Dean Lukin's great white golf planRural Editor Nigel Austin
July 02, 2012 10:00PM
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/dean-lukins-great-white-golf-plan/story-e6frea6u-1226415054239
An artist's impression of Port Lincoln identity Dean Lukin's proposed 18-hole international golf course development for the Eyre Peninsula city.
TELL US: Is this really the future for Port Lincoln?
PORT Lincoln's reputation as home to the great white shark will be a major attraction in a new $300-million-plus development planned for the city.
An 18-hole golf course will feature the outline of a shark, which is aimed at luring tourists. The Lukin Corporation, owned by Olympic gold medallist Dean Lukin snr, unveiled its masterplan to the Port Lincoln City Council last night.
The company will ask for the plan to be supported at the council's next meeting in a month's time.
Lukin Corporation chief executive Dean Lukin jnr said last night's presentation to council was well received.
"Some of the elected members congratulated us on our vision and there were a lot of compliments," he said.
Port Lincoln City Council Mayor Bruce Green could not be reached for comment last night.
The 20-year project includes at least 500 homes, a commercial precinct, wharf, hotel and shopping centre at Proper Bay, on the southern edge of the Port Lincoln marina.
Mr Lukin said the plan anticipated Port Lincoln taking off in coming years with the expansion of the tuna industry, rapid growth of the mining sector and BP's oil exploration in the Great Australian Bight.
"We want to make Port Lincoln the regional capital of South Australia, and if we can achieve this no other regional city would be able to compete with us," Mr Lukin said.
Mr Lukin said a need to relocate the large Port Lincoln fishing fleet from the central wharf was the initial driver of the development.
But it is the shark design at the golf course which he hopes will help put Port Lincoln even more on the international tourism map.
"It will be the biggest tourist attraction and because it has never been done in the world, it should help draw a lot of international visitors to Port Lincoln," Mr Lukin said. The proposal for an 18-hole golf course to replace its existing course has the broad support of the Port Lincoln Golf Club.
"The spin-off effects of this development would be so big for Port Lincoln, it will provide so many jobs with the wharf project alone a big deal, yet it is only one small section of the whole project," Mr Lukin said.
The project stems from Dean Lukin snr's vision to buy the 150ha site in 1998 from BHP which had used it to freight sand from Coffin Bay to Port Lincoln for shipment to markets.
The development is being backed by the fishing industry, Port Lincoln Golf Club, Regional Development Australia, Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula and Port Lincoln Marina developer Sam Sarin.
The plan includes the revitalisation of the central marina area as a focus for tourism and visitor accommodation.
Regional Development Australia, Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula chief executive, Mark Cant said the fishing industry needed a new facility to support its growth.
South Australian Sardine Association chief executive Paul Watson said the development was vital for the future of the region's seafood sector with all fisheries supporting the plan.