What Cairns Aquarium does

Cairns Aquarium, legally The Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre Pty Ltd, is a privately held single-site aquatic attraction located in central Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Founded in 2011, the facility displays 16,000+ aquatic animals across 71 habitats organized into 11 ecosystem zones spanning Tropical North Queensland's freshwater rivers, Wet Tropics Rainforest, mangroves, the Great Barrier Reef, and the depths of the Coral Sea. The site is anchored by Australia's only 10-metre-tall Deep Reef exhibit connected via a 20-metre underwater tunnel to a 1.5-million-litre Oceanarium, with supporting infrastructure including a 403 kW rooftop solar microgrid that powers 100% of aquatic life support systems and an on-site not-for-profit Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.

The business operates a tiered product model. General Admission (A$61 adult / A$173 family) is the core one-time ticket product and includes access to daily animal presentations and a marine touch tank. Revenue is diversified through premium add-on experiences (Turtle Hospital Tours A$20, Marine Life Encounter VIP A$299, Aquarium by Twilight A$83-188, Night at the Aquarium A$89-152), bundled combo packages with regional tourism operators (Skyrail, Kuranda Scenic Railway, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Tomb of the Pharaohs), venue hire for corporate events and weddings, on-site dining at Squires Loft Cairns, gift shop retail, and Annual Pass subscriptions (A$151 adult). Booking is managed through the FareHarbor platform alongside on-site admissions. Primary customer segments are domestic and international tourists, families, school groups on Australian curriculum-linked excursions, seniors, and event clients, with distribution driven by TripAdvisor presence, social media, and partnership marketing with local tourism operators.

The company is founder-owned (Daniel Leipnik and Andrew Preston), employs 51-100 staff, has not raised external capital, and operates the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre as a wholly-owned adjacent not-for-profit subsidiary. No revenue, headcount growth, or external funding signals are disclosed in the source material.

Name

Cairns Aquarium

Legal name

The Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre Pty Ltd

Website

https://cairnsaquarium.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cairns Aquarium is a privately held, founder-owned aquatic attraction in Cairns, Queensland displaying 16,000+ animals across 71 habitats in 11 ecosystem zones, serving tourists, families, school groups, and event clients via tiered admission, premium guided experiences, combo tourism packages, and venue hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Aquarium and Visitor Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

Keywords

• Aquarium visitor attraction
• Marine life exhibits
• Guided wildlife tours
• Event venue hire
• Conservation education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairns

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Core revenue from selling admission tickets for day entry to the aquarium. Ticket categories include Adult, Child, Concession, and Family packages. Valid for single day entry with ability to re-enter on same day with retained ticket.
2. Guided Tours and Experiences: Additional revenue from premium experiences including Turtle Hospital Tours, Marine Life Encounter, Aquarium by Twilight, and Night at the Aquarium tours.
3. Event Venue Hire: Revenue from hosting corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, and functions in Oceanarium, Deep Reef Room, and Squires Loft Cairns restaurant spaces.
4. Annual Pass Subscriptions: Annual membership passes providing 365-day access with discounts on experiences and retail. Benefits include free admission, 10% off experiences and gift shop.
5. On-site Food and Beverage: Revenue from Squires Loft Cairns aquatic-themed restaurant and food sales including lunch combos and dinner experiences.
6. Gift Shop Sales: Retail revenue from souvenir store offering Cairns Aquarium branded apparel, homewares, toys, and locally sourced goods supporting conservation efforts.
7. Combination Packages: Bundled ticket packages with partner attractions including Skyrail/Kuranda Rail, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, and Tomb of the Pharaohs offering discounted combined admission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cairns Aquarium is a physical visitor attraction operating as a public aquarium that displays 16,000+ aquatic animals across 71 habitats in 11 ecosystem zones themed around the Great Barrier Reef, Wet Tropics Rainforest, and Tropical North Queensland waterways. It sells day-entry general admission tickets, premium guided tours (Turtle Hospital, Marine Life Encounter, Aquarium by Twilight, Night at the Aquarium), combination packages with partner attractions, annual passes, and on-site event venue hire for functions and weddings.

