Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA)

Strategy

Reef Ecologic have been integral members of the team that are currently delivering the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) to the Great Barrier Reef. This innovative project aims to raise awareness and educate Reef visitors and, by extension, the worldwide community, the challenges coral reefs are facing and what we can do to support their ongoing resilience.

The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) comprises multiple locations across the Great Barrier Reef. So far two locations are complete or almost complete. These are the

Ocean Siren on the Strand, Townsville
Coral Greenhouse, John Brewer Reef

Additional sites to be developed in coming years include Palm Island and Magnetic Island.

Ocean Siren

The ‘Ocean Siren’ was modelled on a local Wulgurukaba Traditional Owner, Takoda Johnson. The piece envisions to educate and inspire conservation actions for coral reefs. The ‘Ocean Siren’ illuminates at night showing live water temperature data from Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef. A guide to what the colors mean and its implication for the reefs is also installed along The Strand jetty.

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The Coral Greenhouse

The Museum of Underwater Art at John Brewer reef is part of a bigger underwater art project spanning several regions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Coral Greenhouse at was completed in December 2019. The creator, Jason deCaires Taylor, is a British artist and a pioneer in the world of underwater sculpture. We owe to him most of the submerged museums we can find in the world nowadays.

The “Coral Greenhouse” is part of the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) project on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It was the first submerged building designed by world famous artist Jason deCaires Taylor. The underwater art is envisioned to inspire reef and ocean conservation action and achieve positive outcomes through tourism and education. The site may also serve as demonstration site for conservation, coral restoration and other scientific research. The concrete and steel structures also provide ideal substrate for coral recruits and attract other marine life.

The coral greenhouse is 16m deep and rises up to a depth of 12m. The 72 m² skeletal greenhouse structure has 3 main entrance points. There are 25 sculptures Ol}.tside the greenhouse and 8 human figures, benches and other small sculptures including pots, cups, and a microscope inside the greenhouse. The figures depict people undertaking science, conservation and coral gardening. On top of the greenhouse, we can also see floating structures that move along with the currents.

The synergy of artificial and natural attractions at John Brewer Reefs makes it perfect for snorkelers, scuba and free divers. Scuba and free divers can see the sculptures up close and even swim through the greenhouse. Snorkelers can see the attraction from above especially during low tide or swim over the wonderful reefs a few meters from the sculptures.

Bringing life to the Coral Greenhouse

In October 2020, the Museum of Underwater Art and Reef Ecologic was granted marine park permit G20/44358.1 allowing up to 500 coral fragments to be planted in the Coral Greenhouse. On 14 March 2021, Reef Ecologic and the Museum of Underwater Art were joined by scientists, volunteers and partners from James Cook University, CSIRO, C2O Consulting, Grumpy Turtle Creative and Pacific Marine Group in planting 131 corals on treatment locations.