Highlights

Cairns Aquarium is Australia’s newest and most spectacular aquarium. It is the only aquarium in the world to exclusively showcase the stunning aquatic wildlife from tropical North Queensland’s two World Heritage listed areas – the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest.

Visitors to the aquarium follow the path of a drop of rain as it travels from the rainforest clad mountain range, joining creeks and streams, travelling through the rainforest, across the flooded plains and billabongs into the mangroves and the Great Barrier Reef before entering its final destination, the Coral Sea. 10 ecosystems and 71 habitats have been meticulously researched and replicated throughout the aquarium to ensure that visitors will enjoy a 2.5-hour immersive journey where they are guaranteed to see and interact with some of the some of the rarest and most elusive animals on earth.

Highlights include:

• a 300,00 litre “Deep Reef” exhibit, which is the first of its kind in Australia.
• a 1.8 million litre “Oceanarium” exhibit which is home to large ocean predators that can be seen through a 20 metre, 270 degree underwater viewing tunnel and a 360 degree five-metre-deep viewing room.
• a 400,000 litre “River Monsters” exhibit that houses the Gulf Savannah’s highly endangered freshwater Sawfish.
• “Tropical Rainforest” zone features some of the most incredible snakes, lizards, and frogs ever seen along with spiders and insects that can make your skin crawl.
• “Life in the Mangroves” exhibit hosts a world of unique creatures including fish that live out of water and juvenile crocodiles.
• “Dangers of the Reef“ features the species of marine life that can be potentially fatal to humans. Stone fish, sea snakes, lionfish, jelly fish and a host of venomous or poisonous creatures can be found here.

Opening Hours are 10.00am – 3.00pm every day with last entry at 2.00pm.

Activities

• “Dive with the Sharks” will get your blood pumping as you get up close and personal with over 5 species of reef shark, rays, groupers and more in our famous Oceanarium tank! This is definitely an experience to remember.
• Specially designed “Touch and Talk” exhibits offer visitors of all ages the ability to touch, and in some cases, hold completely safe creatures while under the supervision of a trained aquarist.
• “Aquarium by Twilight” is the Cairns Aquarium’s newest product and gives you an insight into the unique changes of the region’s nocturnal creatures as they move about in the shadows.
• Complete your visit at Dundee’s Restaurant with a perfectly matched 3 course dining experience while you enjoy a stunning sea life backdrop (additional charges apply).

Facilities

• Cairns Aquarium is air conditioned.
• Wheel chair accessible.
• Free Wi-Fi available. 
• Parents room.
• Lifts and escalators.
• Coin-operated lockers.
• Dundee's Restaurant.
• Gift shop.
• Parking (free street parking or paid parking).