How did the project come about?
The privately-funded project is the vision of the company directors, Daniel Leipnik and Andrew Preston, who visited the region on holiday and saw people who went to the reef yet didn’t enter the water because they couldn’t swim, were frightened of stingers or were out of their comfort zone.
The entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to bring the Great Barrier Reef to them. Their love of animals and desire to contribute to the conservation of regional wildlife was the impetus to undertake this project.
What are the aims of the new aquarium?
We aim to foster a culture of sustainability that supports the conservation goals of the organisation and the greater public, while building a legacy of environmental stewardship for the Wet Tropics and ecosystems worldwide. Cairns Aquarium is also committed to development and implementation of policies, partnerships and other programmes that integrate environmentally conscious practices into our daily operations and convey a fundamental message of conservation.
If we’re to protect these amazing ecosystems and their wildlife for future generations, we must first understand them. The aquarium has dedicated research and development programmes that help us learn more about the extraordinary diversity of animals and plants, how they interact and the impacts of the many changes and pressures currently experienced by these natural systems. The outcomes of the research will play a significant role in educating the community about their natural environment and how to conserve, appreciate and enjoy it.
Who do you expect to visit?
The target audience includes local and domestic visitors, as well as international visitors who are predominantly Chinese, Japanese and American. Visitation is forecast at 720,000 people per annum.
How big is the attraction?
The building itself is over 11.5 metres in height, 90 metres in length and 40 metres in width. Over 15,000 animals, fish, plants and other organisms will be housed in a two-level journey that will take visitors through all the habitats of the Wet Tropics.
How many staff are you employing?
We’ll employ 130 when fully operational.
Can you describe the visitor experience?
The magic truly begins as visitors follow the path of a drop of rain as it travels from the rainforest-clad mountain range, joining creeks and streams that flow through the tropical rainforest, across the flooded plains and billabongs into the mangroves and the Great Barrier Reef before entering its final destination, the Coral Sea.
Ten North Queensland ecosystems and 71 habitats have been meticulously researched and replicated throughout the aquarium to ensure that visitors will enjoy an immersive journey where they’ll see some of the most elusive animals on earth.
What is the length of stay?
It’s about two and a half hours.
Which exhibits do visitors see?
One of the most mesmerising attractions is the 300,000-litre Deep Reef exhibit, the first of its kind in Australia and one of only three in the world. This 10x8.5-metre exhibit replicates the reef dropoff, providing a view of this beautiful ecosystem and the diverse marine creatures that call it home – a view normally only seen by highly experienced scuba divers far offshore.
Our 1.5-million-litre Oceanarium is home to scalloped hammerhead sharks and large predators. The River Monsters exhibit houses the highly endangered sawfish and other weird freshwater creatures. The Tropical Rainforest features snakes, lizards, frogs, spiders and some of the biggest and meanest rainforest giants.
Life in the Mangroves hosts fish that live out of water, fighting crabs, baby crocodiles, sharks and rays, while Dangers of the Reef features species that can be fatal, such as stone fish, sea snakes, lionfish and jellyfish.
Touch and Talk exhibits offer visitors of all ages the ability to touch creatures such as blue sea stars, sea cucumbers and lizards supervised by a trained aquarist.
Regular daily talks by our passionate and knowledgeable staff outline the behaviours of the creatures and inspire the desire to conserve these natural assets.
Will you be WAZA accredited?
Yes.
What are the food and retail offers?
Aqualuna, a 220-seat contemporary Italian restaurant, has a 70,000-litre shark exhibit inside the restaurant. Tropical Treasures Gift Store stocks a variety of local goods.
What learning opportunities are there?
Education programmes tailored to the Australian curriculum will be available.
Our research arm will conduct vital R&D in species preservation and repopulation, aquaculture reproductive biotechnology development, and collaborations with industry partners to explore clean energy technologies in marine environments.
Will you offer any special programming?
Back-of-house tours allow visitors to see how we take care of the animals. Choices include a Turtle Rehabilitation Tour or a Behind the Scenes Tour of the aquarium operations. For the ultimate experience, there’s an access-all-areas tour with a personal guide and seven-course dinner.
Shark Sleepovers offer the chance to spend the night in the Oceanarium.