Work on underwater sculpture experience underway

A STUNNING underwater sculpture experience that will attract visitors and marine life is being created at The Dell in Clifton Springs.

Called The Sunken Gallery, the living underwater arts installation is due to open next summer.

The City of Greater Geelong has launched a website – thesunkengallery.com – to showcase the forthcoming attraction, ahead of the imminent installation of a land-based artwork at the site.

The project, which is being managed by the city in conjunction with Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine, delivers a range of environmental, tourism, recreation and arts benefits.

Director of Investment and Attraction Brett Luxford said the Sunken Gallery would be a word-class asset that rewards repeat visits, with the sculptures to attract different marine life and change with the seasons.

“The installations will also be designed so they can improve coastal management, providing valuable stability to the shoreline,” Mr Luxford said.

Visitors will also be able to get up close to an evolving array of fish, seahorses, rays, octopus, urchins, starfish and shellfish.

As well as creating new habitats and attracting new marine life, the underwater sculptures will help stabilise the coastline.

An arts installation will be placed on the foreshore to promote the Sunken Gallery, before the underwater experience opens over the 2019-20 summer.

More pieces are proposed to be added to the gallery during 2020.

The Dell was chosen as the host site because it offers a calm and safe marine environment, with an accessible beach and existing public amenities.

Also, an Expression of Interest will be released asking experienced artists to put forward their suggestions for the installation.

These will then be considered alongside the heritage, environmental, planning and engineering requirements for the site.