Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre

Fantastic experience: Incredibly interesting, we had pre-booked as a group and were presented with a very informative slide show, with 2 amazing guides.

Positive experience: Great small center with well done education infos for all ages. 10$ adults.

Fantastic experience: Stunning part of the world.

Fantastic experience: So informative with great interactive activities for all ages. Special thanks to Nikita who is a great ambassador for the centre with her enthusiastic advice and ready to answer any questions.

Positive experience: It’s cool but I’d like a small tour of the research facility or more creatures? My child loved the microscopes. As someone with ADHD it was a bit of a reading overload and a lot of crossover audio. I loved the amount of seating availability (so much that once my overstimulated brain made me fall asleep on the couch!) the person working was super passionate and friendly (a fellow American, go banana slugs!) the parking is a bit inconvenient as my mobility isn’t the best but it’s still a cool spot to check out and learn. I particularly loved the little snippets from PHD candidates and their projects, and the focus on women in science! Hope to see this place develop more (I’d love guided dives or to be involved in citizen science projects!)

Negative experience: confining an octopus to a tiny glass box is horrendous, they are highly intelligent creatures, they have the same intelligence as a dog or a three year old child, they are not a slug. they are shy solitary creatures, and should not be on display in glaring light with nowhere to hide from the unwanted constant attention. we have emailed the discovery centre about this and they never even bothered to reply. there is growing international recognition of the cruelty of confining octopus, NZ lagging behind as usual.

Fantastic experience: Interesting and interactive exhibition for all ages. Worth the trip!

Positive experience: There had been a cyclone in the region when I visited 4 years ago so the waters were too choppy and swirling with particulates to see anything while snorkeling.

Fantastic experience: Fab, watched a pod of dolphins just off the coast.

Fantastic experience: Smaller than expected but really well designed and staffed. It was a stink weather day and this was 2-3 hours of massive enjoyment and interaction for a four and a forty year old!

Fantastic experience: What an interesting place. I learned things there today. Very cool.

Fantastic experience: Lots of fun for a family with an 8-year old. The staff were amazing, taking time to show us the microscope and develop our knowledge of the various sea life. Touch pool was fun also. Reasonably priced and worth spending an hour if your near Leigh. Very limited parking - we parked at the Goat Island reserve site and walked 3 mins to the centre.

Fantastic experience: I enjoyed seeing some of the marine creatures.

Positive experience: A great mini museum. A must visit to enhance your visit to Leigh. A great complement to your glass-bottomed trip. The museum have a sound corridor to experience underwater life, and also an opportunity to be up and close to the marine animals; some of which you can touch.

Fantastic experience: Quite a small place but very interactive. The staff are amazing, very kind and helpful with the kids. They gave the kids activity worksheets to get their brains working over this Christmas period.

Fantastic experience: Just awesome, some would say double awesome, lots of interactive displays to engage with, super friendly and talkative staff and a touch tank filled with marine critters you can interact with, although I don't recommend touching the bitey bitey crabs... Also they have a super playful octopus. If your looking for a nice day trip I thoroughly recommend this one.

Fantastic experience: The discovery centre is really cool. They have interactive exhibits and a tank where you can get to see marine life up close! The building sits right off the ocean as well, so the scenery is beautiful. Makes for a very fun and educational afternoon.

Fantastic experience: What a fantastic experience. Inexpensive and a hands on experience for the kids where you can touch starfish and play with the sea creatures. Staff were friendly and seemed genuinely interested in the experience. Parking onsite despite the signs saying there is no parking. $20 for a family pass.

Fantastic experience: Thoroughly recommend this little museum. My kids (4 and 6) loved it and the staff made a real effort to make it a fun and educational experience. They loved picking up starfish, sea cucumbers and touching sea urchins. The microscope was great fun for them too!

Fantastic experience: We spent a good hour at the discovery centre and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. The staff were very knowledgeable and good with the kids. The highlights were the microscope where we got to see live sea creatures magnified on a big screen, we got to touch creatures in their touch and feel pool, and my daughter got to feed an octopus. I would recommend this if you have kids, it was great fun...(and reasonably priced).

Positive experience: Great marine reserve. Definitely take the time and go snorkeling. Can get super packed on the weekends.

Fantastic experience: What a great day out! Catch low tide, a wander along the rock and then (well either side of it really) drop into the Discovery Centre ($10). It has informative story boards, curious photos, specimen jars, a "sound corridor" so you can hear what goes on at the marine world and best of all a touch pool, filled with all sorts of creatures. Two PhD students unobtrusively checked in with us every now and then to greatly enhanced our experience. Five stars.