Works begins on new North Queensland tourism drawcard

Work has started on the Cairns Aquarium, an aquarium and reef research centre that is predicted will become a major tourism drawcard for Far North Queensland.

Marked with a visit by Federal Trade and Investment minister, Andrew Robb, construction is now underway on the site which was delayed by a range of planning concerns including inadequate parking and disagreements over a natural flying fox habitat, which the aquarium wanted to retain as an attraction.

Designed by Peddle Thorp Architects in association with Architects Ellick and Partners, the three-storey, 10,000 metre² development will be home to more than 5,000 animals endemic to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and surrounding rainforests.

The Cairns region attracts 4.8 million visitors annually generating more than $3 billion for the for the local economy.

When it opens in 2017 it will be the first public aquarium to be built in Australia since the Melbourne Aquarium in the late 1990s.

Seen as a project of high importance, the $50 million Cairns Aquarium was, in 2013, selected as the first major tourism project to receive Commonwealth Government Assistance under the Department of Resource, Energy and Tourism’s Tourism Major Project Facilitation program.

Commenting on the development, Minister Robb stated “adding to our stock of high-quality tourism infrastructure is fundamental if we are to continue to attract more than our share of international visitors and the Cairns Aquarium is an example of what the future can hold.

“The aquarium is a great example of an innovative Australian business creating the very best facilities to attract visitors from around the world.”

For more information go to www.cairnsaquarium.com.au

6th August 2015 - CAIRNS AQUARIUM DEVELOPMENT SET TO FINALLY COMMENCE

7th July 2015 - CONSTRUCTION BEGINS AT CAIRNS ADVENTURE WATERS ATTRACTION

5th August 2013 - WORK UNDERWAY AT CAIRNS AQUARIUM