Accessibility | SEA LIFE Melbourne

At SEA LIFE Melbourne we strive to make our attraction as accessible as possible to all of our guests. The following information is designed to answer any questions you may have on your upcoming visit.

Visitors with Reduced Mobility

SEA LIFE Melbourne provides people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters full access to all exhibits. Each floor of the aquarium is accessible via either a lift or ramp.

Visitors with Visual Impairments

SEA LIFE Melbourne welcomes all assistance animals and guide dogs.

Carers and Companions

Anyone accompanying a person with a disability, and holding a valid WeCare or Companion card, is entitled to free General Admission to the attraction. Please present your card upon arrival.

How to book a ticket for a Carer

All tickets must be pre-booked online in advance, therefore, please book your ticket via our website here and then for your carer. Please scroll down in the webstore and select the free carer option. The carer must provide a valid WeCare or Companion card, only one carer per companion card.

You will need to use 'General Admission' to purchase admission tickets for anyone who is not a Carer.

When you arrive simply present your tickets and companion card to our admissions team and your entrance will be honored.

If you are a Merlin Annual Passholder and have additional needs and require assistance on your visits to our attractions, we issue one complimentary Merlin Annual Pass per Passholder with a disability to be used by any carer. Apply for a carer pass here.

Please note we are a cashless venue.

Mobility

SEA LIFE Melbourne provides persons who use a wheelchair full access to all exhibits covered in General Admission. Some secondary experiences may be unsuitable. Each floor of the aquarium is accessible via either a lift or ramp.

Wheelchairs may be borrowed from the admissions area if required, we do not have mobile scooters available.

Please note that wheelchairs are on a first-come-first-served basis and cannot be booked or reserved ahead of time. You will be required to leave your ID behind while you use the wheelchair.

We have seating available on all floors throughout our attraction.

Sensory

Guests with sensory sensitivity are welcome in the attraction at any time, however we advise that our quietest periods are during the week (outside of school holidays), after 2pm. With the attraction being open until 5pm this allows you plenty of time to enjoy the full benefits the attraction has to offer.

We also have noise cancelling headphones available upon entry. These are subject to availability.

For your information, there will be varying levels of lighting and music throughout the attraction to enhance the visit - please be prepared if this is a concern.

Experiences

Some of our experiences may not be accessible and you can find the list below. Carers and companions may receive discounted admission to accompany their client/guest onto these tours.

Night on the Reef (Oceanarium)	Night on the Reef is accessible for all guests, with access available via the ramps and lifts. Night on the Reef does not include smoke, haze or strobe lights. The exhibition does feature interactive projections, which may have an effect on people who are sensitive to moving light or have photosensitive epilepsy.
Jelly Lab Experience (5+)	Due to access in the Jelly Lab having narrow walkways, this experience is not accessible for guests who are in a wheelchair.
Penguin Passport (12+)	Due to access to the Penguin Exhibit having stairs, this experience is not accessible for guests who are in a wheelchair.
Shark Dive XTREME (14+)	Due to the exciting upgrades of our 2.2 million litre Oceanarium, our Shark Dive Xtreme experience will not be running until 2024. This experience requires guests to be able to walk and carry 35kg (breathing apparatus) Guests will need to pass a Medical Clearance to participate. To view the form please click here.
Glass Bottom Boat (4+)	Due to the exciting upgrades of our 2.2 million litre Oceanarium, our Glass Bottom Boat experience will not be running until 2024. Due to access to the Oceanarium Exhibit having stairs, and no hoist being available, this experience is not accessible for guests who are in a wheelchair.
4D Movie (4+)	This is accessible for all guests This experience is not recommended for anyone who has epilepsy or recent back surgery (there are flashing lights and movement in the chairs)
Virtual Reality (does not run everyday)	Due to access to the Virtual Reality experience having stairs, this experience is not accessible for guests who are in a wheelchair. This experience is not recommended for anyone who has epilepsy or recent back surgery (there are flashing lights and movement in the chairs) Guests may experience motion sickness.

For further questions in regard to our experiences please email: experiences@melbourneaquarium.com.au Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and we will get back to you within a few business days.

Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs and Assistance Animals are permitted in accordance with section 9 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). We reserve the right to exercise any exemptions under the Act, including if we suspect that the assistance animal has an infectious disease that may affect other patrons or the health of our animals. We also reserve the right to require evidence relating to your assistance animal or its training in accordance with section 54A(5) of the Act. To facilitate your ease of entry with an assistance animal, we strongly recommended you contact us at least 2 days prior to your visit so that we can discuss any arrangements or assistance that you may need from us.

Toilets and Family Facilities

There are accessible toilets available for your convenience which are located just after the entrance to the aquarium, at the exit near the gift shop, as well as on each level of our attraction.

There are changing facilities located in all the accessible bathrooms and the Parents Room (opposite rockpools).

Cafe and Gift Shop

We have an accessible cafe within SEA LIFE Melbourne; If you have any dietary requirements please inform our staff members at the cafe. Please note; As this is a commercial kitchen, cross contamination can happen. Guests are more than welcome to bring their own food, however our team are not able to heat or store food items from guests.

Our gift shop is accessible and can be visited without an entry ticket. Please kindly ask the staff at the front admissions desk and they will be happy to take you through.

Please note both the Cafe and Gift Shop is cashless.

Emergency Exits

The emergency exits are accessible and hazard free. There are audible fire alerting devices.

The assembly areas are on an accessible route. Our staff are on hand to assist with evacuation requirements.

Parking and Public Transport

While we do not have parking available onsite at SEA LIFE Melbourne, we do offer discounted parking with Secure Parking, 522 Flinders Lane. We are also situated between Flinders Street and Southern Cross Station with a Tram Stop in front of our attraction. You are able to view this information here.

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SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium recognises the need for this website to be accessible to all. We have implemented a number of features to make this website easy to use, especially for users with disabilities.

This website aims to conform to Level A standard of the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It also includes many features found in AA sites such as colour considerations and easily resizable fonts. We will continue to make improvements and make sure this website conforms to these guidelines.

Please contact us if you have questions or feedback regarding the accessibility of this site, or if you have difficulty using it.

If you have any questions about Accessibility at SEA LIFE Melbourne, please email us at info@melbourneaquarium.com.au.

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