Product overview

Cairns Aquarium operates as a physical visitor attraction showcasing 16,000 aquatic animals across 9 ecosystems spanning from mountain rainforests to the Coral Sea. The product portfolio is organized as a tiered experience model: General Admission serves as the core entry product, with premium add-on modules including Turtle Rehabilitation Centre Tours, Marine Life Encounter (VIP behind-the-scenes experience with ray feeding), Aquarium by Twilight (evening tour), and Night at the Aquarium (nocturnal observation experience). Combo packages bundle aquarium access with external attractions (Tomb of the Pharaohs, Skyrail/Kuranda Rail, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures) or dining experiences (Lunch Combo). Supporting products include Annual Pass memberships for repeat visitors, Functions & Events venue hire utilizing the Oceanarium and Deep Reef spaces, Children's Birthday Party packages, Gift Cards, and Education Programs for school groups. The adjacent Squires Loft Cairns restaurant provides on-site dining with a marine backdrop. Conservation activities are managed through the separate not-for-profit Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. Booking and ticketing are facilitated through FareHarbor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Self-guided all-day entry ticket to the aquarium's 11 ecosystem zones showcasing 16,000 aquatic animals, including daily presentations, animal talks, and Marine Touch Tank access; available to individual visitors and families.
• Turtle Rehabilitation Centre Tours 30-minute guided tour of the on-site Turtle Hospital operated by the not-for-profit Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, allowing visitors to meet rescued sea turtles; 100% of proceeds support rehabilitation.
• Marine Life Encounter 3-hour VIP behind-the-scenes experience led by a Wildlife Educator, including front and back-of-house tour, fish food preparation, coral propagation facilities, turtle hospital, reptile breeding facility, river monster scatter feed, and hand-feeding of Cownose Sting Rays; minimum 2, maximum 4 participants.
• Aquarium by Twilight 3-hour exclusive after-hours guided twilight tour through 10 tropical ecosystems witnessing day-to-night animal transitions, with optional 3-course dinner at Squires Loft Cairns restaurant.
• Night at the Aquarium 1.5 to 2.5-hour evening guided tour using specialized ultraviolet and infrared spectrum lighting to observe nocturnal behaviours of reef, river, and rainforest creatures, with optional 2-course dinner experience.
• Cairns Aquarium & Tomb of the Pharaohs Combo Combined admission package offering access to both the Cairns Aquarium and the Tomb of the Pharaohs Egyptian exhibition featuring 11 recreated tombs with over 450 display items.
• Aquarium, Skyrail & Kuranda Rail Package Full-day self-drive package combining morning aquarium visit with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway for an 8-hour reef and rainforest experience.
• Aquarium & Hartley's Crocodile Adventures Package Full-day self-drive package combining aquarium admission with Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, including Snake Show, Croc Attack show, and crocodile cruise.
• General Admission & Lunch Combo All-day aquarium admission combined with lunch at the on-site Squires Loft Cairns aquatic-themed restaurant featuring a 70,000-litre marine tank backdrop.
• Annual Pass 365-day unlimited admission membership offering free entry, 10% discounts on experiences, dining, and gift shop purchases, with quarterly member-only offers; available at the admissions counter.
• Functions & Events Venue Event hosting services utilizing the Oceanarium, Deep Reef Room, and Squires Loft Cairns restaurant for cocktail parties, weddings, corporate functions, and private gatherings, with optional exclusive aquarium tours.
• Children's Birthday Party
• Gift Cards Digital or physical gift cards available for purchase, redeemable for admission and experiences at the aquarium.
• Education Programs Guided school excursion programs linked to the Australian National Curriculum, featuring Wildlife Educator-led tours through 71 animal habitats across 11 zones with hands-on Marine Touch Pool experiences; available to school groups from primary to university level.
• Squires Loft Cairns Restaurant Aquatic-themed on-site restaurant featuring a 70,000-litre marine tank, serving premium steaks and ribs with South African-inspired flavors, available for casual dining and private events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of Turtle Hospital Tour proceeds support sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and release tracking

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Aquarium (Baltimore): Mid-to-large U.S. public aquarium with similar ecosystem-zone exhibit design, education programs, and event-hosting operations. Useful comparable for institutional aquarium operating models and event-revenue optimization.
• SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium: Merlin Entertainments aquarium in central Melbourne, comparable in scale to Cairns Aquarium and offering a similar mix of school programs, premium experiences, and event hire. Closest analog for an Australian capital-city mid-size aquarium.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Large, established U.S. aquarium widely regarded as a global benchmark for aquarium conservation programming, education, and premium experiences. Comparable in focus on regional ecosystem storytelling (California waters) and sustainability mission.
• SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium: Australia's largest metropolitan aquarium, operated by Merlin Entertainments, offering a multi-zone visitor experience with similar revenue mix (admission, premium experiences, events). Most relevant Australian commercial benchmark for ticketing and product laddering.
• Ocean Park Hong Kong: Marine-themed zoological and theme park in Hong Kong combining aquarium exhibits with conservation and education programming. Comparable in mission around regional marine ecosystems and species rehabilitation.
• Georgia Aquarium: One of the largest aquariums in the world, with comparable revenue streams (general admission, premium behind-the-scenes encounters, event hire, memberships). Provides a benchmark for scaling premium experiences and event verticals.
• Aquarium of the Pacific: Long Beach, California aquarium of comparable scale to Cairns Aquarium, with comparable ticketing structure, school programs, and event hire. Closest size analog among U.S. regional aquariums.

Regional players

• Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium: Auckland, New Zealand aquarium also operated by Merlin Entertainments. Comparable in size and product mix to Cairns Aquarium and serves a similarly tourism-dependent market, making it a useful operational benchmark for the trans-Tasman tourism segment.

Direct peers

• Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium: Public aquarium in Townsville, Queensland operated as a not-for-profit and dedicated to the Great Barrier Reef — the closest direct competitor by both theme and geography, and a direct benchmark for school and tourism programming in the region.
• Sea World Gold Coast: Australian marine theme park with aquarium, animal encounter, and conservation components (including marine animal rescue). Directly comparable in product pillars — aquarium exhibits, paid animal encounters, education, and conservation — though at a much larger theme-park scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CairnsAquarium
• Instagraminstagram.com/cairns_aquarium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cairns-aqurarium-and-reef-reserach-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cairns Aquarium