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SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

  • Museums
  • Melbourne
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Time Out says

Weird and wonderful animals and unique marine adventures await you here

Having undergone an extensive five-month, $8 million rehaul, Melbourne Aquarium was reborn as Sea Life in September 2013. Over three levels there are 12 new themed zones of discovery (each with its own soundtrack!), and kids can get their passport stamped at each station.

Time Out got a guided tour, taking in the Mermaid Garden, Seahorse Pier (home to Australia’s largest seahorse population), Rainforest Adventure, the Coral Caves and, of course, the state-of-the-art Croc Lair. The latter is now home to 50-year-old, five-metre croc Pinjarra, who the team had a great time getting down from Rockhampton in Queensland, where he was terrorising the other crocs on a Crocodile Farm.

Other moments that elicited oohs and ahhs were the Elephant Sharks in the Bay of Rays (any creature that makes us laugh by sheer appearance alone is okay by us); the King and Gentoo Penguins, who were embroiled in a nesting season soap opera we could have watched for hours; Mr G the 200lb Giant Queensland Groper (the divers here call him “sir”); the rock pools in which you’re welcome to get your hands wet, and the Archer Fish, for which you are encouraged to dangle flies on a fishing line, which in turn makes the fish spit spectacularly.

Of course, all the old favourites like the jellyfish, and the stingrays flying over your head as you pass through tunnels are still intact. They come when the staff ring a bell, you know. It means they’re going to get fed.

There are daily feeding times and presentations, kids’ birthday party packages and even the chance to dive face-to-face with the leviathans themselves!

Written by
Time Out editors

Details

Address:
Cnr King & Flinders St
Melbourne
3000
Price:
$42 (child $28)
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-6pm

What’s on

Submerged

  • Exhibitions

Get ready to go on a journey through living light when Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium unveils its new interactive digital experience in mid-February.  Marking the major attraction’s first foray into this ever-evolving art form, Submerged is inspired by the bioluminescent underwater world and will tell the story of the mysterious firefly squid (which emits a glowing blue light from its body) and other majestic ocean creatures. The exhibition will also explore magical locations such as a glittering shoreline in the midst of spawning season and a moonlit deep dive into the depths of the bioluminescent unknown. Suitable for all ages, Submerged will run until December 2023 while the 2.2 million litre Oceanarium undergoes a massive renovation. During this time, the larger sharks and rays will not be on display – but rest assured there will still be thousands of marine animals and freshwater animals to discover during your visit.  “As one of Melbourne’s top tourist attractions, we are excited to be diving into new depths with the launch of Submerged," says Claire Burrell, general manager of Sea Life Melbourne. “The digital experience will captivate guests with its vibrance and hyperrealism, providing them with an alternative but no less engaging ocean experience while our Oceanarium is upgraded.” Access to Submerged is included in the price of your admission and will be open to the public until December 2023. For more information, head to the website. ICYMI: three adorable baby elephan

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