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The $8 million refurbishment of this unique new home for Australia’s most precious sea life features 12 new amazing zones of discovery, including interactive animal encounters and iconic state-of-the art displays.

The giant crocodile put us through our paces. This potentially cantankerous character requires subtropical conditions generally experienced in north Queensland, specifically, high humidity and high temperature. Using a combination of
in-slab hydronic heating and air conditioning, we have provided the not-so gentle giant with a carefully tempered environment, no matter what type of weather Melbourne throws up. The jelly fish on the other hand required strict quarantining, with fine filtration on the air systems, preventing them from contaminating the other sea life, and the general air in the Aquarium.

We also designed solutions to maintain the temperature and quality of three different bodies of water in a life support system for a diverse array of creatures living in salt, fresh and domestic water life.

Early coordination of the tanks and filtration systems design was critical. The concrete tanks were formed on site and the filtration systems were installed following construction. Consequently, there was little opportunity to vary the design in the latter parts of the project. However, despite all the challenges, the project was successfully completed in time to re-open the Aquarium for the school holidays.