North Queensland Museum of Underwater Art now ready for divers

MOUA, the Museum of Underwater Art, has announced that it is ready to welcome divers and snorkellers as soon as Far North Queensland tour companies can operate again.

Located on the Great Barrier Reef off Townsville, the museum - the only one of its type in the Southern Hemisphere - aims to highlight reef conservation, restoration and education.

With its opening delayed due to COVID-19, it is now ready to welcome visitors.

Featuring sculptures by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, an underwater sculptor, the museum wants to inspire visitors to help conserve the coral reef.

Set in the John Brewer Reef at the heart of the Greater Barrier Reed Marine Park, it features structures and statues designed to be built upon by the reef until it is completely absorbed by its surroundings.

Among its features, an 'underwater greenhouse’ is made from pH neutral cement compounds with platforms to provide refuge space for marine life while its expansive floor space provides ample access for divers.

MOUA's 20 statues - referred to as ‘reef guardians’ - are based on children from local and international schools who tend to the coral, protecting and nurturing it.

‘Ocean Siren’ is the only part of the museum that can be seen above the water. It is based on an indigenous girl from the Wulgurukaba called Takoda Johnson. The sculpture reacts to live water temperatures and changes colour accordingly, from blue to dark red.

The LED lighting is powered by solar panels so that it is self-sufficient. Taylor, the artist, said that the statue is ”a visual representation of the current conditions out on the reef and can potentially warn of risks to coral reefs from warming seas”.

MOUA is expected to generate over $42 million in regional economic activity each year and bring in an additional 50,000 visitors to the region annually.

As reported by The Guardian, underwater museums are becoming more popular around the world.

In December 2019, the ‘Living Museum in the Sea’ opened in the Dominican Republic; in Bahrain, a Boeing 747 was submerged to create an underwater theme park while in the Red Sea off the Jordanian city of Aqaba, divers can explore tanks, helicopters and more in an underwater military museu.

Images courtesy of MOUA