16 minutes ago, Naazon said:

Did they forget about Australia Zoo's hospital, or by "first of its kind" they mean first marine only.

Certainly referring to marine only given the abundance of terrestrial animal hospitals at many locations in Australia alone 

7 minutes ago, Tricoart said:

Gold Coast Bulletin fails to mention or elude to the related uncertainty of:

The fact it’s an LNP announcement and continually refers to “shadow” minister I think eludes enough to this being an election based project reliant on them being in power 

[New display name]

Yay!!!!!!!!!

SW can pull a DW and put the money towards a new ride.