Kelly Tarlton's SEA LIFE Aquarium

Overview

Kelly Tarlton's SEA LIFE Aquarium is built inside converted underground sewage storage tanks on Auckland's waterfront, featuring New Zealand's only Antarctic penguin encounter and a dramatic shark tunnel.

Highlights

• Antarctic Encounter: Walk through a frozen environment home to a colony of king and gentoo penguins.
• Shark Tunnel: A moving walkway transports visitors through an acrylic tunnel surrounded by sharks, rays, and tropical fish.
• Turtle Rescue: Educational displays about marine conservation and the aquarium's turtle rehabilitation programme.

History

Created by New Zealand diver and marine archaeologist Kelly Tarlton, the aquarium opened in 1985 in disused sewage tanks — a world-first in repurposing infrastructure for public aquaria. Tarlton sadly died just months after opening.

Visitor Tips

• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.
• Penguin Passport: For an extra fee, enter the penguin enclosure and interact closely with the colony.
• Location: On Tāmaki Drive, easily reached by bus from the CBD.