By Sarah Schwager
CASEY councillor Steve Beardon has taken his bid to return meteorites to Cranbourne all the way to Downing Street.
Cr Beardon recently wrote to British Prime Minister Tony Blair requesting that the meteorites, which landed in Cranbourne and are held at the Britain’s Natural History Museum, be returned free of charge.
The collection is a group of 12 meteorites that landed in the emergent town in 1860.
“Cranbourne currently has a meteorite display which unfortunately comes off second best as a tourist attraction because the display houses only replicas,” Cr Beardon said.
But a reply from Mr Blair’s office put the responsibility of the meteorites in the hands of the British Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Often referred to as the meteorite capital of Victoria, Cranbourne’s meteorite display has caused more than one debate at Casey Council recently.
Council is looking at moving the display to a new location.
Cr Beardon said the move could cost up to $140,000, a cost he said could be better spent on other resources such as speed counting devices, footpaths and road safety.
In October, Cr Beardon told the News the meteorite park was undervalued as an asset and needed to be upgraded.
However, he said the funds for the upgrade should come from the State and Federal Governments.
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