A museum that could rival the Guggenheim has been proposed for Point Cook.
The Point Cook Action Group (PCAG) is lobbying Wyndham council, the state and federal governments and other stakeholders to build a museum of Australasia and the Pacific on vacant land bounded by Point Cook, Hacketts and Aviation roads.
The land, which forms part of the urban growth boundary, has been earmarked for a 3200-property housing estate, but PCAG’s Paul von Harder believes it is better suited for a tourist attraction.
A booklet detailing the proposal says the museum could include a Maori war canoe experience, live dance and music performances such as hakas, and artefacts from across the Australasia and Pacific.
“There’s nothing else like that,” Mr von Harder said.
“We’ve already got masses of tourists come to Melbourne, but for people to see the whole Pacific would cost them a fortune. Bringing the whole thing together – Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and so forth – into one place where people can see the arts and crafts seemed to us to be a great drawcard.
“It’s also critically important [to celebrate] the Aboriginal culture and traditions.
“Point Cook is just 25 kilometres from Melbourne, it’s on a major freeway, it’s the gateway to the Surf Coast. Wyndham already has a great array of tourism icons … like the mansion and the zoo and the state rose garden. This would be an adjunct to that.”
Mr von Harder is hoping to attract investors through current lobbying efforts to make the idea become a reality.
Wyndham city economy director Kate Roffey agreed that the proposal could have merit as an art, culture and tourism concept.
“Council would, however, need a full business case, including capital and ongoing operational costs as well as a full assessment of the potential economic and social impact, to be undertaken before we could have a fully informed position on the proposal,” she said.
