Port Adelaide has great tourist potential. It is steeped in maritime history and much of its 19th century charm survives today.
Yet the Port does not have a national profile and is not on international tourist itineraries. The reason is not hard to see. The Port simply does not have a major drawcard which potential visitors can associate with.
From San Francisco to Portsmouth, the presence of a large heritage vessel provides a focus, an international identity around which a heritage site can be promoted.
The location of the ‘City of Adelaide’ at heritage rich Port Adelaide would provide that drawcard and the critical mass to help the Port become a major Australian heritage attraction.
Major heritage attractions interstate generate significant income. South Australia’s heritage is significant but lacks the impact and broad appeal to become an international attraction.
Overcoming this problem and ‘creating’ major heritage sites has been achieved overseas by relocating exhibits to locations of visitor potential.
Such exhibits are often historic ships and include the ‘Royal Yacht Britannia’ moved to Leith and Scott’s Antarctic ship ‘Discovery’ to Dundee. Such vessels bring size, substance and national recognition to a new heritage attraction.
By good fortune a significant element of South Australia’s maritime heritage in the form of the clipper ship 'City of Adelaide' has survived.
We have a unique opportunity to utilise her considerable potential, and status as the older sister to the world famous ‘Cutty Sark’, to turn a local heritage area into an international tourist drawcard. By combining the ’City of Adelaide’ with the ‘Nelcebee’, ‘Falie’ and ‘Yelta’, we have the makings of a great attraction such as Mystic Seaport in Connecticut - the premier seaport museum in the USA.
