Village Roadshow and Warner Bros. which own Sea World on the Gold Coast of Australia are investing AUS$13m dollars in a new attraction for the park.
When it opens in early 2004, Shark Bay will be the world’s largest man-made lagoon system for sharks and will house some of the most dangerous species of sharks known to man.
The sharks will be able to swim in the one-hectare area of Shark Bay, which will be situated between the Polar Bear Shores attraction and the waterpark – Sea World’s last available major area of undeveloped land.
Shark Bay will have three areas: the Inter-Tidal zone where guests will be able to interact with the sharks in specially designed touch pools, Shark Lagoon, which will house the largest and most dangerous marine animals including Tiger and Bull Whaler sharks, and the Diving and Snorkel Lagoon where guests will be able to dive and snorkel with smaller shark species in a reef-themed environment.
Snorkel Lagoon will be divided from Shark Lagoon by two 10 x 3 metre windows, giving divers the illusion that they are swimming only a few centimetres away from the sharks.
Sea World recently posted a full-year financial loss of AUS$26m , but John Menzies, CEO of Warner Village Theme Parks believes the investment in Shark Bay is necessary to have an impact on visitor numbers at Sea World.
“Warner Village Theme Parks have invested in new infrastructure and attractions to entice repeat customers from the domestic market and to maintain Sea World’s strong appeal to international visitors.”
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