A lot can happen in 12 months

SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 Cairns Aquarium opens its doors for the very first time for an exclusive preview for 2000 presale ticket holders, ahead of its official opening the next day. OCTOBER 27, 2017 Cairns Aquarium welcomes its newest resident – female freshwater whipray baby Jessica – to the family. NOVEMBER 28, 2017 The first freshwater sawfish is released into the 400,000 litre River Monsters tank DECEMBER 23, 2017 Only three months since opening, Cairns Aquarium welcomes its 100,000th visitor – Sydneysider John Klimes – who visited the attraction with his family of five. Mr Klimes received a platinum pass from the aquarium, which included a private guided tour through the facility and behind-thescenes, a seven-course degustation menu and matching wines at AquaLuna Restaurant and a souvenir photo and special gift from the aquarium store. JANUARY 10, 2018 A flood of newborn arrivals are welcomed at Cairns Aquarium, including white lip tree frog babies (tadpoles and morphs), green tree snake babies, Boyd’s forest dragon babies and eggs, baby sea horses, a baby epaulette shark and blue tongue lizards. FEBRUARY 20, 2018 Cairns Aquarium is among the recipients of the Federal Government's $20 million jobs package, securing funding for a final fit-out, so that the centre can attract weekly corporate and private functions of up to 250 people. The $4.7 million project also included new coral propagation displays, quarantine facilities and resulted in 57 new full-time staff being hired. MARCH 23, 2018 Cairns Aquarium announces its first ever sleepover event. The Sleep with the Sharks experi- ence includes a guided tour through the aquarium, a barbecue dinner by the “river” and a night enjoying 360-degree panoramic views in the oceanarium. It also includes a buffet breakfast at AquaLuna Restaurant (below). APRIL 21, 2018 Beau, a Queensland grouper that outgrew its tank at Sydney Aquarium is welcomed to a new home at Cairns Aquarium. The 55kg behemoth was driven by truck inside a special tank to Cairns Aquarium where handlers carefully moved him into quarantine. JUNE 15, 2018 A new marine turtle rehabilitation centre opens at Cairns Aquarium. The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (CTRC) consists of several large holding tanks complete with life-support systems and ob- servation windows, a raised viewing platform, interpretative signage, video footage and 3D models. AUGUST 3, 2018 Cairns Aquarium changes its operation hours to allow more visitors to check out the tourist attraction. Due to popular demand with the Sleep with the Sharks overnight adventure, the facility changed its trading hours to 9am-5pm, with last admissions at 4pm. AUGUST 27, 2018 The state-of-the-art Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre takes out Project of the Year at the 2018 Master Builders Far North Queensland Housing & Construction Awards. The building itself is over 16.5m in height, 90m in length and 40m in width. SEPTEMBER 22-23, 2018 Cairns Aquarium says “tanks” to Far North Queenslanders for supporting it during its first 12 months of operation by throwing a birthday fiesta, including birthday cakes, animal interaction, entertainers, face painting, crafts, and giveaways. Since it opened in September last year, more than 400,000 people have walked through its doors.