Dentistry, diving win Collie govt spend

The state’s latest efforts to diversify the economy of the historic coal mining town of Collie will include spend on commercial diving, dentistry, energy storage and support for tourism.

The government has revealed a plan to give $572,000 to Tasmanian business Commercial Dive Academy to set up a permanent commercial diving training school in the town.

A government release said funding would help the company purchase equipment needed to set up a dive vessel at Lake Kepwari.

Theory will be taught at a classroom in the town, and the Collie Mineworkers Memorial Pool to be set up for equipment familiarisation.

“The project will create local jobs, increase visitation and create flow-on benefits to local businesses, while increasing the pool of available commercial divers to meet demand from industry,” the government said.

The diving investment was curiously announced at the Collie River Dental Centre, which will receive $700,000 towards an extension creating up to six new jobs.

Meanwhile, Japanese-firm Sumitomo Corporation will get a $1 million from the state to carry out a feasibility study towards the construction of a liquid air energy storage facility (LAES) – a system which would store energy in cryogenic fluid.

Sumitomo last year completed a study into the technology as a long-duration storage option in Europe and has pitched the technology as an energy storage solution in India.

The government will also spend $2.74 million on access improvements at the Wellington National Park, including widening roads and building automated pedestian access control gates over the Wellington Dam. 

The money has been drawn from the state’s $200 million Collie Industry Attraction and Development fund, set up in 2022 under a $547 million transition package.

Regional development minister Don Punch said the spend would help diversify the economy in Collie, historically dependent on coal mining.

The state has committed to phase out coal-fired power generation at its power plants by the end of the decade and has invested significantly in energy storage in the region.

"When you invest in new industries, this benefits the community in terms of jobs and training, and also has positive flow-on effects to local businesses and suppliers,” Mr Punch said.

"Diversifying local economies is really important when building strong communities, along with building quality of life with access to services - and we're doing both as we take Collie forward."

Energy will remain part of the economic mix at Collie, which is home to around 7,500 people largely employed in the coal sector.

A $1.6 billion Synergy battery is under construction near the town, alongside a privately owned battery by French renewable energy company Neoen which is expected to be operational by the end of the year.