Sydney Aquarium a Top Attraction in Any Weather
Popular Underwater World Perfect Way to Spend a Rainy Day in Sydney, Australia
Jul 6, 2009
Popular in any weather, the fact that Australia's Sydney Aquarium is completely undercover – and often underwater – means that it is one tourist attraction where the enjoyment factor isn’t dampened by a rainy or cold day.
When the mercury soars, it is also a hit with those who want to escape the heat of the day in air conditioned comfort.
Every year more than 1.25 million people walk through the large shark mouth to enter the Sydney Aquarium and take a tour through Australia’s many and varied waterways and marine ecosystems.
Open Ocean Exhibit Home to Largest Collection of Sharks in Captivity
Visitors can see the creatures that live in the various river habitats around Australia, as well as in the Southern and Northern Oceans.
Two of the most popular exhibits are the Open Ocean and Mermaid Lagoon, which are made up of two of the largest oceanariums in the world, and both allow visitors to walk through underwater tunnels for a fish eye view of life.
Open Ocean is home to the largest collection of sharks in captivity, some of which weigh up to 300 kilograms and are over 3 metres in length.
Rare Dugongs On Display at Mermaid Lagoon
Mermaid Lagoon is the latest attraction at Sydney Aquarium, featuring two dugongs. There are only five dugongs on display anywhere in the world, and the Sydney dugongs have 1.7 million litres of water to explore, along with turtles, zebra sharks, schools of fish, eagle rays and other creatures that share their natural habitat.
The temperature in Sydney may fluctuate, but for the dugongs it is always 24 degrees - the temperature of the water in their natural northern Australian habitat.
Mermaid Lagoon is named for the dugongs, which are believed to have been the origin for the mermaid legends. The lagoon has an above water viewing area, so that people can have a bird’s eye view before seeing how different the scene looks in the underwater tunnels.
See the Great Barrier Reef Without Leaving Sydney
After visiting the various sharks, fish, penguins, crocodiles, platypuses, crayfish, sea horses and various other creatures from the other parts of Australia, the tour of Sydney Aquarium ends with an exhibition that gives you a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef without leaving Sydney.
The Great Barrier Reef oceanarium features more than 6,000 animals, including brightly coloured fish, which live in and around a live coral cave.
More than 2.5 million litres of water is filtered and heated after being pumped from Darling Harbour and then flowing into the Barrier Reef complex.
Feed Sharks From Glass Bottom Boats
For those who want to get up close and personal with the sharks, it is possible to book to go out on the “Shark Explorer” glass-bottom boat to feed the reef sharks.
During the feeding sharks approach the boat, with their dorsal fins breaking through the water. A Shark Explorer Guide will be with visitors at all times to point out the various sharks and reassure those who might find the iconic fin unnerving.
The Glass Bottom boat experience takes place at 11am each day and costs $5 on top of admission price. Bookings are taken on the day.
Conservation Tours at Sydney Aquarium
Tours can also be arranged for groups of people who want to learn about the conservation of marine environments and the creatures at Sydney Aquarium.
Conservation Tours cost $20 for adults, $10 for children under 16 and free for children under 5. A minimum of ten and maximum of 20 people are required for a Conservation Tour.
For groups who want to visit the aquarium together a Conservation Tour is cheaper than general admission, with the added bonus of all proceeds going towards the conservation fund for marine research projects.
Discounts When Visiting Sydney Aquarium
Sydney Aquarium is located on the city side of Darling Harbour.
The aquarium is open from 9.30am to 9pm every day of the year with the last admission at 8pm.
Tickets cost $31.95 for adults and $17.95 for children aged 4 to 16. A family pass for one adult and 2 children costs $58 while 2 adults and 2 children costs $85.
Discount tickets are available for those who also want to visit Sydney Wildlife World.
A 20% discount is available with the Discovery 2 Pass, which covers entry to Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World, while a 25% discount is on offer for the Discovery 3 Pass for those who would also like to visit Sydney Tower.
An Annual Pass costs $85 and allows 12 months unlimited entry to both Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World.
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