Experience Co commences building of Great Barrier Reef pontoon

July 20, 2021

Listed tourism and attractions operator Experience Co has announced that it has started building the first new pontoon for the Great Barrier Reef in over a decade.

Set to be Located at Moore Reef just 45 kilometres offshore from the city of Cairns, the 1003 metre² new pontoon will be one of the biggest on the Reef and will have a daily capacity of up to 250 guests.

These guests will enjoy features such as a water entry point for swimming and snorkelling (the first of its kind on the Great Barrier Reef), a 10-seat air-conditioned underwater observatory with floor to ceiling windows, and a fully functioning scientific lab where reef research and projects will be conducted.

This is all in addition to Experience Co’s existing product offerings including fish feeding, intro and certified diving, guided snorkel tours and a huge sundeck with day beds.

Sustainability is also at the forefront of the new pontoon (pictured above), with wind and solar generators generating 36 kWh through three wind turbines and 18 solar panels, which is yet another first for the Great Barrier Reef region.

In a statement, Experience Co advised “the new pontoon will be a welcome addition to not only the Experience Co portfolio, but also the region itself as it will provide new job opportunities as well as increased tourism in the area.”

At the end of June, Experience Co subsidiary Skydive Australia raised over $200,000 for life-saving mental health research and education through its inaugural ‘CEO Skydive for Mental Health’ event, run in conjunction with Black Dog Institute at Skydive Australia's Wollongong base.

In total, 17 chief executives took the leap, with Skydive Australia looking forward to running the event again next year.

13th July 2021 - Australian Conservation groups call for Great Barrier Reef to be placed on ‘In Danger’ list

9th July 2021 - 36 schools receive approval for Great Barrier Reef Education Experience

5th July 2021 - Cairns-based Tropic Wings names new senior management team

24th June 2021 - Great Barrier Reef tour company deploys world’s first wireless underwater drone to collect data

9th May 2021 - Great Barrier Reef protection to be enhanced with new $9.7 million vessel

17th March 2021 - Queensland Government extends fee relief for Cairns reef operators

22nd February 2021 - 17 marine tourism operators funded to monitor health of Great Barrier Reef

21st February 2021 - Far North Queensland loses $2.2 billion of visitor spending

20th February 2021 - Asset sales reduce Experience Co’s half-yearly losses as tourism operator

7th January 2021 - Cairns’ Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park to close as COVID-19 hits tourism business

30th October 2020 - Cairns Regional Council endorses plan for Reef management

15th October 2020 - Cairns Regional Council recommends improvements to Great Barrier Reef plan

8th September 2020 - Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomes Federal Government intervention into protecting Great Barrier Reef wildlife

31st August 2020 - $11.3 million funding boost announced for Far North Queensland tourism

13th May 2020 - Great Barrier Reef tourism operators to receive additional financial assistance

7th March 2020 - Underwater ‘reefsuites’ now welcoming guests on the Great Barrier Reef

10th February 2020 - Experience Co cuts Cairns tourism jobs in restructuring

2nd November 2019 - Great Barrier Reef island reborn as eco-friendly luxury holiday destination

21st July 2019 - Great Barrier Reef’s Heart Island opened up for helicopter excursions

23rd May 2019 - World-first rideshare submarine experience launched on Great Barrier Reef

16th January 2018 - NZONE Skydive resumes operations after Queenstown fatality

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