Ray Reef is a ray exhibit located at the Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast, Australia. The exhibit opened on 14 January 2009.
| Ray Reef | |
|---|---|
 | |
 An overview of Ray Reef | |
| Sea World (Australia) | |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 14 January 2009 |
| Replaced | Thrillseeker (1981–2002) Sea World Eye (2006–2008) |
| Ride statistics | |
| Attraction type | Ray exhibit |
| Designer | Sea World |
 Wheelchair accessible | |
History
editFollowing the closure and removal of the Thrillseeker roller coaster in May 2002,[1] several proposals were made for the site. In 2005, a seal exhibit, aptly named Seal Rocks, was proposed for the area.[2] From 2006 to 2008 the site was home to the temporary Sea World Eye.[3][4] Following the removal of the Sea World Eye in 2008,[4] a hippopotamus attraction was proposed for the site.[5] In September 2008, work began on the site for a yet-to-be-named ray exhibit.[6] By October, the name of the exhibit was announced to be Ray Reef.[7] It was originally scheduled that the exhibit would open on Boxing Day 2008 (26 December 2008), however, a number of delays forced it to open on 14 January 2009.[8][9]
Exhibit
editRay Reef consists of a large lagoon pool and a smaller pool which together are home to more than 100 rays.[9] The Ray Reef area is located under large shade cloths providing shade for guests and rays alike.[10] The whole lagoon is divided in two by a rock wall. The smaller pool contains smaller rays whilst the larger pool contains larger rays.[11] Species within the exhibit include eagle rays, bluespotted stingrays, estuary stingrays and giant shovelnose rays.[9] For a set fee, guests are able to purchase fish to hand feed the rays.[9][12][13] Circling the main lagoon are a series of educational billboards which provide a variety of information about rays and their environment.[14]
See also
edit- Stingray Lagoon at SeaWorld Orlando, a similar style of exhibit
References
edit- ^ Marden, Duane. "Thrillseeker (Sea World)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ "Seal Rocks (Sea World)". Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ "Sea World Eye (Sea World)". Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ a b AAP (12 December 2007). "Sea World Eye to close on Gold Coast". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ "Unknown Hippopotamus Attraction (Sea World)". Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ joz (22 September 2008). "Ray Reef (Sea World)". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Seipelt, Gavin (19 October 2008). "Ray Reef Logo". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Seipelt, Gavin (26 December 2008). "Ray Reef Construction". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d Bedo, Stephanie (15 January 2009). "Stingrays wing it for a feed and fondle". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Seipelt, Gavin (2 February 2009). "Ray Reef". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Seipelt, Gavin (7 February 2009). "Ray Reef". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Jabour, Bridie (10 April 2009). "Theme parks brace for crowds". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Seipelt, Gavin (26 December 2008). "Ray Reef Construction". Photo. Parkz. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Sea World. "Ray Reef". MyFun. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
External links
edit
Media related to Ray Reef at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
