The Museum of Underwater Art’s Coral Greenhouse, located on John Brewer Reef off the coast of Townsville, is celebrating one year since opening to divers around Australia.
Installed in late 2019, and opened to the public on 1 August 2020, the Museum of Underwater Art’s Coral Greenhouse has undergone a significant physical transformation in twelve months, and has played a crucial role in supporting the region’s marine tourism industry throughout the pandemic recovery period.
Townsville Enterprise Director Visitor Economy and Marketing Lisa Woolfe said the vision of the Museum of Underwater Art had always been to develop a globally-significant asset that would build upon the region’s growing reputation of providing unique and enriching experiences for locals and visitors alike.
“Both the Coral Greenhouse and Ocean Siren have been game-changers for our tourism industry over the past twelve months, and for many it has been one of the key attractions to pull our marine operators through the pandemic recovery,” Ms Woolfe said.
“While the Coral Greenhouse was launched amid national border closures and COVID restrictions, Australia’s first underwater museum has acted as a catalyst for significant national and global media coverage, and further cemented our region as the global centre of excellence for marine science, education and research for the Great Barrier Reef.”
“The physical changes in the appearance of the Greenhouse, and future developments of the project are a positive sign of things for the future, when border restrictions are a thing of the past, and we can openly welcome visitors from across the nation and the world, to share in this one-of-a-kind attraction.”
Future stages of the Museum of Underwater Art are planned for Magnetic Island and Palm Island, with community consultation underway.
To learn more about the Museum of Underwater Art and to donate toward programs to support the Great Barrier Reef, visit moua.com.au.
