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Monday 30 July 2012

Marine Creatures Galore at Sydney Aquarium

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

Southern Rivers Exhibits

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.

NEW: Shipwreck Exhibits

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.

Mermaid Lagoon

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.

Feeds & Talks

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

Sydney Aquarium Details

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