The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) opened for visitors in August 2020, it is the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere! Located 80 kilometres off the coast of Townsville, Northern Queensland. Sculptor and underwater photographer Jason deCaires Taylor, an environmentalist, also spent 4 years creating and constructing the designs. Weighing a staggering 64 tons, the artworks are situated 18 meters deep at John Brewer Reef in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Crafted from corrosion-resistant stainless steel and pH-neutral bonding compounds, these artworks also have an environmental role, as this material helps stimulate the growth of natural corals.
Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA)
Phase One exhibit, “Ocean Siren,” is built in the Strand area of Townsville; Phase Two, “Coral Greenhouse,” is situated at John Brewer Reef in the Great Barrier Reef. The prototype and inspiration for “Ocean Siren” come from local Indigenous artist Takoda Johnson. Standing at 4 meters tall, the sculpture receives real-time data from Daves Reef, changing colours with shifts in sea temperature. It features 202 LED lights that shift from deep blue, light blue, yellow, orange, and ultimately to deep red, serving as a warning of the coral reefs’ precarious state.
Over three years, the underwater sculptures and installations have become covered with coral and other marine life, allowing nature to infuse this underwater art museum with a new artistic life!
How to Get There
Direct flights are available from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane to Townsville. Alternatively, you can drive from Cairns, which is 380 km away.
You can experience the museum’s charm up close through snorkelling or scuba diving. You can book a one-day trip for snorkelling or scuba diving at MOUA, departing from Townsville or Magnetic Island.
About Townsville
Townsville itself is a charming town and serves as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. It boasts several notable attractions:
Reef HQ, the largest living coral reef aquarium in the world, is situated right next to the Cultural Centre. It also houses Queensland’s first turtle hospital.
The nearby SS Yongala shipwreck, one of the world’s largest wreck dive sites and one of the best wreck dive spots in all of Australia!
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