Seaport village will be planned for Port Adelaide if the City of Adelaide clipper ship is moved to the inner harbour City of Adelaide Preservation Trust directors, from left, Peter Roberts, Peter Christopher, Richard Smith, Mark Gilbert and Tom Chapman. A HISTORIC "seaport village" similar to Ballarat's Sovereign Hill is planned for near the City of Adelaide clipper - but only if the ship is based in Port Adelaide's inner harbour. The State Government has pledged land at Marina Adelaide, Largs North, for the 1864 clipper, while the Opposition wants the ship in the heart of Port Adelaide. The City of Adelaide Preservation Trust wants the ship in the Port and is working on a plan to add to the attraction. "You need to attract a bigger audience than heritage boat tragics," Trust director Mr Roberts said. Whereas Sovereign Hill in Ballarat is developed around the gold mining trade, a seaport village is built around the maritime trade. The seaport village would include other tall ships, a carpenter's shop, a ship's chandlery, a bank, a newspaper office and other 19th century buildings. The cost would depend on the location and how much was contributed by the public and sponsors. What do you think of the idea of creating a seaport village? Leave your comment below. MORE: Liberals want clipper ship in Port Adelaide Mr Roberts said the site at Largs North would be more expensive to develop than one in the inner harbour because there was no infrastructure, workshop or toilets. "It is a very poor location, whereas in the inner port there is infrastructure that already exists," Mr Roberts said. The City of Adelaide is the world's oldest surviving clipper ship and brought thousands of migrants to South Australia during the 1800s. It is due to leave the Netherlands, where it is being fumigated, between November 25 and 30, before arriving in Adelaide in February. Mr Roberts said the clipper would be stored temporarily either on land or on a barge for at least the first six months of its life in Adelaide before a more permanent site is confirmed after the March state election. MORE: Clipper ship journey home finally funded Port Adelaide Labor MP Susan Close wanted the City of Adelaide in the inner harbour for its arrival but said its permanent location was "not that critical." "We don't need to panic and say if it isn't perfect it's a disaster," Ms Close said. Opposition planning spokeswoman Vickie Chapman said it was logical for the City of Adelaide to be in Port Adelaide. "It just seems to me the government is saying 'this is the land we've got available and that's all you're going to get'," Ms Chapman said. It seems the government is just trying to pick the cheapest option rather than the best option. Meanwhile, the City of Adelaide Preservation Trust is hoping to raise $750,000 by selling "virtual" tickets on historical voyages of the clipper ship. People who buy tickets as crew, passengers and even cargo will have their name displayed on a donor list - or manifest - on the www.cityofadelaide.org.au/bringherhome website. MORE: Ship to be moored in 'back water' at Largs North Mr Roberts said it was a cute idea that was already paying dividends. "You can be a stowaway or buy bales of wools or tickets for passengers in first class or second class or even as a master," Mr Roberts said. The different items eventually appear on the ship in this virtual-type community. We'll also track the voyage of the ship on the website and also the progress of the sales. Tickets cost between $5 for a chicken and $10,000 to be the master. The money will go towards the $4 million cost of bringing the 1864 ship back to Adelaide. Mr Roberts will speak at a public meting about the location of the ship at Sarah's Sister's Sustainable Cafe in Semaphore on Monday, November 18, from 6.30pm.