Ningaloo: Australia's Other Great Reef

Planetarium · 40 mins

* Appropriate for grades 3rd - 12th **Note to Schools: This show comes in two versions - a 40 minute version and a shorter 30 minute version. Please specify which version you prefer at booking.** A magical expedition with marine biologist, Anna Cresswell, reveals intimate secrets of Western Australia’s iconic Ningaloo Reef, one of the world’s largest fringing coral reefs. Ningaloo Reef is visible from space and stretches along the north west coast of Australia for 260km. Anna embarks on a daring voyage into the labyrinth of Ningaloo Reef in a two person mini-submersible named Odyssea. Her mission is to witness the annual, synchronized mass coral spawning. The film follows Anna throughout her underwater Ningaloo adventure. Rich in coral, we experience this highway for the planet’s largest and smallest fish, including the whale shark. The live action fulldome film is an immersive voyage of discovery as we witness Ningaloo Reef and the rare natural wonder and spectacle of life – coral spawning. Governed by the lunar cycle this is the greatest reproductive show on Earth. Along the way Anna navigates through a maze of spectacular coral structures, inhabited by an abundance of exotic marine life, in one of the most diverse and complex eco systems ever discovered. By nightfall, far inside the reef, Odyssea sets down in darkness, surrounded by an array of tiny predators also there for the coral spawning. Mysterious, mammoth in scale and wondrous to behold, coral spawning is the well-spring of all life on the reef. In the face of global warming it may also be its savior. Anna believes that understanding it more fully may help scientists protect the World’s coral reefs from the ravages of climate change. NINGALOO is a blue-chip natural history documentary in 4K resolution, using a super wide 200 degree fisheye lens. Produced for 180-degree dome theatre screens, the film informs, moves and inspires through an unparalleled immersive experience.