General Admission Entry at AQWA

Fabulous attraction.

Brilliant day out. The aquarium is absolutely fabulous. The underwater tunnel is stunning. A must visit if you're in Perth.

Very good

The look on the young ones faces and the closeness of the fish through the viewing tunnel Explanation of the fish was great too

Well presented aquarium

Never been to an aquarium before. Was really blown away by the glass tunnel & seeing giant rays , turtles & nursing sharks up close . Got some amazing video . Went during the week to avoid crowds & kept going around on the moving circular route to capture more & more pics of these giant creatures ! The displays on the other floors are also worth seeing too . All the fish found around various waters of WA are fully explained in wonderful display tanks full of colourful coral . There is also a rescue turtle talk given at certain times with a brief feeding session . Worth the entrance fee for sure .

Always worth the visit.

Always a pleasure to visit the aquarium to get an idea of the underwater life in Australia, Perth and the surroundings. Very kids friendly but also educative for adults! Been there several times. Well worth the visit.

Top 3 best perth places.

Should be in the top 3 best perth places, experience as never seen and very informative about WAs wildlife. Very well maintained.

Continues to impress

Not the first visit but always a impressive show underwater and to see the coast of WA in a different light. It’s the only way I get to see fish anyway. Best to allow some time as there is a lot to take in

A very nice aquarium

The Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) is located in Hillarys at the end of Southside Dr and its most fascinating part is the large shark tank which can be visited entering a 100m long circular tunnel. This impressive tank is located in the lower part of the aquarium, which can also be reached using a lift, while inside the tunnel you can proceed by walking or letting yourself be carried by a very slow moving conveyor belt. Big sand tiger sharks, smaller reef sharks and huge rays are the most impressive animals of the tank together with turtles and other fish from the WA coast. Certainly smaller, but very interesting, are also the other sectors of the aquarium were rare and exotic small fish can be observed. For children there is a Touch Pool where the unique experience of touching a starfish or a tiny Port Jackson shark can be done in absolute safety. In the Coral Reef sector there is a large area where, in front of a reef populated by colorful fish, there is a way to sit and relax for a few minutes. In addition to the bar area, where you can stop and use the toilet, beyond the Coral Reef sector there is a small play area for children with a large tank in which you can see small sharks and rays. Visiting this aquarium is a valid opportunity for adults and a great experience for kids.

Amazing!!

Absolutely gorgeous!! I love the view i love the fish and the coral reefs its so beautiful!! AMAZING!!

Great, once you find it

Not easy to find, not much signage around bus stop. Google maps is confusing and out of date. Aquarium itself it amazing, it's a pity it's well hidden

Great experience

Fantastic place, very well thought out and extremely interactive. Huge variety, lovely and friendly staff.

Holiday treat

We decided to have a day out with the grandchildren and chose Aqua as we haven't been for a few years. As it was school holidays it was very busy and noisy with lots of after school clubs making trips as well as other families. We went outside to the touch pool but the directions then to continue to get back to the Sharks I thought was unclear. Overall we had a good day the kids loved it and that was the main thing.

Very fun touch pool

I enjoyed the tunnel as it had a travellator/conveyor. It made viewing and taking photos/videos more fun and easier. My daughters were delighted with the touch pool and spent a long time there. All the creatures in AQWA were very interesting and cool.

Excellent aquarium. Great, interesting tanks with good exhibits. Not too busy. Lots of kids but too many crying babies.

Good visit for about 3 hours. Some amazing displays and of course the big tank with sharks and rays is wonderful. The other large tanks are well done with good written support.

Beautiful experience

An overseas adult male visitor who reacts with delight, shows me that AQWA was the perfect tourist place to visit. He was extremely happy.

Must see

Have been to AQWA a dozen times now and every time I’ve left feeling wanting more I just can’t get enough of this gorgeous aquarium I highly recommend it for the whole family

Wonderful

A fabulous day out and much to see. Very well organised and the displays are magnificent. Definitely worth a trip

Treat with 5 year old Granddaughter to see the Mermaids & sea life.

