You don’t have to go to southern Australia to get up close and personal with penguins.
The Sunshine Coast has its own family of penguins at the SEA LIFE aquarium and you’ll soon be able to hand feed them.
SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium is celebrating Penguin Awareness Day on Wednesday, by announcing the launch of its second Penguin Encounter.
The new experience, which will be available from February, will give people the opportunity to stand in the water and hand feed the little blue penguins.
The new In-Water Penguin Encounter is available for guests aged 13+ and includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the penguin zone to discover how the team cares for them and how to help protect the species in the wild.
Carla Haskell, Mammals Manager at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, said people would be able to meet some penguins, including one which was rescued on the Sunshine Coast last year.
“Penguin Awareness Day is the perfect opportunity to announce the launch of our brand new In-Water Penguin Encounter, which will give our guests the opportunity to get even closer to the Little Blue Penguins while they do what they do best,” she said.
“Guests will be right in the action as the penguins swim, splash, dive and eat in the water, which is where they spend most of their day.”
Rescued penguin ‘at home’
“Guests will be able to meet some of the wonderful birds here including Ash the rescue penguin,” Ms Haskell said.
“Ash has been with us for almost a year after she was found waddling along Currimundi Beach in February 2020 suffering from malnutrition, feather damage and foot injuries.
“The presence of a little penguin on the Coast was a bit of a surprise as this species is native to the coastlines of Australia’s southern states.
“We are very happy to report that Ash’s health has improved dramatically over the last 12 months, She has grown new feathers, displayed mating behaviours and integrated well with the other birds. We are happy that Ash will be staying with us here at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast for the foreseeable future.”
The new In-Water Penguin Encounter costs $124 per person (including admission). Check the website and Facebook page for updates and availability.
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The original Penguin Encounter, which allows guests to hand feed the penguins on the sand, is still available to guests aged 5+. This experience costs $104 per person (including admission). There is a dedicated photographer to perfectly capture guests’ experience with the penguins during both encounters.
All visitors to SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast must pre-book their tickets online in advance. Visit www.sealifesunshinecoast.com.au for bookings, opening hours and health and safety information.
