City of Greater Geraldton council to vote on accepting restored yellow submarine and where to install it

After a long road to salvation, the fate of Geraldton’s beloved Yellow Submarine will be decided next week when the council votes on whether to accept ownership and install it. A berth for the submarine has been discussed since its restoration, which was completed by a committee under the Rotary Club of the Batavia Coast which currently owns it. The preferred location suggested by the Rotary club was known as site selection four, on the ocean side of Stow Gardens on Marine Terrace. At a council agenda forum meeting on Tuesday, it was revealed Rotary’s preferred site would become an obstacle for equipment being moved into Stow Gardens for events. Further investigations done by the city found the most appropriate site for the submarine would be at a new location, site selection five, next to the Eastern Breakwater Jetty. The city’s executive recommendation is for the council to vote in favour of site selection five, accept ownership of the refurbished submarine, and to include an allocation of $80,000 in the 2024-25 budget towards installation. City CEO Ross McKim said if the council voted against accepting the submarine and an alternative was not supplied, “the whole thing would just fall away.” “It still belongs to the Rotary and they would have to find a site for it,” he said. Councillors will vote on the matter at their meeting next Tuesday.