KELLY TARLTON'S UNDERWATER WORLD
Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World was the brainchild of renowned New Zealand marine archeologist Kelly Tarlton.
Opened in 1985 after 10 months of construction, Kelly Tarltons typified the "number 8 wire" attitude of Kiwi's. Kelly developed a new method of building an acrylic tunnel by taking large sheets of clear acrylic, cutting them to size and heating them in an oven until they took the shape of the mould. Some of the sheets weighed over tonne.
A tunnel of 110 metres was created in sewage storage tanks that had been unused since the 1960's. These tanks are located below the streets of Auckland, on the picturesque Tamaki Drive and overlooking the beautiful Waitemata Harbour.
Once the tunnels were in place the tanks were filled to test for leaks (none being found) then a seascape of caves and reefs was created using concrete then one section was filled with a carefully selection of more than 1800 marine creatures and another section featuring Sharks including Bronze whaler, Sevengill, Wobbegong and School shark and Stingray
Since it's opening in 1985 the facility has been hugely expanded to include a replica of the hut used by Robert Falcon Scott on his tragic expedition to Antarctica as well as a colony of sub-Antarctic penguin.
Other features include deadly stonefish and voracious Piranha as well as octopus and seahorse
The sharks are only held for a short period of time before being released back into the area where they were caught.
Kelly Tarlton's also provides a rehabilitation cenre for sick and injured turles from round New Zealands coast
An interesting fact is that because of the Refraction caused by the light travelling through the water and the acrylic sheets used in the creation of the tunnel the fish appear to be 1/3 smaller than they are.
From Wikipedia.org, the Free Encyclopedia
 AUCKLAND TOURS, TRAVEL AND ACTIVITIES
AUCKLAND HOTELS, RESORTS AND OTHER ACCOMMODATION
HOME •
NEW ZEALAND •
DISCOVER •
NORTH ISLAND •
Auckland •
Kelly Tarlton's
|
|
Looking for something specific?
|
Giraffes at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World
|
DISCOVER NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND TOURS & TRAVEL