Widespread debate has met Alexandrina Council’s decision to open Fulham Funerals’ vision for a “national first” reflection room in the first floor of the distinctive blue and white building on Barrage Road at Goolwa South, to community consultation.

Goolwa ward councillor Melissa Rebbeck voted against consulting over plans to award a 15-year lease to the funeral business, later calling on her colleagues to find a “more suitable option” for the site where Goolwa Aquatic Club members meet downstairs for sailing, dragon boats and powerboat racing.

Despite the building being well used downstairs with the aquatic club and the Bombora on the River café tenants, the entire first floor has been vacant since 2020.

Rebbeck said attempts to find a new tenant had failed but since COVID restrictions lifted, the Goolwa real estate market had experienced huge growth and she was sure more advertising would find a tenant to re-invigorate the prime site around providing more local entertainment.

“I am sure they (Fulham Funerals) are a great business but I would really, really encourage the council to look elsewhere,” she said, adding that her personal preference would be for a restaurant, bar or entertainment tenant.

Alexandrina Council minutes showed the majority of councillors voted to open consultation on the funeral firm’s planned $75,000 investment, saying there had been limited interest in the space until Fulham Funerals lodged its plan.

“Fulham Funerals vision is to provide the first natural waterfront ‘reflection room’ in Australia, rather than a Funeral Home,” the submission to Alexandrina Council said.

“A ‘Reflection Room’ is an area that provides space for a gathering of mourners before or after a funeral service or sometimes in place of it, at a venue to eat, drink and share memories of their loved one, meditation, celebration, prayer or quiet reflection.

“The layout of the room and the beautiful outlook over the river is considered an ideal and calming setting for the community to farewell a loved one.”

It was expected that initially one funeral would be conducted a week, usually on a weekday, with services increasing over time as community awareness grows. Fulham Funerals also committed to using local businesses to source flowers and refreshments.

Goolwa Aquatic Club Commodore Mallee Bower said members of the sporting and social club that is home to sailing, the Coorong Dragons and the Goolwa Vintage Boat Club, learned about the funeral business plan about a week ago.

Goolwa Aquatic Club on the waterfront. Pic: Elders Goolwa

She said it was too early to speculate on members’ reaction to the bid.

“We are putting in a submission forward to council for consideration but we are still consulting members,” she said.

Passionate responses on social media have community members split on the plan.

Goolwa photographer and resident Leon Mead was amongst those calling for a rethink, telling InDaily he believed a funeral business above the busy aquatic club and café was the wrong mix.

“People come to Goolwa for the paddle steamers and steam train, the beautiful food from the Fleurieu, for water sports – we don’t really need to have bereaved people mingling with the Under 12 sailing groups,” he said.