ARTHURS Seat Eagle have announced plans to undertake a $25 million upgrade of its “facilities, attractions and natural green space” raising the ire of community members concerned about the scope of the works and lack of consultation.
The proposed upgrade would add a new observation tower, pedestrian bridge over Arthurs Seat Road, function centre, luge ride attraction and an “experiential interpretive centre designed to celebrate the natural wonders of the Mornington Peninsula”.
A statement from Arthurs Seat Eagle said, “As a result of securing further capital from the destination’s investors, the upgrade intends to diversify the types of experiences offered to tourists, extending the average customer dwell time and providing additional opportunities for year-round visitation.”
The Eagle first opened in 2016 at a cost of $20 million, but soon hit turbulence, falling into administration in March 2020 (Arthur’s Seat Eagle falls into administration, The News 25/3/20). Although blamed on covid and the preceding bushfires, it was thought to have been triggered by a shareholder dispute. The attraction reopened again in December 2020 under the ownership of billionaire Peter Gunn and former Rio Tinto director, AMP chairman and Macquarie investment banker, and current National Australia Bank director, Simon McKeon.
The development is expected to be undertaken in three stages with stage one the base station upgrade, stage two the development of the luge ride from the summit to the base, and stage three the summit station upgrade.
The luge ride is said to offer “an exhilarating experience” down the cleared area under the Eagle on what is described as “a roller-coaster-like track”.
The CEO of Arthurs Seat Eagle, Matthew Mulkearns, said the masterplan vision resulted from 12 months of extensive research and consultation with environmental, planning and tourism consultants on the future needs of the precinct. “The feedback we sought from our community of locals and visitors has strongly indicated a greater desire for observation and viewing facilities to afford even greater aspects of our spectacular natural surrounds.”
A spokesperson from “Save our Seat”, Kylie Greer, rejects the notion of community consultation, and said community members have been left in the dark and would be overwhelmingly opposed to the “vast” development.
The upgrade has been deemed a “project of significance” under the Victorian Planning Provisions and would therefore qualify for State Project status. This means the project would be subject to a streamlined approval directly from the Victorian Planning Authority, avoiding scrutiny and potential limitations by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
Arthurs Seat Eagle is holding a community information session on 3 October at Dromana Community Hall from 6pm and are welcoming “all community members who are interested in the future of Arthurs Seat Eagle to attend”. The session will provide the opportunity for community members to “meet our project team, review the draft masterplan, and provide your input into the upgrade of Arthurs Seat Eagle.”
Arthurs Seat Eagle expect upgrade works to commence in late 2025.
First published in the Mornington News – 1 October 2024
