Have you noticed the construction happening at 2 Jessie Road, Anna Bay? Irukandji is expanding and we’ve got some exciting new activities  to share with you very soon!

Irukandji’s grand plans for creating a world-class aquarium are well and truly underway. The beginning of phase two is happening right now and we are so excited to share the progress with you.

Right now there is huge new lagoon being built, ready to house our tropical animals. The construction process has been fascinating to observe as you can see from the photos below.

The brand new tropical lagoon will be home to various tropical species such as the reef sharks and leopard whiptail rays. While it will remain an outdoor lagoon for now, a new building should be completed to make it an indoor activity for winter 2022. This will protect visitors from the elements and allow us to keep the environment at optimal temperatures for the animals.

Some interesting facts about the new lagoon include:

• it’s design is based on a coral atoll- with two big boulders acting as the coral shelves
• two underwater caves will be featured in the design
• the depth is 3 metres in the deepest parts
• it’s main pump will circulate 2.1 million litres of water every hour
• the tanks will be used for propagation and breeding programs
• in total there will be 550 square metres of new space for the animals to swim in!

When Phase two opens we will also be offering a couple of new encounters for all ages.

The tropical snorkel for guests over 12 years old will be moving to the new lagoon where they can swim with the biggest sharks. Our current lagoon will become home to smaller sharks and a variety of rays. The snorkel activity in Fingill Lagoon will still take place and visitors can even participate in both! There will also be a zebra shark snorkel encounter in the tropical lagoon for guests aged over 6. It’s great news for the kids who’ve been dying to get in and see under the surface! It will be a private encounter with limited numbers so bookings will be essential

We will also introduce the first experience focusing just on the rays called ‘Little Ray Cuddle.’ This is great for people of all ages who want a more intimate encounter with the friendly rays as they come onto your lap for a cuddle. The experience will be limited to a maximum of 6 people per booking so it will ensure you get lots of one-on-one time with the rays.

Look for an announcement coming soon about it’s opening. Right now you can purchase tickets online for general admission and our current activities. Further information and bookings for the new encounters will go live as soon as we have an opening date.

In case you need a recap on current activities and prices head over to the activities page here!

SOME RECENT CHANGES

The lockdown that extended from August to October did not stop the Irukandji team from working, planning, and caring for our beautiful animals. Staff were here every day making sure they were well cared for, while the management team worked on the upgrades. When the doors opened again in October we put a  few new changes in place to get ready for stage two. The most notable change is the slight price increase for entry passes but the good news is that entry now includes the shallows encounter! Visitors no longer need to pay an extra fee to wade in the water! Socks are now optional for wading in the shallows and customers can choose to purchase them as a souvenir to wear and keep if they wish! We still offer the chance to get your whole body wet by hiring a wetsuit for an extra fee.

Some new additions to the facility include a fun playground for the kids to play in, some beautiful new gardens and smooth new pathway down to the toilets. This should make some families very happy these holidays!

With the state reopening and getting back to (almost) normal, we are expecting a pretty busy holiday season. Bookings will still be limited to ensure everyone stays happy and comfortable so we recommend making a booking before coming in to secure your spot.

We hope to see lots of smiling faces here this summer!