Coral Greenhouse
Scuba dive, free-dive or snorkel into a world of wonder and experience Australia’s first and only underwater museum.
Artwork
The Coral Greenhouse is a groundbreaking underwater museum by Jason deCaires Taylor, sitting at a depth of 16 meters and just a short swim from the Ocean Sentinels installation at John Brewer Reef in the Sea Country near Townsville. With its impressive 12-meter height and weight of 58 tons, this architectural marvel not only holds the Guiness World Record for the largest underwater art structure but also offers a fresh and immersive perspective on the Great Barrier Reef and its ecology by exploring marine science, coral gardening, art, and architecture.
The biomorphic design seamlessly blends with nature, allowing the sculptures to gradually integrate into the reef, while the porous structure creates a sanctuary for marine life. Crafted from pH neutral cement and corrosion-resistant steel, the Coral Greenhouse can withstand the ever-changing marine conditions, and its unique gravitational elements provide visitors with an unforgettable experience.
Inside, figurative sculptures modelled on local school children serve as powerful reminders of the importance of protecting our precious marine world for future generations. The surrounding gardens, coral planter boxes, and floating trees inspired by local species complete this extraordinary underwater marvel.
Read the full artist description of the Coral Greenhouse by Jason deCaires Taylor.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse]()
Coral Greenhouse
12-meter heigh and weighing 58 tons, this architectural marvel explores marine science, coral gardening, art, and architecture, offering a fresh and immersive perspective on the Great Barrier Reef and its ecology.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Coral Gardener]()
Coral Gardener With Crossed Arms
A young boy with crossed arms and rucksack, David a college student from the UK, has a soft Carnation Coral called Dendronephthya forming a ballerina tutu around his waist
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Umbrella Palms]()
Tropical Green Umbrella Palms
Modelled on tropical palms often found in the Cape Tribulation region of North Queensland, these underwater palms have been heavily colonised by green and yellow Sea Squirts.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Sitting Boy With Tray]()
Aquaculturist With Coral Tray
Young boy from the Townsville region sitting in front of the Coral Greenhouse and holding a coral seeding tray that has been colonised with a beautiful coral bouquet.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Sitting Girl]()
Sitting Girl With Coral Pot
Bryher, a young indigenous girl from Doomadgee, who was a student at St Patrick's school in Townville at the time of the casting, sits holding a plant pot ready for coral propagation.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Fine Leaf Eucalyptus]()
Fine Leaf Eucalyptus
Floating Fine Leaf Eucalyptus formation in the gardens around the Coral Greenhouse - a hybrid terrestrial-marine structure which aims to show how both systems are interconnected.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Coral Gardener With Shovel]()
Coral Gardener With Shovel
Yves, a student from France, holding a shovel ready for coral planting in the gardens in front of the Coral Greenhouse.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Hanging Coral Baskets]()
Hanging Coral Baskets
Hanging coral basket with a variety of soft Carnation Corals and Tunicates - the triangular design aims to reference the patterns and silhouettes found in the Coral Greenhouse.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse]()
Coral Gardener Sisters
Lily, a young art student from St Patrick’s school in Townsville, stands next to her sister holding a watering can and tending to some freshly planted Staghorn Coral in a pot.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Spires]()
Coral Greenhouse Spires
The Floating spires of the Coral Greenhouse are easily missed on the decent but have some stunning soft Carnation Coral growth that should not be missed.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse Coral Gardener With Shovel]()
Coral Gardener With Shovel
Yves, a student from France, holding a shovel that has been propagated with Acorpora Coral and displaying a Sea Cucumber that is slowly climbing over his body.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse]()
Coral Gatekeeper
Niamh, a young arts student from the UK, standing at the entrance to the Coral Greenhouse covered by a bright red Marine Sponge and holding a pot ready for coral planting.
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![MOUA Coral Greenhouse]()
Young Girl With Coral Planting Pot
Paloma holding a coral cutting - the model for this piece was the artist's six year old daughter who appears in many of his installations and has become very accustomed to the life casting process.
World Record
Largest Underwater Art Structure
JAson DeCaires Taylor
Jason deCaires Taylor MRSS is an accomplished sculptor, environmentalist, and underwater photographer renowned for his groundbreaking work in submerged and tidal marine environments. He created the world's first underwater sculpture park, which is now a National Marine Protected Area. Using environmentally sensitive materials, Taylor's sculptures encourage natural growth and explore themes of decay, rebirth, and metamorphosis. Through his innovative projects, he promotes marine conservation, raises environmental awareness, and showcases the captivating beauty of the underwater world.
Secure a Spot
Space on tour boats is limited so book your spot now to not miss out!
Maps
All of the underwater art installations including the Coral Greenhouse and Ocean Sentinels are located at the main Museum of Underwater Art site at John Brewer Reef in the Sea Country on the Great Barrier Reef which can be reached by boat from Townsville.
★★★★★
“MOUA is unique and truly a world class attraction! I love going back to this place to see how IT attracts different corals and marine life.”
Al Songcuan, Visitor
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Diving & Snorkelling
Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the beauty of the underwater world which is why we've made sure there is something for everyone - scuba divers, free-divers or snorkelers of all experience levels are welcome at our museum and will find plenty of explore. The site is located in a protected part of John Brewer Reef in the Sea Country, so guests can relax and enjoy the experience without worrying about strong currents or other hazards. Explore the deeper Coral Greenhouse or more shallow Ocean Sentinels and make sure you take a side trip to the beautiful reef which is just a short swim away.
After your dive
Use iNaturalist to enhance your underwater experience and contribute to marine science. By uploading your dive and snorkel photos to the John Brewer MOUA project on the iNaturalist platform, you can easily identify the fish species you encountered during your underwater adventure. This will not only enable you to learn more about the diverse marine life you observed but also make you a citizen scientist and help provide valuable data points for marine biologists and researchers studying aquatic ecosystems.
★★★★★
“The coral greenhouse is stunning, the OCEAN SENTINELS ARE epic and the coral GROWTH and resident fishes are a delight. Cannot wait for another dive!”
Jo Stacey, Visitor
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Don’t forget The …
Ocean Sentinels
The Ocean Sentinels is a collection of sculptures located right next to the Coral Greenhouse, blending natural marine forms with human figures representing influential Australians who have made significant contributions to marine science and conservation.
FAQs
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The underwater sculptures at John Brewer Reef are public art and can be freely accessed by recreational visitors to the Marine Park. However, if tourists would like to visit the John Brewer Reef sites by vessel and have the guidance of an expert guide, there are several commercial tourism opportunities available.
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Absolutely! Scuba diving and snorkelling are highly encouraged at the sculpture sites. They offer an excellent opportunity to witness the underwater sculptures and explore the surrounding reefs. The sites are designed to accommodate both snorkelling and scuba diving enthusiasts, with shallow water areas (4-6m) specifically intended for snorkelling and deeper sections (12-18m) suitable for scuba diving.
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To ensure the preservation and respect for the underwater sculptures, we advocate a no touching policy, similar to coral reefs. We aim to promote Responsible Reef Practices and will provide interpretive manuals, training, websites, and brochures to educate visitors about the importance of not touching the artworks. Over time, the sculptures will naturally accumulate marine life as corals and other organisms attach to them. This process not only adds to their visual appeal but also integrates them ecologically into the local environment, making them even more fascinating for visitors to observe.