It was a great experience for both myself and my nearly 6 year old granddaughter. Loved the tunnel and watching the feeding. The Mermaid exhibition & photo opportunity was great. The up close displays of the sea life including the coral was great. I was a bit anxious at the touch pool where people were lifting the creatures out of the water. I didn't like that. I think they should be left in peace. The location near the eateries, shops, harbour beach and amusement park was wonderful for a full day out.

AQWA

Great day with the grandkids at the the aquarium. The boys loved the tunnel, the big sharks and rays!

Sad for the marine life

The fish and marine life look very sad in their little glass viewing bowls throughout the aquarium. We have just continued up the coast and snorkeled with the same marine life and it was a much better experience! I always forget how sad these places make me, however the kids wanted to go, we should of just ventured into the ocean and found them in their natural habitat enjoying their freedom!

Worth it

The tunnel was a new experience with so much surprises. Cafe good food. All over a wonderful experience

Very crowded average activity with terrible parking

Very crowded, average aquarium- kind of expensive to enter. We have visited many aquariums across New Zealand that is much better. We spent 45 minutes looking for a carpark. Found the gift shop crazy expensive. The underwater tunnel to view the fish is as so slow I think it couldn’t handle that many people on it.

Enjoyable experience

Very enjoyable experience at AQWA. We especially loved the under water tunnel. Beautiful items in the gift shop.

Customer service training required

Very unfriendly staff at front door. Staff in cafeteria were very rude also. Won’t be going back in a hurry. Very expensive for what you get.

Well worth a stop

Well worth a visit especially with younger kids. A well run aquarium, lots of space and interesting displays. The kids got to touch a starfish.

Holiday visit

We took our kindy aged twins and stayed around 1.5 hours. We had a really great time looking at the displays, especially the turtle enclosure and underwater viewing. I would make sure you packs hats as there is a small playground and tables outside. Being school holidays it was very busy by 10am. It would be great if there were a few more interactive displays for younger children who can’t read yet especially as a lot of the tanks are quite high.

Magical Day Out

My 5 young grandchildren and I had so much fun seeing all the amazing exhibits on display. They particularly loved the touch pool. I found staff to be extremely helpful and the underwater viewing circle was amazing

My children liked it for...

My children liked it for their 1st Time going there. It was amazing they where amazed. Even happy with food. Good little trip.

Inside and Outside

The aquarium is far from the city center but I was able to drive there. There is a bit of parking around the aquarium but they were mostly full. There is also a bit more parking a bit away from the aquarium entrance. I did see the glass boat ride but you aren't able to bring in kids under 4 on it so we didn't go. Like other aquariums, they have different tanks for the different fish and they were themed. I enjoyed the ones showing the fish from different regions of Australia. They also have a shark tank with a conveyor belt to stand and watch the fish swim by. It is exciting to watch the sharks, rays and turtles swim over the tunnel. This is where the glass-bottom boat rides over too. The sea dragon display was on the stairwell here so not accessible for those with prams, which is unfortunate. There is a short cut to the shop/exit and the cafe. The cafe is also led to the outdoor area. There is a touch pool as well as a coral reef area which was mesmerising. Further down there is a play area by the marina. I thought it was worth the drive and would've been able to spend a lot of time just watching the fish swim around, particularly in the coral reef exhibit.

Nice enough tourist attraction, but a little over-priced.

Haven't been here for something like 20 years, so decided to go today with my wife and son. Arrived early-ish - as in 10.45 - and was able to secure one of the few remaining parking spots near AQWA. Bonus: parking is free. At $30 per adult, my opinion is that AQWA is over-priced. Yes, there are nice displays and the facility was clean and comfortable, but we were able to see everything in just an hour. For $30, I expect a facility that will occupy us for 2 hours minimum. We utilised the cafe for food and drinks. Prices are on par with most other cafes in the area.

