Manly Sea Life Sanctuary Explained

Zoo Name:Manly Sea Life Sanctuary
Date Opened:1965
Date Closed:28 January 2018
Location:Manly, Sydney, Australia
Coordinates:-33.7991°N 151.2813°W
Largest Tank Vol:4000000L
Owner:Merlin Entertainments
Website:www.manlysealifesanctuary.com.au

Manly Sea Life Sanctuary (formerly Oceanworld Manly[1]) was a public aquarium located in Manly, Sydney, Australia. It featured sharks, giant stingrays, sea turtles, little penguins and other marine life. It also allowed guests to take part in Shark Dive Xtreme, where they could swim with grey nurse sharks over three metres long.[2]

History

The sanctuary originally opened in 1965, as Marineland. It was refurbished and reopened in 1989 as Underwater world.[3] It was purchased and renovated by Coral World International, and re-opened as Oceanworld in 1992. After its renovation, the aquarium boasted the longest aquarium tunnel in the world, at 110m (360feet). The aquarium was sold to the Sydney Aquarium Company (later Sydney Attractions Group) in 1999 to be operated, as a branch of the Sydney Aquarium.[4] In February 2008, Village Roadshow Theme Parks acquired the Sydney Attractions Group.[5] In December 2010, Merlin Entertainments acquired the Sydney Attractions Group division of Village Roadshow Theme Parks.[6] On 28 June 2012, the attraction officially relaunched as Manly Sea Life Sanctuary following a renovation which saw the addition of the Penguin Cove exhibit.[7] It closed on 28 January 2018 due to projected maintenance costs.[8] [9]

In December 2023, the council announced that they will commence demolition of the old aquarium to make way for the upgrade of manly cove west. [10] The demolition commenced around early-mid July 2024.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Eriksson. Boel. Junior oceanologists start at Manly Sea Life Sanctuary. 27 September 2012. The Manly Daily. 28 August 2012.
  2. Web site: Oceanworld Manly . myfun.com.au . MyFun . 30 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100729161116/http://oceanworld.myfun.com.au/Exhibits/Oceanworld-Overview.htm . 29 July 2010 .
  3. Web site: Oceanworld and Shark Dive XTreme Product Profile 08-09 . manlyaustralia.com.au . Oceanworld Manly . 28 August 2010 .
  4. Web site: Oceanworld Manly . coralworld.com . Coral World International . 28 August 2010.
  5. Web site: Wilson. Richard. Sydney Attractions say accept. Parkz. 27 September 2012. 5 February 2008.
  6. News: Village Roadshow sells Sydney Attractions. 27 September 2012. The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 December 2010. Australian Associated Press.
  7. Web site: Little Penguins are welcomed to their brand new exhibit, Penguin Cove. E Travel Blackboard. 27 September 2012. 28 June 2012.
  8. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/final-weekend-for-manly-sea-life-sanctuary/news-story/4593590dc419105cb3b8640933fd779a Final weekend for Manly Sea Life Sanctuary
  9. Web site: "Manly Sea Life Sanctuary closes its doors after 55 years", Sydney Morning Herald, 28 January 2018. 28 January 2018 . 14 July 2021.
  10. https://www.northernbeachesadvocate.com.au/2023/12/05/manly-aquarium-demolition/
  11. https://manlyobserver.com.au/manly-boardwalk-closed-for-repair/