Book Direct with the Owner at Irukandji Shark And Ray Aquarium Entry Ticket With Optional Shark Experience with Accommodation Ballina in Port Stephens, for all your Tourism Listing requirements.
Embark on an educational guided journey, wearing either wetsuits and water shoes (provided) or a pair of waders (pants) for a close encounter with some of the amazing fish family. Your guided tour will take 1.5-hours and introduce you to hundreds of misunderstood predators. As you learn about marine creatures, ocean systems and conservation; you will be meeting first hand the most amazing friendly intelligent creatures. The Sharks and Rays are very use to people, they are friendly and will not be afraid to come over to say hello. The fish family will change the way you think of sharks with their individual personality and charm, the Shark Encounter has two options, get wet in a wetsuit or stay dry in waders- there's so much fun to be had.
Visit: Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters, 686 Marsh Rd, Port Stephens, New South Wales 2316 Australia
Guided tours run continuously throughout the day, as long as you arrive before 4pm you are good to go. The first step will be to make the choice between the "wader' pants (if you wish to stay completely dry) or wetsuit - the pools are heated to 24.5 degrees Celsius, no need to worry about the winter chill. Starting off small you will see the Juvenile Port Jackson Sharks in Bamboo Shallows, the tropical fish and Seahorses and of course the famous eels.Â
As the tour reaches Fiddler Flats you will meet an excitable bunch of Fiddler Rays, very cheeky and boisterous they tend to shoulder each other out of the way for your attention. This will be your first chance to practice your feeding skills and get to know your guide. Ray Lagoon holds less boisterous much larger species, the Eagle Rays will steal your heart with their soft noses, the zebra sharks will float along and the massive Leopard Whip Rays may even come over to say hi! Nothing will beat the gentle attitude of the huge smooth Rays! During the educational Ray talk, Fred will show you what a Stingrays mouth looks like and the rest of the fleet come right up for a fly by.
At last you will get to meet the big guys! The Tawny Nurse Sharks may be one of the laziest sharks about, sometimes called the Koalas of the ocean as they spend the same amount of time sleeping. Once the tour reaches the Tawnies they will all awake from their slumber and come up to the surface showing off their huge size (over 3-metres) and cool personality.
Though your tour loop is now complete you may continue around again if you wish, there is no need for you to leave if you are not ready, the fish family are very easy to become attached to!
