
Animal Park, Zoo & Farm
Kelly Tarltons Sealife
Opened in 1985 by New Zealand underwater adventurer Kelly Tarlton, this long-established Auckland aquarium houses thousands of marine animals from hundreds of species — sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, seahorses, jellyfish, and much more. The underwater viewing tunnels let visitors walk beneath Sandtiger and Broadnose Sevengill Sharks, while the World of Jellyfish draws children and adults alike into a quietly mesmerising space.
- How muchTe utu
- $34
- Ages
- 0–34–89+
- WhereKei hea
- Ōrākei
- Rating
- 4.3
- 9,199 on Google
LocationTe wāhi
23 Tamaki Drive
What it is
The Antarctic Ice Adventure holds the Southern Hemisphere's largest Sub-Antarctic penguin colony, with both King and Gentoo Penguins. It is also New Zealand's only Turtle Rescue Centre. For families who want to go further, the Penguin Passport experience offers an on-ice encounter inside the enclosure itself, and a shark snorkel puts braver visitors in the water with the residents.
Shipwreck Shores, an indoor playground on site, gives younger children room to clamber and burn energy between exhibits. Interactive displays and animal feeding talks fill out a visit that sends families home well and truly worn out.
What other parents say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had a fantastic time at Kelly Tarlton's! The staff were all friendly, informative, and genuinely helpful throughout our visit. It's a great attraction for littlies, teens, and us big kids too! I'd highly recommend the VR experience, especially if you've never been diving but want to experience what it's like underwater. The penguins and jellyfish were definitely my favourites, although there was plenty to see and enjoy throughout the aquarium. Overall, a fun experience that's well worth a visit.
Really cool experience and definitely worth a visit. This is one of those places that can feel a bit underwhelming if you rush it, but if you slow down and actually spend time watching the animals, it’s so much more enjoyable. We took our time and ended up staying longer than expected. The penguins are honestly hilarious. I could watch them for hours. They even seem to wave at you, which makes it such a fun part of the visit. It’s very family-friendly with lots for kids, but still a great experience as an adult if you go in with the right expectations. I’ve visited multiple times over the years and will definitely keep coming back. The pricing feels fair too, especially knowing it all goes back into the animals rather than being government funded, which I really appreciate. The gift shop is also great. Had to get myself a little penguin plush which I love. Overall, really enjoyed it and would happily go back again and again.
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Visited with 11 and 17 year olds and they enjoyed it. From Scott's Hut, to penguins, fish, sharks, stingrays and more. Yes the underwater experience is short, but you can go around multiple times and you see something different each time. Buy tickets online and you have the option to change the date and time if you can't make the original date. Only negative was the gift shop prices. Otherwise highly recommended.
First time here and kids had great time. Had eldest son in wheelchair and whole place was easily accessible. Lots of information and plenty to see. Could easily spend a lot of time there. Cafe was great. Play area for littlies. Wonderful experience. Gift shop was amazing. Really love the penguin art. Very unique and all proceeds go back to the conservation of nz native birds.
Delayed review 1 week late. Great place and good range of aquatic life to see. Very cool to see the big sharks and sting rays swimming overhead. Love watching the penguins swimming. Few pictures of the penguins to show.
Reviews from Google.
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