I saw a kid put a Sea Cucumber down his school shorts.

Hilarious. A whole school group on an excursion were tanking and ganking and stuffing whatever they could from the touching pool into their backpacks and shorts while their teacher wasn’t watching. They probably all died and dried or shriveled up on the bus back to their school but I’m no snitch. My kids and dad had fun too, though we weren’t brave enough to pinch a Port Jackson Shark. Maybe next time.

Ordinary

Yes seing the water life is nice and good for the kids, it's extremely overpriced. And turning the aircon on wouldnt go astray, extremely hot and uncomfortable inside with young children to hold and chase after on a hot day. Lots of people and quite stuffy, not to mention the kids classes consuming every area possible. Not worth it. You would think with the money being made a new aircon system and perhaps some sharks other than a grey nurse would be nice. Or maybe just let them back into the ocean would be a better idea. Spose they'd all die now they've been in a human amusement park there whole life.

Great day out

We hadn't been to AQWA in a long time and was still a great place to go and visit. Kids had loads of fun and loved the touch pool and underwater conveyor belt. Loads of fun!

Love the underwater tunnel

Not a cheap family day out, the three of us cost $66; one adult and two kids 3 yrs old and 7 yrs old. The kids adore the underwater tunnel experience. The touching pool was also a delight.

Interesting and learning experience

Well organised areas, clearly indicated with the map that can be picked up at the entry. 30$ per adult for the regular experience. Parking can be a bit of a task, We would not recommend to wait to park your car the closest to it, but take advantage of any spot available. Personally, 2 hours are enough to see the Aquarium unless you opt for having lunch inside. Nice open area upstairs where to sit and have a break, eat your meal or just chill a bit.

Into The Abyss

Love this place. Not a lot has changed since I was last here but it is always interesting and well worth the drive up the coast to Hillarys

A very interesting and well organized aquarium

The Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) is located in Hillarys at the end of Southside Dr. Although there are various options for the entrance ticket, my wife and I paid for the standard general admission ticket of 30 AUD (infants aged 0 to 3 years can enter the aquarium for free). The most fascinating part of the aquarium is the large shark tank which can be visited following a 100m long circular tunnel. Located in the lower part of the aquarium, which can also be reached using a lift which is very useful for those who, like us, had a baby pram, while inside the tunnel you can proceed by walking or using a moving conveyor belt. Various species of rays and sharks populate this large tank along with fish also from the WA coast. Certainly smaller, but very interesting, are also the other sectors of the aquarium and in particular for children there is a Touch Pool where a kind and expert operator allowed our one and a half year old baby to experience what a starfish feels like with a hands-on learning experience. Also for those who bring children, in the Coral Reef sector there is a large area where, in front of a reef populated by colorful fish, there is a way to sit and relax for a few minutes. Being a school holiday period and a rainy day, the aquarium was very crowded, not a bad situation if you bring children, but if you want to visit this environment in a more scientific way it is certainly better to choose a day where there are fewer visitors and the animals could be seen in greater tranquillity. By reservation it is possible to snorkel or dive in the main tank. Visiting this aquarium is a great opportunity for adults and a great experience for kids.

Good but not COVID safe!

Amazing under water place, it has always been my favourite. But there is no way that place was COVID safe, we felt extremely uncomfortable the whole time whilst trying to social distance more and more people piled into the tunnel getting closer to you, no one was monitoring or managing the flow of people. I doubt we will be going back. Put it this way, its safer going to Kmart.

Sharks to see

The place is very small and there’s after all quite little to see. Sharks were nice to see. Parking area is vast but on public holiday it took 30 min to find a free bay.

INTO THE DEEP.

