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Terms and Conditions

Cairns Aquarium & Reef Research Centre is dedicated to the conservation of Tropical North Queensland wildlife. Here are some things you should know before visiting the aquarium.

The Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre Pty Ltd, trading as Cairns Aquarium, 5 Florence St Cairns is open for General Admission daily including ALL Public Holidays, including Christmas Day, from 10am – 3pm with last admission at 2pm.

Aquarium by Twilight is available Tuesday to Saturday daily, and Aquarium by Twilight Dine with the Sharks Experience is available during School Holidays. Times are subject to change, and based on availability.

All advertised retail prices are AUD incl GST and subject to change.

All persons entering the Cairns Aquarium are admitted subject to the following regulations:

General Terms and Conditions

  • All persons entering the Cairns Aquarium must hold a valid General Admission ticket that must be retained at all times and submitted for inspection if required by any member of staff. Failure to produce a valid admission ticket or receipt on request, may result in removal from the attraction.
  • Tickets available include Adult (15+ years), Child (3-14 years), Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children) and Concession (upon presentation of a recognised Seniors, Student, Pension or Carers Card) Please note: Health Care Cards are not accepted as a Concession Card
  • One Companion Card holder may enter free of charge with each person with a disability for General Admission entry only
  • Children under 3 years of age are admitted free to Cairns Aquarium. Children aged 14 years and under must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult aged 18 years or over.
  • General Admission tickets are valid for 1 day entry. To enable re-entry on same day, visitors must retain entrance ticket to show to Admissions counter.
  • General admission tickets purchased directly from Cairns Aquarium admissions or Cairns Aquarium website, may be upgraded to an Annual Pass during the guests visit and upon presentation of the admission receipt. Tickets purchased via third party resellers are not available for upgrade to an Annual Pass.
  • Once acquired, whether by purchase or on a complimentary basis, entry tickets and gift cards are non-refundable, non-transferable and void if altered. If Cairns Aquarium reasonably believes that a ticket is not valid it will not be honoured. If lost, tickets will not be replaced. Entry tickets are not valid for special events that require a separate admission charge.
  • Unless specified tickets will include entry to most, but not all, areas of Cairns Aquarium. Entry to restricted areas or animal encounter enclosures require additional payment.
  • Tickets under special promotions may be subject to availability and to any terms and conditions affecting the particular promotion.
  • The Cairns Aquarium will endeavour to have all displays open but reserves the right without notice or refund to change operational hours, temporarily close exhibits or restrict visitor numbers.
  • Lockers are available for a small charge to store your personal belongings; Cairns Aquarium accepts no responsibility for damage or loss of goods stored in lockers.

Online Tickets

  • All tickets purchased online require the visitor to produce evidence of purchase upon arrival at Cairns Aquarium. Ticket/s will be sent to the contact details nominated by the visitor at time of purchase upon successful completion of the transaction.
  • Tickets booked online are subject to an online booking fee.
  • Foreign exchange fees may be applied to some transactions at the discretion of the guest’s bank or card issuer.
  • All orders are subject to credit card approval. Pre-booked credit card purchases will require validation on check in at Cairns Aquarium Admissions (i.e. customers are required to provide the same credit card that was used for original purchase for sighting). Management reserves the right to take reasonable action to safeguard against credit card fraud.

Marine Life Encounter

  • Children must be 12+ years to hand feed Cownose rays, children under 12 will be substituted with a souvenir gift
  • This experience requires feeding from a platform with stairs and is not wheelchair accessible

Cancellation/Refund Policy

  • General Admission Bookings: Any cancellations requested more than 48 hours prior to the visit date will be refunded. Any cancellations requested within 48 hours, regardless of the booking date, will incur 100% cancellation fees or we can amend the date of the booking/provide a gift card to the booking value amount.
  • All other bookings: For products other than General Admission, if customers fail to arrive, or do not provide prior notice of cancellation within 48 hours, a cancellation fee of 100% will be charged. Rebooking the same product experience to another time or day may be provided at the discretion of Cairns Aquarium.

Photography

We love it when our guests enjoy taking and sharing images of the many amazing animals that live at the Cairns Aquarium but please note:

  • All images you take are for your personal use and cannot be used for commercial purposes without written consent from Cairns Aquarium.
  • For the health and safety of our animals, please do not use flash photography.
  • Photo extension poles (selfie sticks), as well as all electronic devices may not be used to cross into the exhibits.

