Vision
To establish a world-class exhibit commemorating Australian service at sea in peace and war, based on OTAMA and situated at Crib Point. The exhibit will act as an educational asset for Victoria and a draw card for visitors, providing local employment opportunities and indirectly assisting local business.
Current
The Otama is a decommissioned Australian RAN Oberon class submarine of 2030 tons displacement surfaced.Apart from the removal of classified communications and sensor equipment, OTAMA is in the same state that the crew left it, an operational Oberon class submarine, with a full outfit of spares and equipment.
Prior
In early 2000 the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) placed OTAMA, its last operational Oberon Class submarine, at 3 months notice for operations to be completed and committed the crew to the new Collins Class submarine training pipeline. This allowed the OTAMA to be sold to the Western Port Oberon Association. She is powered by two Admiralty Standard Range 16 VVS-ASR1 diesels of 3680 bhp and two electric motors of 6000 bhp giving a top speed of 17 knots submerged.
Specs
She is armed with a McDonnell Douglas Sub Harpoon ship-to-ship missile system, six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes taking the Gould Mk 48 Mod 4 dual purpose wire-guided torpedo, and carries a total of 20 ship-to-ship missiles and torpedoes. She carried a crew of eight officers and 56 other ranks.
Community Benefits
The Maritime Museum is expected to be a major tourist attraction for the region and employ around 40 people.
On an estimated 50,000 visitors per annum. The following figures have been conservatively estimated.
- Revenue for the attraction at more than $4.5M with around $1.3M benefitting the local community.
- 40 permanent and casual jobs.
- Traineeships for the tourism industry.
