Sea World
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
- For the unrelated US chain of a similar name, see SeaWorld.
Sea World is a marine park on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Keith Williams started it in 1958 as the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens, an attraction featuring a water skiing show that became very popular. In 1959 and 1965, the Ski Gardens was the venue for skiing championship events.
In 1971 the attraction was moved down the coast to a 64-hectare site, and in 1972 received its present name, reflecting expansion into animal exhibition. Sea World purchased Marineland Australia in 1976.
In 2000, Sea World acquired polar bears Kanook and Ping Ping, and two cubs the following year.
In 2004, the park opened "Shark Bay", a system of artificial lagoons for the keeping and viewing of sharks. It is currently by far the largest shark lagoon in the world.
