Yellow submarine finds forever home on Geraldton esplanade atop Eastern Breakwater Jetty after council debate

A permanent home for the iconic yellow submarine has been given the green light by the City of Greater Geraldton, but it proved to be a divisive issue for councillors. A berth for the submarine has been discussed since its restoration, which was completed by a committee under Rotary Club of the Batavia Coast, the previous owners. At the council meeting on Tuesday, councillors voted in favour of the executive recommendation to accept ownership of the refurbished submarine, and to allocate $80,000 in the 2024-25 budget towards installation. Executives also recommended placing the submarine at site selection five, located near the Eastern Breakwater jetty. A perfectly split council voted to put it at the recommended site, but five councillors voted for site four, which would see the submarine installed on the foreshore at Stow Gardens. It left Geraldton Mayor Jerry Clune to cast the deciding vote with site five getting the nod. Deputy mayor Natasha Colliver supported the recommendation to place the submarine at site five. “It’s uncluttered and doesn’t compromise space for people to use,” she said. “The esplanade gives the sub the freedom to be the star.” Crs Aaron Horsman, Peter Fiorenza and Victor Tanti all believed site four was a more viable option due to limited traffic and good visibility for tourism. Site four was the preferred site for the Rotary Club, and the committee which helped restore the submarine. Cr Kim Parker said the submarine needed to be at site four in order for the city to harness tourism opportunities, comparing it to the Horizon Ball and Point Moore lighthouse. Cr Jennifer Critch said it was important to think about the wishes of the Rotary Club.