Opened in 2017, the Cairns Aquarium is one of the best in Australia, and it takes full advantage of being in the heart of one of the world's most biodiverse marine regions. The facility houses more than 15,000 animals across 71 tanks arranged into ten distinct ecosystems — from mangrove creeks and freshwater rivers to open ocean.
The highlights include Australia's largest freshwater tank (400,000 litres), a 1.8-million-litre coral sea tank, and the world's first tidal motion tank. Among the species on display are scalloped hammerhead sharks, freshwater sawfish, ribboned pipefish, and emerald tree monitors. The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, operating within the aquarium, treats injured sea turtles and releases them back to the reef.
At $54 million it was an expensive build, and admission prices reflect that. But it is genuinely impressive — not a tourist trap with bored fish in small tanks. Budget two to three hours. Children are well catered for with interactive touch tanks and ranger presentations.