We visited as part of a group. The displays of marine animals were varied & most interesting to view - even to and ex diver like myself. The touch pool seemed to be of great interest to the children present there. Our group was catered for at lunch in the function room. Our lunch consisted of sandwich/salad, selection of small cakes /fruit, water, juice, tea & coffee. The staff were excellent & special thanks must go to our Aqwa organiser, Teneal. Unfortunately the seniors in our group were let down on this visit due to the lift not operating (this apparently has been so for some time)

Interesting

Was an interesting way to spend an afternoon. The kids loved it. The large glass aquarium with the sharks above you was the high point

Sea creatures galore

We enjoyed the whole complex, Had not been for many years so many new places to see, only down side was lift broken and had we known this one of our party would not have come as she is unable to navigate stairs, we didn’t discover this until we arrived at the entrance. Elaine Fadli

A great day out

I think AQWA is an really amazing place. I've been to a number of aquariums and seaparks in different countries and this one is no disappointment. There's a great variety of fish and sea creatures on display and most being Australian region only so it was a great surprise to see so many new and interesting sea creatures. The aquariums are well maintained and ordered with several sections showing fish from different regions of Australia. In the centre of the aquarium is an underwater tunnel showcasing a range of large sharks, bigger fish, and huge manta-rays. Outside there's is a touch pool and display of rescued and rehabilitating turtles. Throughout most days, more so on the weekends, there are shows and presentations by staff.

Sea life enjoyable however building very tired

1. The lift wasn’t functioning. When we asked what had happened to it we were told it had corroded whilst the building had been shut down. One would hope and assume it had a regular maintenance schedule & corrosion would not happen! We were there with a baby in a pram. Another family were there with a child in a wheelchair. 2. Both seats in the foyer area at the bottom of the stairs were broken. The one I sat on with the baby had collapsed in the middle. The other had a plank top that wasn’t fixed. An elderly lady sat on it and fell to the ground. 3. Although the restaurant had signs on tables stating the had been cleaned, they still had food scraps on them. The floor under tables had food scattered. Insulation was also hanging out of the ceiling in the restaurant area. 4. Restaurant was an expensive list of fried options. In conclusion the kids enjoyed their experience in the aquarium however there seems to be a very poor maintenance programme in place.

Well Worth a Visit

We took our 2 year old grandson. Initially he was scared of the dark! Once we got onto the conveyer which takes you underground through the aquarium and he saw all the sea creatures he was mesmerised. Once we went through this area he was happy to go back through the "dark" areas. The individual displays are very well lit, you cant help but be amazed by each display.

Fascinating Insight into WA's Marine Life

I last went to AQWA more than 20 years ago when it used to be known as Underwater World. Boy, has it grown! The walk-through underwater tunnel is still amazing people (and it is often forgotten that this one was the first in the world, opened before Singapore's, Sydney's and all the others listed in Wikipedia, where AQWA fails to even get a mention!) and the touch pool is a magnet for the kids. There are also wonderful displays of the marine life around Western Australia. (Did you know that 85% of the marine life in SW Australia is totally unique, being found nowhere else in the world?). The standout for me (apart from the tunnel, which is still fascinating,) are the jelly fish tanks. They are lit with UV light which allows you to see their mysterious, delicate, almost transparent structure with absolute clarity. I found it mesmerising to watch these amazing creatures swimming around. It was like looking at the flames in a fire and almost difficult to draw yourself away from. Also don't miss either the seahorses or the sea dragons - the latter are very special indeed - Don't miss them! This is an attraction that every visitor to Perth should make sure that they see. Admission isn't cheap but it's well worth it. However I do have two criticisms: (1) Why hasn't AQWA made a DVD about the aquarium and its inhabitants? It'd be an ideal souvenir and memento of an unforgettable visit (and boost sales in the well-stocked gift shop!) (2) The parking situation is dreadful. I got there 15 minutes before opening time (10am) and got the second last parking spot! This just isn't good enough for such a popular venue.(I would have given AQWA a 5 star rating if it wasn't for the parking problem.) So, my final word of advice - Get there early or be prepared for a parking hunt (and a probable associated longish walk!)

