A world-class experience

SEVEN years ago, Cairns Aquarium founders Daniel Leipnik and Andrew Preston decided to take on a bold project.

Today, they are celebrating a successful 12 months in business for one of the region’s premier tourist attractions.

The privately-funded project supported by all three levels of government was the vision of Daniel and Andrew, who visited the region on a holiday and recognised an opportunity to provide enhanced education and awareness of the region’s unique fish and aquatic animals.

Now, a visit to Cairns Aquarium enables visitors to learn and explore 10 Tropical North Queensland eco-systems and the fascinating creatures that live within it.

Daniel and Andrew initially noticed the number of people who that would go to the reef, but didn’t get into the water.

“It could have been for any of a number of reasons,” says Daniel. “But, they were effectively missing the greatest delight of the region – the fascinating and colourful marine life.”

The two thought about how they could enrich the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics rainforest experiences for visitors, as well as locals. Spurred on by their inherent love of animals and nature, and their desire to actively contribute to the conservation of the region’s unique wildlife, Daniel and Andrew had the impetus to undertake an incredibly demanding six-year, $50-million project.

“Almost every capital city in Australia boasts a public aquarium, as do most large cities in the world, yet there are very few locations where you could develop a world-class aquarium that only featured the species that are local to that area,” Daniel says. “Here in Cairns, we are spoilt by the incredible biodiversity found in the Wet Tropics, and the Great Barrier Reef. Creating a unique visitor experience based on interacting with the creatures from these environments is incredibly satisfying.”