SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is one of the city's top attractions

Seeing sharks up close and personal at the Sydney Aquarium
Seeing sharks up close and personal at the Sydney Aquarium cc licensed photo by Ellimac Enileuqcaj

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is one of the world's largest with an amazing 13,000 animals representing 700 different species in a total of 14 themed displays representing different regions and habitats.

Displays are divided between exhibits inside the main building and two huge floating oceanariums that are filled with seawater from Darling Harbour and maintained at a precise temperature. One of these is home to the world's largest population of sharks that are in captivity with some weighing in at nearly 300 kilograms.

Exhibits focus on marine life in and around Australia and include the tropical Bay of Rays, Discovery Rockpool, Sydney Harbour and the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world. You should allow no less than 90 minutes for your visit.

If you dare, you can walk above huge sharks on the Shark Walk or you can descend down into Shark Valley where you will be greeted with the skeleton of a huge whale, crumbling ruins of an ancient stone temple and a wide array of sharks and rays.

Other remarkable sea-life that you will witness up close include two of only six dugongs on display in the entire world, massive stingrays, platypuses, turtles, penguins and, of course, a huge assortment of tropical fish.

For an additional fee visitors to the aquarium can enjoy the experience of a lifetime. Choose from the Glass Bottom Boat Tour, the Shark Reef Snorkel Experience or a small group Behind the Scenes Tour. Please see the official website for more information and pricing on these options.

The aquarium is involved in all kinds of marine research both on its own and in co-operation with major universities.

Nearby attractions: Darling Harbour, Madame Tussauds, Imax Theatre, Wild Life Sydney and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes.

Address: 1-5 Wheat Rd, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

Phone: (02) 9333 9200

Official Website: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Reviews

Rated 4.3 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating I absolutely love visiting Sea Life! I have been many times, and each time, I have been amazed. This occasion was no exception. We came on a Sunday afternoon. Tickets can be a little pricey ($51 per adult). If you visit on a weekday, the cost is a bit cheaper. There are also packages and group tickets which can be purchased and these help bring the cost down. The ticket lets you stay at the aquarium for as long as you like. All the enclosures and displays are well organised and arranged, and this really helps make easy and fun viewing throughout the aquarium. It can get quite busy and crowded at times, but foot traffic generally flows well. There is a rock pool area where you can get hands-on with various small marine life. Throughout the aquarium, there are also numerous plaques and displays informing visitors of environmental issues and conservation efforts. I appreciated this. The highlight for me was definitely being in the underwater enclosure and watching the stingrays gliding around. I found it really peaceful! I would highly recommend visiting Sea Life and look forward to going again.
Map Roy - 4 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating We came on a wet Saturday- it was busy but we had a ball! Kids (the adult kids too) loved being able to see all the creatures. Entry was super easy- just brought the tickets online and added to Apple wallet and a quick scan - in we go! The kids got a super cool tattoo by the friendly staff members. The aquarium was clean and the aircon was cool. Love all the little aquariums with the more rare fish and aquatic life. Pig was a favourite amongst our family- he was really active and putting on a bit of a show for us which was great! Lots of great information about each marine species at their aquarium. Took us about 90 mins to get around the aquarium and of course the kids needed to get some souvenirs! Definitely recommend taking the family!
Courtney Giameos - a week ago

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5 Star Rating This is a fantastic, at-your-pace, walk-through aquarium located at Darling Harbour in Sydney, NSW. They have one of the only three captivated Dugong in the world, and it's name is Pig. It was rescued in 1998 and has been released once with poor results, so it lives here for it's safety. The animals' welfare seems to be in great condition, which is good to see since I feel a certain type of way towards any Zoo. I would recommend it if you're interested in local wildlife information and suggest visiting earlier in the day.
Jordan Sweet - 3 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating Highly recommend visiting the aquarium if you’re not from Sydney. We went by on a Saturday in the afternoon. It was busy but there was a lot of room to move around. We enjoyed seeing the penguins on the boat ride, the unique sea creatures, and the stations where you can get a sea creature penny. It was insightful and we learnt a lot about the different sea creatures.
J - a month ago

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Directions

Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Light RailL1- Pyrmont Bay or L2 - Town Hall10 minutes
T1, T2, T3 or T4Town Hall10 minutes
FerryDarling Harbour Aquarium Wharf1 minute

How to get to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium by

By Light Rail L1 Exit at Pyrmont Bay and cross Murray Street and walk across the Pyrmont Bay Bridge. The Aquarium is located on the pier immediately north of the east end of the bridge.

By Train or Light Rail L2: From Town Hall Station go north to Druit Street and proceed west watching for the pedestrian ramp off to your right. Follow the ramp to the harbourside and go left (south) along the harbour.

You can also access SEA LIFE Syndey via pedestrian ramps by walking west along Market Street or King Street from the CBD.

By Ferry: Take a Darling Harbour Ferry from Circular Quary Wharf 5.

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