CASH SPLASH
AQUARIUM RESCUED:
A MULTIMILLION-dollar bailout package has saved the Cairns Aquarium from bankruptcy as other Far North businesses await similar rescue grants.
COVID-19 hit the aquatic museum as hard as just about any business in Queensland with its high running costs persisting despite a public shutdown.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick visited the twoand-a-half-year-old attraction yesterday to announce a $3.5 million grant under the State Government’s Industry Support Package.
It was either that or closure for the struggling business – and the latter would likely mean 16,000 living specimens had to be destroyed.
“This funding is in addition to $50 million announced last month to safeguard tourism jobs across the state, with $25 million of that to support tourism giants like Sea World, Australia Zoo and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, who all employ so many Queenslanders,” Mr Dick said.
“As travel restrictions ease within Queensland from this week as part of our Unite and Recover roadmap, we are expecting to see increased tourist activity, especially here in the Far North.”
Aquarium chief executive
Daniel Leipnik said the lifeline had saved the business from permanent closure.
“When COVID-19 hit, we were forced to close the doors like many of the tourist attractions in the region,” he said.
“However, we still had to run the business, with a large amount of staff running the systems and keeping all the livestock alive.
“Today’s announcement gives us the surety that we can continue keeping all the livestock healthy and the system running, and prepare us for when we open in a short time.”
Considerable increases in tourism visitation to Cairns will still be necessary for the enterprise to survive.
“We’re certainly very much looking forward to the intrastate travel followed by interstate travel when it gets announced, and looking forward to a much brighter future,” Mr Leipnik said.
Cairns MP Michael Healy backed the business to the hilt.
“Ensuring they can rebound quickly will keep more locals in jobs and more tourism dollars flowing through the region,” he said.
Further bailout packages are pending for other major Cairns tourism operations facing dire financial straits.
“We’re going to continue to work with a range of local businesses … (that have) made an application and we’ve had some very positive discussions with them,” Mr Dick said.
“We’re looking forward to making some more announcements going forward to support those businesses when we finalise those details.”
The aquarium also received a share of the Federal Government’s $94.6 million support package for the region’s zoos and aquariums.
WE STILL HAD TO RUN THE BUSINESS, WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF STAFF RUNNING THE SYSTEMS AND KEEPING ALL THE LIVESTOCK ALIVE AQUARIUM CEO DANIEL LEIPNIK