The world’s 17 species of penguin are found only in the southern hemisphere, and Taronga is home to two of them.
Modern Technology Engineers Great Southern Oceans
EnergyAustralia Great Southern Oceans offers new insights into the extraordinary creatures of the southern waters made possible through the most advanced display facilities in the world.
The 1.1 hectare site uses an array of modern technology to create an exhibit that allows visitors to explore and be inspired to conserve the southern edge's unique marine mammals and birds.
The exhibit is a mixture of engineering feats- enclosures that reflect the animals' natural habitat, but also exhibits that will intrigue and educate visitors in ways that previously weren't possible.
In the exhibit Taronga visitors become Antarctic submariners. From a research submarine display, underwater viewing panels reveal the graceful swimming of penguins and leopard seals. The largest panel weighs 4000kg and is 1.62cm thick. For optimal viewing these acrylic panels have a high light emittance and a special refractive index creating an outlook that real submariners would envy.
A key element of the exhibit's design is the sea water retaining structures. The pools were specially designed to be durable, withstand salt diffusion and huge amounts of pressure.
To improve the pool lining properties, slag was added to the concrete mixture. It refines the pore size leading to reduced salt penetration, but also improves the long term durability. During the more final stages the zoo used different waterproofing membranes to stop the water from escaping.
With a total pool volume of 2500m3, the fabric of the pools was also designed to cope with huge amounts of pressure. The special concrete withstands a pressure of 50MPa, which is two and a half times that of domestic construction concrete.
Vital to the ‘Great Southern Ocean' is its life support system. Built beneath the entire exhibit, it has six plant rooms where the water is treated and recycled. The system copes with an amazing throughput of 2,700m3 of water per hour, equating to 65,000 peoples' daily water demand in just 24 hours of operation.
The support system is quite rare in its design with the protein skimmer being unusually large with a 2.1m circumference. It removes organic particles before they get a chance to turn into nitrogenous waste.
Computer aided technology was also significant in designing the theatre. The shade cloth over the seats has a sophisticated design and can withstand all directions of ocean winds and breezes, whilst being able to support its huge weight.
This huge shade umbrella is constructed from six flexible membrane sails that have been pre-stressed and raised by steel cables and supports.
EnergyAustralia Great Southern Oceans is the most significant development in Taronga's history and further enhances Taronga's research, educational and breeding goals, whilst further spreading the message of conservation.
