Sea Life Sunshine Coast facts for kids
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Entrance to Sea Life Sunshine Coast
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| Location | Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 26°40′58.25″S 153°07′16.6″E / 26.6828472°S 153.121278°E |
| Volume of largest tank | 2,500,000 L (660,000 US gal) |
| Memberships | ZAA |
Sea Life Sunshine Coast is an amazing place in Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is a special park where you can see marine mammals, ocean animals, and even rescued wildlife. Sea Life Sunshine Coast is part of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA). This attraction is owned by a company called Merlin Entertainments. It used to be known as UnderWater World.
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Discover the History of Sea Life Sunshine Coast
Sea Life Sunshine Coast, which was once called UnderWater World, first opened its doors in 1989. It has been a popular spot for visitors for many years.
A Movie Star Location
Did you know that parts of a famous movie were filmed here? In 1996, scenes for the Jackie Chan film Police Story 4: First Strike were shot inside the park. You can even see a family of tourists in the reflection of one of the huge tanks in the movie!
A Giant Visitor
Around Christmas in 2006, UnderWater World had a very unusual display. They showed a giant squid that was preserved inside a huge block of ice. It was a rare sight for everyone to see!
Becoming Sea Life Sunshine Coast
In July 2013, the owners, Merlin Entertainments, announced big plans. They decided to spend $6.5 million to make the park even better. As part of this big update, the aquarium changed its name to Sea Life Sunshine Coast. It reopened with its new name in December 2013.
Explore Amazing Exhibits
Sea Life Sunshine Coast has many exciting areas where you can see different sea creatures. Here are some of the biggest and most popular exhibits:
The Ocean Tunnel Adventure
Imagine walking under the ocean! The Ocean Tunnel has a moving walkway that takes you through an 80-metre (260 ft) long tunnel. This tunnel is under a massive 2,500,000-litre (660,000 US gal) ocean tank. As you move, you'll see fish swimming all around you through large windows.
The Ocean Tunnel shows three different types of underwater homes:
- A colorful coral reef
- A mysterious cave
- The wide-open ocean
Many different animals live here, including several types of sharks like grey nurse sharks and leopard sharks. You can also spot rays, giant groupers, and many other fish. One special resident, a brown whipray, has lived at the aquarium since it first opened in 1989!
Meet the Seals at Seal Island
Seal Island is home to six playful seals. You can see Long-nosed fur seals named Birubi, Moana, Saturday, and Sly. There's also a Subantarctic fur seal named Nelson and an Australian sea lion called Teiko. They love to swim and play in their special habitat.
Penguin Paradise
Recently, a family of Little penguins joined the Sea Life Sunshine Coast family. They have their own specially built exhibit where you can watch them waddle and swim.
Other Exciting Exhibits
There are many other cool areas to explore at Sea Life Sunshine Coast, such as:
- Bay of Rays: See different kinds of rays gliding through the water.
- Billabong: Discover animals that live in Australian freshwater pools.
- Coastal Wrecks: Explore what lives around sunken ships.
- Coral Kingdom: Marvel at the beautiful and colorful coral reefs.
- Freshwater Streams: Learn about creatures from rivers and streams.
- Frogs: Meet some amazing amphibians.
- Jellyfish Kingdom: Watch graceful jellyfish float and glow.
- Seahorse Sanctuary: See delicate seahorses clinging to plants.
- Tidal Touchpools: Gently touch some marine animals under supervision.
Fun Shows and Informative Talks
Sea Life Sunshine Coast offers exciting shows and talks where you can learn even more about marine life. You can watch amazing seal shows and listen to experts share interesting facts about the animals. They also have hands-on displays where you can interact with marine life.
Some of the shows and talks you can enjoy include:
- Seal Shows in the Seal Stadium
- Stingray Reef talks
- Ocean Tunnel Tours
- Touch Pool experiences
- Jellyfish Tours
- Behind the Scenes Tours (where you can see how the park works!)
Helping Marine Animals Through Conservation
Sea Life Sunshine Coast is not just a fun place to visit; it's also a very important sanctuary. It acts as a rehabilitation centre for injured or sick turtles, seals, and other marine animals. They help these animals get better so they can hopefully return to the wild.
Images for kids
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Entrance to Sea Life Sunshine Coast
