Kelly Tarlton's SEA LIFE Aquarium
Built inside disused wastewater storage tanks on the waterfront, with a moving walkway through a shark tank and a heated home for real Antarctic penguins.
Quick Facts
- Region
- Auckland, North Island
- Best time
- Year-round
- Entry fee
- From NZD $45 (adult)
- Duration
- 1.5–2 hours
Overview
Kelly Tarlton's opened in 1985 inside a pair of disused underground wastewater tanks on the Tāmaki Drive waterfront — diver and adventurer Kelly Tarlton's idea for reusing them as an aquarium. It was the world's first tank of its kind with an acrylic tunnel for visitors to walk through.
Today it's home to sharks, stingrays, turtles and an Antarctic-themed habitat with king and gentoo penguins on a rotating heated ice floe, alongside touch pools and rescue-and-rehabilitation displays for native marine life.
Things To Do
- Shark Walk — ride the moving walkway through a 100-year-old NZ shipwreck replica surrounded by sharks and rays.
- Antarctic Ice Adventure — see king and gentoo penguins up close on a snowcat ride through their icy habitat.
- Stingray Bay — touch pool with New Zealand eagle rays and short-tail stingrays.
- Turtle rehabilitation area — learn about the aquarium's work rescuing and releasing native sea turtles.
- Clownfish and seahorse tanks — smaller reef displays good for younger children.
Getting There
Kelly Tarlton's is on Tāmaki Drive in Ōrākei, about 10 minutes' drive from the CBD along the waterfront. Regular buses run along Tāmaki Drive, and there's free on-site parking.
| Address | 23 Tamaki Drive, Orakei, Auckland 1071 |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | 9:30am – 5:00pm daily |
| Entry Fee | From NZD $45 (adult), family passes available |
| Duration | 1.5–2 hours |
| Accessibility | Wheelchair accessible, including the shark tunnel walkway |
Gallery
Nearby Attractions
Mission Bay
A popular beach and dining strip a short stroll further along Tāmaki Drive.
Bastion Point
A clifftop reserve with harbour views and significant Māori and civil-rights history.
Auckland Museum
Taonga Māori, natural history and war memorial galleries in the Auckland Domain.