$30 Million Underwater Aquarium & Observatory – Perth, Western Australia

Western Australian is soon to be home to the Australia’s largest natural marine observatory, located 200km of the south coast of Perth, at the end of at the end of the Busselton Jetty, in Western Australia waters.

Designed by British firm Baca Architects, the monumental project named the Australian Underwater Discovery Centre is a Cetacean Design, that reflects the shape of a whale raising its head over Geographe Bay and underwater whale body that will include glass framed observatory and dining.

Construction is envisaged to begin in 2021 with the centre to open by December 2022. The managers of the facility are hoping to attract more than 200,000 new visitors in 2023.

Barry House, Chairman at Bustleton Jetty commented on the winning design. “This is as authentic as it gets, because people are in the tank and the fish are looking in. By adding underwater dining, underwater sculptures, marine art and other features, this project will enhance Bustleton Jetty’s 155-year-old experience.”

“At its peak times, people are turned away from the current Observatory because you can only fit 44 people in each hour”. “In 2017 we started looking at how to make a visit to demand and after to feasibility studies a market research, determine that engaging our current unique Marine offering what’s the best way to grow and meet our environmental goals,”

“the construction of the new Australian underwater discovery Centre will create work for 200 people’s ones operation thousands of jobs will be created over the coming years as cafés, hotels, service stations, retail stores, bus companies, trade agencies all prosper, returning some $200 million in economic benefit in Western Australia”, Mr House said.

Lisa Shreeve Chief Executive of the Jetty outlined that the current underwater Observatory will become a marine research centre, “promoting clean oceans and feature public interaction with world-class research and laboratory to educate people about ocean climate change”.

“This is an exciting stage of the project, to get the feedback on the most attractive design that will be a catalyst for drawing people to Western Australia from all over the world, especially those who love the ocean,” Mrs Shreeve said.