A little underwhelming

I've visited many great aquariums (Sydney, Singapore, etc) so perhaps this review is a little unfair. It was interesting, but a little underwhelming. Displays are well organised by different WA eco-systems and has a good variety of sea creatures that the kids would enjoy.

Loved the aquarium!

Took the family for the afternoon, terrible parking, probably should have gotten there earlier but it was worth the effort to find a park! The underwater tunnel is amazing, saw the largest manta ray ever, sharks, turtles and all of the fish, loved it so much we all went around it twice! The cafe was good, good variety of food and good coffee and plenty of seating and not over crowded. We loved going to all the different tanks and reading all of the information on each fish and we saw sea horses for the first time! Loved it , would go back again!

Not worth the money

Parking is shocking on the weekends. The entry price is ridiculous, for something so basic in amenities! So many people, it was like peak hour traffic in a major city!!! Not worth it in my opinion!

Fun for all the family

I took my nearly 2 1/2 year old grand daughter to see the fish! It opens at 10am & there was quite a queue which was processed quite quickly. The lady who served me was very knowledgeable & helpful. It was a school day with what looked like a couple of primary or kindy school groups through. Bumping into the big groups was annoying & we tried to avoid the more boisterous kids :-). We loved the moving platform which takes you under the aquarium. The young grand daughter was so excited to see turtles, stingrays & fish swimming above. She was a bit less keen on the sharks. The touch pool was a hit and very popular with kids. AQWA staff keeping an eye on that were terrific and engaging with the kids. My grand daughter enjoyed a play in the sandpit. We packed our own lunch but purchased coffee and ice cream for the little one. The cafe is popular and offered good choices. The gift shop has a great range at reasonable prices. We took home a tiny star fish and turtle & the same for her brother. A lovely morning. Grand daughter was free as she is 2, and I used RAC concession, so for us it was good value. Its a great venue, educational and interesting with lots to see.

disappointed in how staff handles general enquiries

My partner and I went on a short holiday to Perth recently. The day prior to our departure, we wanted to go and see the Duyfken Ship, a replica of an old 1606 Dutch ship. This has been placed at the AQWA in Perth. We arrived at 3pm and although the website for the Duyfken states its open till 4 pm, they had already closed for the day as there were not many visitors. This is not the problem of the AQWA, we do understand that. However, here is the problem why we are very disappointed in the staff at the AQWA. We were told that da o return the next day. We returned at 10 am, opening time, on our day of departure. We asked to go and see the dutch ship at the main reception, as that's the only way to get in. However, now we were told that the next available time is not until 12 as there are 2 school groups booked in. We explained our predicament to the staff, only to be confronted to multiple firm NO's. The staff did not even attempt to ask the staff of the Dutch ship if there was any way for us to even have a look at the ship in between school groups. We asked multiple times, however always received the same answer. the staff at the AQWA entrance was plain rude and unhelpful. We went around to the outside and knocked on the entry door for the Dutch ship and a staff member there answered. I asked if there was any way of seeing the ship. We were told that there is in fact a 30min window between school groups and we would be able to comeon board. However, we had to purchase the very expensive $60 entry fee to the AQWA to even get onto the ship, where we paid another $10 to see it. This was totally unnecessary. We did not have to get general admission tickets to see the ship. And if teh staff at teh entrance of the AQWA eould have been competent and had asked the staff at the ship if we can come on board, we would had a great time. Instead, we felt like we are paying triple the price to see teh ship and doing something wrong at the same time. A little compassion and common sense goes a long way. Being helpful to guests and visitors is the first priority as a staff member in any organisation. I believe training and costumer service would defintely help this lack of skill. The staff at the DUTCH ship were the total opposite and very helpful. And as far as we have been told, most of them are volunteers.