Are the little people in your house obsessed with sea creatures? Are you the proud parent of some jumping jellyfish or silly seals? We’ve compiled a list of cool places for Brisbane kids who love sea creatures! Some of these spots are quite close to home but some will require adventurous travel!
Be amazed, engaged and excited about learning about the role that marine life play in our ecosystem alongside your children. Read on to find out more, Octonauts!
If you are keen on visiting an aquarium near Brisbane, check out our other article!
The Australian Shark and Ray Nursery
The Australian Shark and Ray Nursery is now calling the Southside of Brisbane home in Loganholme and it’s a fantastic place to take the kids for a morning or an afternoon outing!
Run by a local man, Paul, the vast majority of the animals in his care have been rescued from the nets of trawlers and saved from our tables! On our visit to the nursery we saw:
- sea stars (starfish)
- baby sharks
- shark eggs
- stingrays
You can read more about the nursery here and watch our video review too!
Seal Life, Mooloolaba
Previously known as Underwater World, Sea Life is the premiere destination for junior budding marine biologists. The famous underwater walk way leads you through cavernous spaces filled with a vast array of beautiful undersea life. Special areas are dedicated to the more fragile creatures like jellyfish and seahorses and you can catch a special seal show held a couple of times a day. A plethora of food and drink options are here to fuel your little learners and it’s open 364 days a year! There’s even a soft play area for the tinier tots to burn off some energy. Click here to find out what’s on at this great family day out!
Queensland Museum, South Bank
There’s always learning to do at the Queensland Museum! Wonder at the size of the majestic humpback whales singing in the famous Whale Walk. Explore the constantly changing displays and exhibits featuring sea creatures from today and throughout history. Delve into the archives and marvel at the way marine biologists of yesteryear collected data and made their observations. There’s still so much about the ocean that we don’t understand – see if your kids can find out something new by looking into history! Find out what is on at the museum here.
Click here for our Queensland Museum Downloadable Activity Sheet to make this an educational experience your kids will remember.
Sea World, Gold Coast
There’s plenty to amaze your little ocean lover here. Seal and dolphin shows. Swimming with sharks. Glass bottom boat tours. You’ll also find that Sea World plays host to some of the country’s most respected marine vets, zoologists and marine biologists – heroes to your kids! Why not see if you can get them to ask a few questions to really make their big day out a special one?
Tangalooma Resort, Moreton Island
As well as the world famous dolphin feeding, Tangalooma is also the home of an extensive conservation program that features all kinds of marine life. You can also book into whale watching cruises (keep in mind these are seasonal and depend on whale migration).
We loved our recent trip snorkeling on the Tangalooma Wrecks!
Brisbane Whale Watching
Step aboard the beautifully appointed Eye-Spy whale watching boast to witness a local phenomenon. Each year the magnificent southern humpback whales migrate to and from Antarctica. As these leviathans of the deep make their way through our warm waters they feed, mate and play in the clean, clear blue sea of Moreton Bay. The size and grace of the humpbacks is amazing as they move through the water and come to surface to see us. Read our review on Brisbane Whale Watching and then book your trip!
