Nick Dalton | January 12th, 2012
Daniel Leipnik of Melbourne-based The Speciality Group, one of the largest manufacturers of technical textiles in Australia, told The Cairns Post that an aquarium in Cairns was "a no-brainer".
He said if everything went to plan it could open in 2015.
While it was early days, Mr Leipnik said he was "pushing ahead" as quickly as possible.
A Central Business District location was crucial to the success of the privately-owned project and he said it required a site of about 1ha.
Meetings have been held with Cairns Regional Council’s economic development team and one property earmarked was the former theatre site opposite the convention centre in Sheridan St.
As well, Mr Leipnik said he was keen to look at waterfront land owned by Ports North.
"An aquarium close to the waterfront makes a lot of sense," he said.
"But it has to be in the CBD so people can walk out of their hotels and to the aquarium."
"It will be innovative and nothing like anyone has seen here before," Mr Leipnik said.
"I’d like to see it built and opened by March 2015."
Mr Leipnik said it would be as far removed from the usual flat glassed walled stereotype aquarium.
He said Cairns was crying out for an aquarium for visitors who did not, would not or could not go to the Reef.
"I want to bring the Great Barrier Reef to the city," Mr Leipnik said.
There would be no marine mammals, such as dolphins or orcas, but the vision was to replicate the Reef as well as featuring the Wet Tropics, mangroves and swamps.
He said there would be "touch and feel" exhibits, such as a tidal pool, interactive aspects including moving platforms, escalators, boardwalks and even canoes being paddled along a waterway.
There would be a Reef Research Centre with which Mr Leipnik hoped to involve James Cook University and other organisations, such as Reef and Rainforest Research Centre.
Mr Leipnik and his partner Andrew Preston own half each of the incorporated company Cairns Aquarium and Reef Research Centre Pty Ltd established for the venture.
Two website domain names have been registered: www.cairnsaquarium.com and www.cairnsaquarium.com.au.
He is hoping to raise $40 million for the building and $10 million for land and was involved in negotiations with Asian investors who specifically target aquariums.
"I will be investing a seven figure sum and I’m looking at attracting overseas investors," he said.
He said he had held three meetings with the council’s economic development team, another was scheduled on Monday and he intended to talk to senior Ports North officers to discuss what land was available.
Mr Leipnik said he was overwhelmed with the support he had received. He said the next year would involve planning, approvals and capital raising and then two years of
construction.
Ports North chairman Dr Ken Chapman said the authority was keen to meet Mr Leipnik.
"Our Cityport development is an obvious fit for an aquarium," he said.
He said the aquarium could form part of the No. 2 wharf shed redevelopment or the entertainment precinct, be built on one of the empty Cityport development sites or the 1ha site of the Ports North headquarters beside the convention centre.
Reef and Rainforest Research Centre business development and sustainability manager Nicky Swan said the centre hoped to form a research partnership with the aquarium.
The council was unable to provide comment on the proposal.
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