Tourism icon for sale

International campaign launched to sell popular Cairns Aquarium

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Cairns Cbd

| Nick Dalton

THE irreplaceable Cairns Aquarium which features some of the Far North’s most dangerous and lethal animals, such as sharks, crocodiles, stingrays and snakes, is for sale.

An international campaign for the attraction, once valued at $100 million, has started with expressions of interest closing next month.

Colliers Cairns managing director Stacey Quaid, said the owners (including founder and chief executive officer Daniel Leipnik) had been associated with the project for 13 years, including the opening in 2017.

He said they had worked very hard through COVID-19 and other challenges to keep the aquarium operating and staff employed.

“The business is doing great with record numbers. They are expecting 300,000 visitors this year,” Mr Quaid said.

He said it was a turnstyle business with fixed costs and increasing revenue.

Mr Quaid said there was a soft launch of the marketing campaign a few weeks ago and there had been good inquiries.

“No-one would build such a structure again. The cost would be astronomical,” he said.

Mr Quaid said it was unique as it included the two key elements people visited the region for: the Reef and rainforest.

As well it was one of the few aquariums not built on or close to the water, he said.

Mr Quaid with Matthew Meynell, Karen Wales and Jason Lynch are handling the sale.

“This is a real opportunity to purchase into, not only an iconic site in the tourism hotspot of Cairns City, but the business as well,” he said.

“The Cairns Aquarium houses one of the region’s newest tourist attractions with the purpose-built facility contained within a 4003sqm site offering 7475sqm of total floor area.

“This successful all-weather venue provides guaranteed access and experiences of eco- systems seldom accessible, providing a must-see up closeup view of creeks and streams, wetlands and swamps, rainforest and forest floor, mangroves, the Great Barrier Reef and the ocean depths.

Colliers investment services national director Jason Lynch said the business had capacity for significant admissions growth.

“After six years in operation, with increasing revenues and vigorous growth, the founding partners are now seeking expressions of interest for an investor to become part of this proven and successful business opportunity,” he said.

“It is a dynamically run business with consistent results and significant growth opportunity

“With over 1.5 million visitations since opening in 2017, and a continually updated offering, the Cairns Aquarium has become the must-see at- traction for visitors to the city and locals alike.“The business has now seen 15 consecutive months of record trading results and is well on track to capitalise on the strong recovery in Queensland tourism currently being experienced and projected through the ‘golden decade’ leading up to the Queensland Olympic games in 2032.”

International expressions of interest closes on June 22, 2023.