An aquarium by the river mouth.

Mooloolaba is a coastal suburb on the Sunshine Coast, about 97 km north of Brisbane. The Mooloolah River forms its southern boundary, and the aquarium stands on Parkyn Parade at The Wharf, beside the marina on the river’s northern bank. The town was called Mooloolah Heads until 1919.

A local guide can give context without turning a town into a backdrop. Notice how the beach, the river and the harbour sit close together, and respect the homes and businesses around them.

• Wikipedia on Mooloolaba↗

The aquarium is indoors and open in all weather. Its oceanarium holds about 2.5 million litres, and the 80-metre tunnel beneath it lets visitors walk under the water.

Begin with a detail and ask what it is for: a curved acrylic wall, a ramp between levels, a stadium for the seals. A photograph alone cannot tell you how a place was planned or who built it.

SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast shows a different side of the coast: the animals of the ocean, a short walk from the surf.

Look at the meeting of the two: a busy holiday town, and the sea life it lives beside.

Pair this local reading with the aquarium’s history and the Journal. This is an introduction for visitors, not a claim that our team manages these places or represents the people who built them.

• Explore Heritage→
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