Cairns zoos & aquariums

Cairns zoos and aquariums start with Cairns Aquarium in the city and Hartley's Crocodile Adventures at Palm Cove, with Cairns Koalas & Creatures, Marineland Melanesia on Green Island and the Kuranda wildlife parks filling out the list. Tickets here cover day entry, after-dark aquarium tours, crocodile feeding experiences and multi-park passes. For the wider trip, see things to do in Cairns or zoos and aquariums across Australia.

Cairns Aquarium tickets, tours and combos

Cairns Aquarium entry tickets cover the aquarium at 5 Florence Street, with over 16,000 animals, touch tanks, daily presentations and a daily ray and shark feeding show. It's a popular choice, and an indoor one.

Add-ons build the day out. The aquarium and Turtle Hospital combo adds a 30-minute guided tour of the volunteer-run turtle rehabilitation centre, and the Tomb of the Pharaohs and aquarium combo pairs it with 11 recreated Egyptian tombs on Lake Street. For a private visit, the 3-hour Marine Life Encounter tour goes behind the scenes and includes hand feeding the cownose stingrays.

After dark, the aquarium changes. The 90-minute Night at the Aquarium tour runs Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm with after-hours access and a wildlife educator, and the night tour with a 2-course dinner adds a meal at Squire's Loft beside the tanks.

Hartley's Crocodile Adventures tickets and transfers

Hartley's Crocodile Adventures sits at Palm Cove, about a 40-minute drive from Cairns and a 25-minute drive from Port Douglas, across ten hectares with 5 wildlife zones. Hartley's general admission includes the wildlife presentations and a 25-minute lagoon cruise past the crocodiles. Cruises depart at 9am, 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm, and your boarding time is issued when you arrive.

Two upgrades change the visit. The Big Croc Feed has you pole-feed a crocodile after a talk with a handler, then hold a juvenile crocodile for a photo. Breakfast with the Koalas serves a cooked breakfast on the Lilies Restaurant deck above the lagoon, with a koala presentation.

Without a car, the Hartley's package with Port Douglas transfers leaves at 8.15am or 12.15pm for a 4-hour visit, and Cairns hotel pick-ups are sold as a half-day tour.

Koalas in the city and crocodiles on Green Island

Cairns Koalas & Creatures entry is in the city centre on Pier Point Road, with resident koalas, a Water Science Zone play area and 5-day re-entry.

Marineland Melanesia on Green Island has been a family-run crocodile habitat for more than 50 years, with crocodile and turtle feeding presentations at 10.20am and 1.20pm daily, reef fish aquariums and a Melanesian artefact collection. Green Island is a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns.

Kuranda wildlife parks and multi-park passes

The Cairns 4 Park Attraction Pass covers single entry to Cairns Koalas & Creatures, Rainforestation Nature Park, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, and tickets stay valid for six months from purchase. It requires contacting Rainforestation Nature Park ahead of your visit.

Staying in either place? Kuranda zoos and aquariums and Port Douglas zoos and aquariums have their own wildlife parks. For one day out of Cairns, the Kuranda Army Duck, wildlife park and scenic railway day tour combines the Koala & Wildlife Park, an Army Duck rainforest tour and the Kuranda Scenic Railway, with lunch and electric bus transfers from select Cairns hotels.

Planning a Cairns wildlife day

Cairns Aquarium and Cairns Koalas & Creatures are both in the city, so neither needs a transfer. Hartley's is a separate outing north of town, and the Kuranda parks make a day trip of their own. Wet weather suits the aquarium best, and rainy day activities in Cairns and things to do in Cairns with kids have more ideas.

Frequently asked questions

What zoos and aquariums are there in Cairns?

Cairns has Cairns Aquarium and Cairns Koalas & Creatures in the city, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures at Palm Cove, Marineland Melanesia on Green Island, and the Rainforestation Nature Park and Australian Butterfly Sanctuary at Kuranda.

How far is Hartley's Crocodile Adventures from Cairns?

Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is about a 40-minute drive from Cairns and a 25-minute drive from Port Douglas. Hotel transfers from Cairns and Port Douglas are sold as separate packages.

Can you visit Cairns Aquarium at night?

Cairns Aquarium runs after-hours tours from Tuesday to Saturday, including a 90-minute Night at the Aquarium tour from 6pm and a version with a 2-course dinner at Squire's Loft.

Can you see koalas in Cairns?

Koalas can be seen in Cairns at Cairns Koalas & Creatures in the city, at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, and in the Koala & Wildlife Park at Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda.

Is Cairns Aquarium a good wet weather activity?

Cairns Aquarium is an indoor attraction, so a rainy day doesn't change the visit. The aquarium and Turtle Hospital combo is described as a great indoor activity for all ages.

Who can pole-feed a crocodile at Hartley's?

The Hartley's Big Croc Feed is for guests aged 16 and over, with a maximum of 4 adults per session. Younger children can still visit on general admission.

How long does the Cairns 4 Park Attraction Pass last?

The Cairns 4 Park Attraction Pass is valid for six months from the date of purchase and gives single entry to each of its four parks.

Choose your Cairns zoo or aquarium ticket above, from a night tour at Cairns Aquarium to a lagoon cruise at Hartley's, and book it online.