Marine Discovery Centre at Science Alive!

This school holidays let your kids become marine science trainees as they explore the beach, access a variety of interactive discovery stations including Kaurna learning, sea aquariums, virtual reality headsets and learn about our human footprint on our environment.

This is an inspirational experience not to be missed.

Parents must stay with children but tea and coffee is available (no charge for parents)

$10 per child
Parents and children 3 and under are free

Includes
* Aquariums featuring local South Australian marine creatures such as the Port Jackson Shark, Goby's, Big-Bellied Seahorses, Southern Fiddler Ray, Porcupine Fish, Murray River Turtle and more

* Virtual Reality Headsets giving you the opportunity to explore under the sea without getting wet. Underwater virtual reality experiences include Australian Sea Lions, Leafy Seadragons, swimming under the Henley Beach Jetty, swimming with Turtles and also a close-up encounter with a Great White Shark.

* Kaurna education Room (The Wodli) is an interactive room which highlights the relationship that Kaurna people have with the Adelaide Plains and the coast.

* Interactive models featuring oceanography, climate change, marine debris, marine habitats, touchscreens, sustainable fishing, stormwater, beachcombing, and get hands-on with our microscopes.

* Henley Beach Marine Trail 11am - 12pm

* Each child will receive a free beachcombing sheet to take home

BOOK HERE

SEASHELLS Whether you’re interested in the molluscs that build Shell Reefs, you’re a beachcomber or citizen scientist, student or teacher. Maybe you just admire the natural beauty or enjoying eating seafood, please come along to our talk.

Our guest Peter Hunt will present on molluscs and their shells, what they mean to South Australians and their role in our coastal ecology. With an emphasis on the Port Adelaide and local Adelaide coastal regions we will discover why they are so important and unique, plus how they are in helping our environment and industries. Included is information about the local shell reef projects and why they have being established. We take a look at some of the many shells that regularly wash up on our beaches, discovering their biodiversity and life styles.

Note-

This talks design is targeted at a general audience from year 5 and up, with a mix of both scientific terms and general content.

This 45 minute presentation will be followed by a discovery tour of the Marine Discovery Centre.

Includes

* Aquariums featuring local South Australian marine creatures such as the Port Jackson Shark, Goby's, Big-Bellied Seahorses, Southern Fiddler Ray, Porcupine Fish, Murray River Turtle and more

* Virtual Reality Headsets giving you the opportunity to explore under the sea without getting wet. Underwater virtual reality experiences include Australian Sea Lions, Leafy Seadragons, swimming under the Henley Beach Jetty, swimming with Turtles and also a close-up encounter with a Great White Shark.

* Kaurna education Room (The Wodli) is an interactive room which highlights the relationship that Kaurna people have with the Adelaide Plains and the coast.

* Interactive models featuring oceanography, climate change, marine debris, marine habitats, touchscreens, sustainable fishing, stormwater, beachcombing, and get hands-on with our microscopes.

$10 per person

BOOK HERE>

The Marine Discovery Centre has had an interesting year along with with many other school excursion destinations. It has been quite the rollercoaster ride and we have enjoyed the opportunity to provide excursions, incursions and virtual learning opportunities. We are continually updating the centre and writing an updated program which will be distributed to schools by the end of next week. We are now accepting bookings for 2021. A Covid-safe plan and risk assessment will be sent with your booking confirmation.

School Excursion program>

Online Bookings>

Vacation Care Group Bookings>

Our team at the Marine Discovery Centre hope to connect you and your students with the marine world through our interactive excursions and classroom activities. Learning experiences at the Marine Discovery Centre are facilitated by qualified marine scientists and a cultural educator.

The Marine Discovery Centre is closely aligned with ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) particularly the cross-curriculum priorities of Sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures.

Educational resources>

Jane Jolly's and Sally Heinrich's launch of their wonderful new picture book 'Mama Ocean'. Hosted by MidnightSun Publishing at the MDC

For the first time since March when Covid-19 took over, MidnightSun Publishing is having a book launch where people can meet in person, mingle, chat, play and admire Jane Jolly's and Sally Heinrich's wonderful new picture book Mama Ocean.

We are excited to partner with the Marine Discovery Centre for this event and hope to see lots of you there. Mama Ocean is a perfect Christmas present for the little people in your life.

Venue Information

The Marine Discovery Centre is located on the corner of Marlborough Street and Seaview Road, Henley Beach. Please enter via the Marlborough Street entrance.

Free parking is available on Seaview Road, Military Road and Marlborough Street.

This is a free event, but bookings are required.

BOOK HERE

Our dads at the Marine Discovery Centre have been very busy. We were lucky enough to welcome both Pot-Bellied Seahorse babies and Purple-Spotted Gudgeon eggs to the creature family this week. 

The Kids Marine Scientist Club was finally able to commence (mostly) in Term 4. Thanks to the support of SA Water, the club has provided a number of experiences for children on Thursday afternoons. The Club will be returning in 2021.

So far our little marine scientists have

• Gone beachcombing on Henley Beach with our qualified marine scientists learning the scientific names of the treasures they find on the beach
• Fed the marine wildlife located within the Marine Discovery Centre
• Learned about the human impact on our marine environments and made art out of recycled trash
• Made twine from Bulrush Reed and were provided a deeper understanding of Aboriginal culture and their sustainable ways

Find out more about the program>

Register your interest for 2021>

The Kids Marine Scientist Club is a weekly drop-off club for primary school children aged 7 to 13 years. The Kids Marine Scientist Club encourages independence and self-growth and allows the students to discover a love and appreciation for the marine world around us.  The team at the Marine Discovery Centre will provide both indoor and outdoor setting for children to engage in interactive learning experiences, while empowering them to actively protect South Australia’s iconic coastal and marine environments.

Landfill and recycling bins are available in most workplace kitchens, but there could be some additional practices we can undertake to better divert our waste from landfill and save valuable resources.

We have welcomed our new fish, a Tasmainian Horned Blenny, to the Marine Discovery Centre

Symbols play an important part in telling Aboriginal Dreamtime stories, preserving Aboriginal culture and tradition. Many use lines and dots to record stories of cultural significance, teaching survival and use of the land.

The MDC's Cultural Educator and resident artist, has hand drawn a poster of some of the symbols used.

A great activity to do in the classroom, at home, the beach or your local park is to try and recreate some of the symbols. You can use sand or other beach materials like seaweed, shells or pebbles.

Have a question and need to contact us. Email us via info@marinediscoverycentre.com.au or call us on 08 8115 7402.

We'd love to hear from you.