A PETITION to save Bendigo's Science Discovery Centre from closure has received more than 800 signatures.
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The Bendigo Trust announced on Wednesday its intention to shut the centre, citing "lack of commitment from the Victorian government and the City of Greater Bendigo to support the centre into the future".
The petition was started by Bendigo father-of-two Tony Camilleri who said his 7-year-old daughter was a frequent visitor to the centre.
"I was shocked, particularly given that the time frame between the public being told and the closure is so short. It doesn't give people with investment in it the opportunity to look into any alternatives," he said.
Mr Camilleri said there should be an opportunity for another body to take over the management of the centre.
"I'd like to see a commitment to funding for at least a year so we can have that conversation and if the state government and the council want to argue about who should be responsible, they can have that argument," he said.
He said it was fantastic to have an outlet in Bendigo for his daughters to experience science first hand.
"It's a great place for girls to see the centre's female staff members who are really into science. It's somewhere they can learn about science in a way that isn't gendered," he said.
Bendigo Trust chairman Ian Hart said the centre was running at an annual loss of about $200,000, which included depreciation and a portion of the trust's corporate overheads.
About 27,000 visitors passed through the centre last year.
The debate over Discovery's future has drawn comment from Australia's leading science communicator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki who tweeted in support of the centre.
Bendigo Mayor Peter Cox has offered to facilitate a public meeting to discuss the centre.
“There might be businesses or philanthropists who are prepared to sponsor the centre given the important educational role it plays in promoting science and technology," he said.
Councillor Cox said he hoped the state government would help salvage the centre.
“Education is a core responsibility of the state government so they have an important role to play here as well," he said.
He said competition from Melbourne's Scienceworks made keeping Discovery competitive difficult.
“One of the big challenges has been the need to compete with Scienceworks in Melbourne which is heavily subsidised by the state government and can afford to provide free entry for students from across Victoria," he said.
