By Brendan Rees
A marine hub in Tooradin is one step closer after Monash University students unveiled their finished design ideas for the proposed centre.
The third-year design studio students wowed their guests from the Tooradin Business Association (TBA) and Casey Mayor Amanda Stapledon after exhibiting their work at Monash University Caulfield Campus on Thursday 13 June.
Cr Stapledon expressed her excitement with the designs which she says would provide a “great perspective” to help with their future planning for a new centre.
“Each design incorporated teaching/educational areas – to understand biodiversity along the nature links and marine life; climate change impacts; spaces for environmental research and how visitors moved through and experienced the public spaces,” she said.
“Hands-on education will inspire visitors and help them to discover and learn about local land-based and marine life with the aim of teaching them how to understand, respect and protect our environment, the life within it, and to educate the future caretakers of it.”
The TBA recently announced it was advocating for a new centre which would include a cafe, gift shop, access point to kayak tours of Sawtells Inlet, a conference room and meeting room, and an outdoor play area.
It comes after the once popular marine life education centre in Tooradin burned to the ground 17 years ago.
The TBA has also been in talks with Federation University who have expressed support for the project and the possible creation of augmented and virtual reality apps for Tooradin.TBA president Marlene Hargreaves was thrilled to participate in the design process and will present an overview of the students’ work at a Casey Smart City Advisory Team meeting and at the next TBA committee meeting.
