The Sydney Aquarium takes you on an amazing underwater journey
through Australia’s
unique freshwater and marine aquatic environments. I recently made a visit to
the Sydney Aquarium and discovered some of the world’s most incredible animals,
including huge sharks, massive stingrays, jellyfish, platypuses, penguins, sea
dragons, thousands of tropical fish and much, much more.
Great Barrier Reef
Exhibits
There are hundreds of brilliantly coloured fish species,
different soft and hard corals and sleek tropical sharks in Sydney Aquariums
enormous Great Barrier Reef exhibits, which
the largest of its type in the world. There are numerous huge floor to ceiling
windows looking into the main Oceanarium enabling the viewing of hundreds of
tropical reef fish living side by side with sharks and sawfish. There is a
glass walk-way tunnel where I felt like I was walking under water with
wonderful views of sharks, rays, a turtle and plenty of fish. There is also an
option to float on the top of the Oceanarium on a Glass Bottom Boat for an
exclusive behind the scenes experience.
The display is based on Great Barrier Reef, which is the
largest living system on earth, covering 2000km from north to south on the east
coast of Australia.
It is so large that it can even be seen from space. The incredible biodiversity
of life includes over 350 species of coral, 2,000 species of fishes and over
4,000 species of molluscs.
NEW: Bay
of Rays Exhibits
The new Tropical Bay of Rays area of Sydney Aquarium, houses
the most colourful combination of Australian rays - many threatened or
endangered - ever displayed together.
There are more than 600 species of rays worldwide. Rays have
adapted to survive in open oceans, shallow reefs, deep continental shelves,
estuaries and freshwater environments. A variety of ray species call the new Bay of Rays
home, many of which are making their debut appearance at the attraction. It
will be difficult to miss the electric blue spots of the Fantail Rays and the
Blue-spotted Maskray, and with other species including the spectacular Leopard
Sharks, White-spotted Guitarfish and Leopard Whiprays, the new tropical oasis
is a sight not to be missed.
Saws and Claws Exhibits
SAWS and CLAWS is the newest creature feature at Sydney
Aquarium, featuring incredible Smalltooth Sawfish and HUGE Japanese Spider
Crabs.
The highlights of the new SAWS and CLAWS creature feature
are the Smalltooth Sawfish. Measuring between 1.6 and 2.7 metres in length (the
species can actually grow up to a staggering 7.6 metres!), the new sawfish are
a sight to be seen.
Visitors will be able to see the sawfish gliding around the
huge Great Barrier Reef exhibit, with its vast
viewing windows, alongside hundreds of tropical fish and reef sharks.
Forming the other half of this new exhibit are the
amazing Japanese Spider Crabs - the world's largest species of crab. The
Japanese Spider Crabs can be found in the new CLAWS exhibit area, just past the
Mermaid Lagoon dugong oceanarium
These feature the freshwater fish found in Australia’s largest river system, the Murray
Darling and in coastal rivers of South eastern Australia. This is where you find
the unique Australian animal the platypus.
The Northern Oceans Exhibits
At the Northern Oceans Exhibits you can see Nemo hiding
amongst the waving tentacles of anemones and colourful fish swimming amongst
the colourful corals.
The Northern Oceans Exhibits feature incredible displays of
species such as clown anemone fish (aka Nemo) darting amongst the waving
tentacles of an anemone and sea stars and sea cucumbers silently creeping amongst
the coral.
Wildly coloured triggerfish and vibrantly coloured tangs and angelfish zip
around, and deceptively beautiful lionfish hover menacingly over coral
formations in search of their next meal, watched on by brilliantly patterned
lobsters with their gently waving antannea extending over 10 inches.
One of the most impressive displays in this exhibit is the beautiful Coral Cay
- a 20 metre long tank containing anemones, real corals and hundreds of vibrant
tropical fish. Look closely and you'll get an insight into the day-to-day lives
of coral-dwelling species as they dash about while the simulated current
creates a mesmerising gentle sway throughout the entire tank.
Other displays in the Northern Oceans Exhibits feature a Giant Trevally,
triggerfish, stunning Leopard Whiprays and several species of fantastically
patterned Sweet Lips amongst hundreds more tropical fish of every conceivable
shape, colour and size.
Kids and grown-ups can also have the hands-on experience in
the touchpool with shark eggs, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, sea stars, sea
urchins and more.
Set amongst this beached shipwreck environment you can discover
a vast array of animals native to the Southern Oceans. The cooler waters of Australia’s
Southern Oceans are rich with an abundance of marine life including the
smallest species of penguin, the Little Penguin, elegant Weedy Sea Dragons, and
the enormous Tasmanian Giant Crab who weighs over 10kg.
Sydney
and Surrounds Exhibits
Sydney
Harbour is as beautiful
below the surfacer as it is above with a wide variety of animals making it
home. At the Sydney and Surrounds Exhibits you can see many of these, including
the huge Grey Nurse Sharks, the majestic stingrays and a wide variety of fish.
The Sydney and Surrounds Exhibits highlight many of the fishes and other marine
animals you might see while snorkelling or diving in this beautiful harbour.
