“We’re treading water”: Flagstaff Hill’s million-dollar costs creating concern for Warrnambool council

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is costing Warrnambool City Council close to $1 million a year to operate. With visitor numbers falling short of expectations, councillors are questioning how long the city can continue carrying the burden without government assistance.

What happened: Last Monday, councillors unanimously adopted the quarterly financial report from January to March. It found the council's short-term financial position was sound, but raised questions over the longevity of the city’s maritime village and museum.

• The concerns were raised during discussion of the report, with councillors pointing to declining patronage and the cost of operating the site.

High maintenance: Councillor Debbie Arnott said Flagstaff Hill was costing the council close to $1 million each year and questioned whether the community was receiving sufficient economic benefit from the attraction.

• “Patronage for the quarter was lower than expected,” she told the meeting. “I do know that it's tired. It needs a complete revamp.”

• Arnott said plans existed to upgrade the facility but urged state and federal governments to contribute funding.

• “As a council, this is a huge drain on our resources,” she said.

The numbers: According to Warrnambool City Council, the site attracts an average of 180,000 visitors annually, including the ticketed museum and village and the free-entry visitor information centre.

• Day passes into the village range between $54 for a family pass, and $9.50 for children over five years old. Night passes, including the sound and light show, are priced between $86 for a family pass and $18.50 for children over five years old.

• The site often hosts free events and workshops, and a local ambassador program allows Warrnambool residents to visit Flagstaff Hill for free.

Long-term decline: A 2024 report found the council-operated attraction was on a downward trend before the pandemic, recording a loss of 30,000 annual visitors between 2009 and 2019. 

Just holding on: Councillor Richard Ziegler told the Brolga that while the council is currently maintaining the museum, it “wasn’t in a position to be able to update things or keep it as fresh as it needs to be for a tourist attraction.” 

• “We're treading water at present, but we're not sure how long that will last,” he said.

A worthwhile investment: Despite his concerns, Ziegler said Flagstaff Hill had “been marvellous for us for years and has been acknowledged as an important maritime museum”.

• “There are amazing artefacts from shipwrecks along the south-west coast that can't be seen anywhere else”, said Ziegler, before adding visitor numbers were no longer supporting the level of investment needed to keep the attraction competitive.

• “It needs to be freshened up and put back on the stage as a viable maritime museum that is up to date, but that takes money,” he said.

• “Museums have a limited appeal to the latest generation. They need stuff that keeps them interested.”