Location | Southport, Queensland, Australia |
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Coordinates | 27°57′21″S 153°25′33″E / 27.9559°S 153.4257°ECoordinates: 27°57′21″S 153°25′33″E / 27.9559°S 153.4257°E |
Owner | Village Roadshow Theme Parks |
Opened | 30 October 1971 |
Operating season | Year round |
Rides | |
Total | 14 |
Roller coasters | 3 |
Water rides | 2 |
Website | www |
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and it promotes conservation through education and the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The park is commercially linked to Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast as part of the theme park division of Village Roadshow.
Sea World was founded by Keith Williams in 1958. It was originally known as the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens, which presented "water ski shows that combined comedy, aqua ballet and action". In 1971, the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens moved to land on the Spit. Major dredging works were required to build the new ski lake. A year later, the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens became known as Sea World with the introduction of dolphins, marine displays, a replica of the Endeavour, a swimming pool, licensed restaurant and gift shop. Extra additions over the next decade included the purchasing of competitor marine park, Marineland, and the transfer of animals and exhibits to Sea World as well as the addition of more shops and food outlets.
In 1984 Keith Williams sold the park to Pivot Leisure. Later in 1988 Pivot built the 400 room Sea World Nara Resort. In 1991 Pivot Leisure, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow jointly developed and opened Warner Bros. Movie World, a Hollywood theme action park, at Oxenford on the Gold Coast. Also that year Pivot Purchased Wet n' Wild Water park located next to the site of Warner Bros. Movie World. In 1993, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow jointly acquired Pivot Leisure's interest in Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and the adjoining Sea World Nara Resort.
As the name suggests, Sea World Resort and Water Park is an adjoining Resort and Water Park to Sea World. In 2008, the Sea World Water Park became part of the resort with regular park guests having to pay an additional fee to make use of the water park. More information about the Sea World Resort and Water Park can be found on its official website. In 2010, part of the Water Park was demolished to make way for Castaway Bay.