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An Apollonaut travel guide
The coast behind the glass.
A harbour on the Indian Ocean, an aquarium that grew from a single tank and a coastline of 12,000 kilometres offer several ways into the story of AQWA.
On this page
Lands and waters
AQWA acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and waters of its region.
The aquarium’s own story, which begins in 1988, is a recent chapter in the much longer history of this coast.
From Underwater World to AQWA
The aquarium opened at Hillarys Boat Harbour in April 1988 as Underwater World, Perth, with a single aquarium. It took the name AQWA, the Aquarium of Western Australia, in 2001.
Today more than 45 exhibits show the marine life of Western Australia, and the Shipwreck Coast, with three million litres of seawater above a 98-metre tunnel, is Australia’s largest single aquarium.
Corals, turtles and change
The AQWA Foundation, set up in 2002, funds the Turtle Rescue Centre, and the Coral Conservatory holds the Coral Bank of Western Australia, a living catalogue of native corals.
A redevelopment began in 2026, with the first new attractions expected to open in 2027. The aquarium plans to stay open throughout, though some exhibits may close for parts of the work. The History page and the timeline offer a longer introduction.
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Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.