Professional Photography

  • Cairns Aquarium or other authorised parties may carry out photography and/or video recording in the attraction, which may feature visitors. By accepting these Regulations, you agree that Cairns Aquarium or any authorised party may use such images in perpetuity in any promotional, advertising or publicity material.
  • To obtain professional photography or videography consent, please note that fees may apply. For permission to film please contact: reservations@cairnsaquarium.com.au outlining your project and filming requirements.

Accredited Service Animals

  • For the safety of your pet and our animals, pets are not allowed in our facility. Accredited assistance animals are permitted in accordance with the Disability Discrimination act, we reserve the right to request evidence of legal documentation and an identification jacket for your service animal. For the safety of our visitors and your pets, we request that pets not be left unattended at any time outside the attraction.

Behaviour Policy

  • Cairns Aquarium is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for visitors of all ages. Visitors are expected to behave in an appropriate, respectful and positive manner when interacting with other guests, our staff and animals.
  • Unruly or unsafe behaviour that endangers people or animals, disrupts other guests’ ability to enjoy their visit, or interferes with business operations will not be tolerated and can result in ejection without a refund. Standing on rails or structures is strictly prohibited.
  • When deemed necessary, all bags, backpacks, and packages may be inspected prior to entering or departing the Aquarium. Cairns Aquarium retains the right at all times to refuse admission or request visitors to leave if they are in violation of our policies.
  • If at any time during your visit you are made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or unsafe, please report your concern to an Aquarium staff member.

Prohibited Items

For the health and safety of guests and our animals the following items are not permitted:

  • Alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, recreational drugs or offensive weapons
  • Roller blades, roller skates, skateboards, child scooters (These items may be left with admission staff and collected upon exiting)
  • Laser pens and pointers
  • Noise making devices including stereos or other electrical equipment
  • Any other items deemed to be dangerous or inappropriate by Aquarium staff
  • Plastic bottles, straws and lids can fall into animal habitats and be very dangerous to the animals. While these items are not prohibited, we do ask that you take care and dispose of these items responsibly in the garbage receptacles provided.
  • Balloons and bubbles can also pose a risk to animal health and visitor safety, so please leave at the Admissions desk and collect after your visit.

Smoking

  • As per the Queensland Smoking Regulation by-law, smoking (including e-cigarettes or vape pens) is prohibited anywhere on Aquarium property, including outdoor areas unless signed as a designated smoking area.

Emergency Services

  • Missing Persons – In the event that a child or someone with a medical condition or special needs goes missing, please alert a staff member immediately and they will accompany you to a designated meeting spot and ensure the search protocol commences.
  • First Aid – In the event that you or someone in your party requires first aid, please alert a staff member right away. They will call our first aid attendants to assist you.
  • Lost and Found – If you notice that you have lost something during your visit and you are still in the Aquarium, please notify a staff member. If you notice the item is missing after you leave the Aquarium, please contact us on 4044 7300 or email reservations@cairnsaquarium.com.au and we will endeavour to locate it.

Privacy

  • Any credit card data collected during online or admission sales is used only for the purpose of transaction and will not be stored permanently.
  • The Cairns Aquarium operates surveillance cameras both internally and externally to ensure public and property safety, and for the investigation of criminal offences. Should an incident occur, footage may be provided to the Queensland Police. Your information will not be given to any other persons unless required by law.

Personal Information

Collecting your information is essential for us to provide our members with updated products and services, for market research and email communication. You may receive newsletters, promotional emails and special offers from us from time to time and we hope you find these emails informative however you may choose to unsubscribe at any time.

How do we collect personal information?

  • Collection may include requesting information by phone, filling out membership and annual pass forms, advising place of origin on check-in, providing your business card to us or e-mailing us your details. We only collect information when you knowingly provide it and may include your name, birthday, address, phone number, email address and purchase history.

Do we disclose your personal information to anyone?

  • We are committed to protecting the privacy of our visitors in line with the Australian Privacy Policy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988. We may disclose your personal information where you have consented to us doing so, or where we are required or authorised by law to disclose your personal information. We will never sell or licence out Personal Information to third parties, however we use personal information for digital marketing purposes and work with third party email service providers Wordfly and Mailchimp to send emails to our marketing databases.

Is your personal information secure?

  • We take all reasonable precautions to safeguard your personal information from misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. When your information is no longer required or you advise us you no longer wish to be contacted, we securely destroy it from our systems unless where it is required for legal purposes. Please notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.