Although situated in the middle of Australia's most populated city, Sydney Harbour
is a truly remarkable haven for wildlife and is home to many different species.The Sydney
Harbour Exhibits
highlight many of the fishes and invertebrates one might see while snorkelling
or diving in this beautiful harbour. Many of the fishes are so spectacularly
coloured, they can easily be mistaken for tropical reef species.
The displays within the Sydney and Surrounds Exhibits simulate a variety of
different habitats found within Sydney
Harbour, from the
intertidal surge zone to deeper reefs, with one exhibit even featuring the
fishes one would find living under a man-made pier.
This exhibit is usually the home of Dugongs - beautiful
animals which legend has it were often mistaken for mermaids by the first
European sailors to arrive in Australia's
coastal waters. The dugongs are temporarily off display as a new home is being
built for them as part of the launch of the new SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in
September 2012. Dugongs don't like disruption, so for their own welfare,
they've moved somewhere quieter while work is in progress.
Meanwhile the Dugong neighbours, the fearsome looking Grey
Nurse Sharks, Lemon Sharks and Smooth Rays have moved into their new area while their Oceanarium is also being upgraded
- so come and check out all the big sharks on show
NEW: The Mangrove Exhibits
The mangroves of northern Australia are subject to tropical
wet and dry seasons, providing a regularly changing habitat for a unique and
diverse group of animals. The new Mangroves area of Sydney Aquarium replicates
the dark, atmospheric feel of the of the mangrove swamps of Australia's
tropical north, home to frogs, lizards, crustaceans and a vast variety of fish.
This environment is subject to tropical wet and dry seasons,
providing a regularly changing habitat for a unique and diverse group of
animals. Most fish and other animals living in this environment are well
adapted to the fluctuating salinity. A particularly good example of such a salt
adapted animal on display in the aquarium is the Barramundi, a large fish
highly prized for both food and sport.
Some northern species are less salt water tolerant and so take sanctuary in
fresh water found in the far upper reaches of larger, permanent rivers. The
lungfish and saratoga
on display at the aquarium are two such species.
The Northern Rivers Exhibits
These house a diverse group of saltwater and freshwater
animals including the Barramundi and the unique lungfish – a prehistoric animal
whose ancestors have been around since Australia was part of the giant
supercontinent called Gondwana, around 140 million years ago.
There are plenty of opportunities to see the marine creature being fed and to listen to entertaining and educational talks.
.
10:00am, 11:30am, 2:30pm - Ray Talk
For the first time ever Sydney aquarium has an area dedicated to
rays. Come and learn about these intelligent, curious and amazing animals at
the 'Bay of Rays'.
10:15am, 3:00pm -
Penguin Feed
Watch thr colony of gorgeous Little Penguins taking
breakfast in their newly-refurbished pool in the Shipwreck area. Little
Penguins are native to Sydney Harbour and the southern coast of Australia.
10:30am, 3:15pm - Shark Talk (feed during show)
Watch as the iconic shark fin breaks the surface of thr 'Shark Ocean'.
The shark talk is the one stop spot to lean about the sharks at Sydney Aquarium
including the threatened Grey Nurse Shark.
11:00am talk and shark feed, 3:45pm talk Great
Barrier Reef
Kick back in the mesmerising Reef Theatre and learn about
some of the resident animals that call the world's largest Great Barrier
Reef-themed exhibit their home.
12:00pm, 1:30pm, 4:30pm - Shark Jaw Talk
Become a shark expert at the Shark Headquarters. Come and
touch some different shark jaws and discover what a shark eats based on its jaw
type.
1:00pm, 2:00pm, 6:00pm - Discovery Pool Tales
Come and make a discovery at the Discovery Pool! Touch and
learn about the animals
Address - Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour, Sydneyb Australia
Phone - 02 8251 7800
Price – Adult $35 at Aquarium $35, from $24 on Internet
Child $20
at Aquarium, from $14 on Internet
Concession
$28 at Aquarium, from $19 on Internet
Family at
Aquarium $110, from $60 on Internet
SAVE MONEY! - $60 family tickets are available when
purchased after 4pm weekdays and after 6pm on weekends
- Darling Harbour
Big Ticket – provides one admission to 3 attractions over 30 days/ - Sydney
Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney
and the all new Madame Tussauds Sydney. Adults: $58.50, Kids: $36, Family: $175
- Sydney
Combo Passes are available for 2 or more of these popular Sydney
attractions - Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney,
Sydney Tower Eye, Madame Tussauds Sydney and Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary
- Merlin Annual
Pass offers 12 months unlimited entry to WILD LIFE Sydney,
Sydney Aquarium, Sydney Tower Eye, Madame Tussauds Sydney and Manly SEA LIFE
Sanctuary in Sydney.
PLUS it now also includes Melbourne Aquarium, Underwater World at Mooloolaba on
the Sunshine Coast,
Otway Fly, Illawarra Fly, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland (NZ) and
WILD LIFE
Hamilton Island
in the Whitsunday
Islands, QLD.
Hours - 9am-8pm, last admission 7.30pm
Transport: Train – 5 minutes
walk from Town Hall Station
Ferry – Next
to King St Wharf
Monrail –
Net to Darling Park Station
Facebook – facebook.com/sydneyaquarium
