[Photos] World-first Interactive Virtual Antarctic Experience Opens

The newly-opened Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre on Phillip Island, Australia, claims to be the world’s first interactive virtual reality Antarctic experience. The space features over 159 square meters (1,700 square foot) of digital high-definition screens showing footage of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica.

Opened last week, the $5 million project is a joint venture between Phillip Island Nature Parks and WWF-Australia. It consists of three distinct levels and features Phillip Island as the gateway to Antarctica on the first level. Although the island is almost 4,000km (2,500 miles) away from Antarctica, there are hints of the frozen continent all around. The Southern Ocean’s violent weather drives wild swells against the island’s shores which are home to penguins and seals, and whales from Antarctica visit Phillip Island’s waters as they migrate north. 

The second level is known as The Lab. Visitors are able to “feel the freeze” as they enter the Antarctic Chill Zone and experience the same sort of conditions as an Antarctic researcher. The Sound Lab and Research Station offer insights into the sights and sounds of Antarctic wildlife, complete with animal calls, microscopes and specimens.

Many important questions are posed in The Lab, such as: What is more likely to sink – a bowling ball or a marble?, What is the Cocktail Party Effect? and How does my thermal image compare to an Emperor penguin?. An array of hands on activities answer all these questions and more, and ensure that the unique wildlife, the ongoing research activities and the critically important conservation values of this remote continent come alive to guests.

The final level is known as The Chamber, and is one of complete immersion in what can only be described as a stunning and breathtaking, state of the art multimedia experience. Visitors will find themselves enthralled by the audio visual spectacle which puts them right in the heart of the action, surrounded by creatures of the deep like whales, seals, sharks and more. 

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. For decades WWF has worked to conserve the natural wonders of the Antarctic, and millions of whales, penguins and albatross that live there. 

Working in partnership, WWF helped establish the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and two of the world’s largest marine protected areas – the Heard and McDonald Island Marine Reserve, and the Macquarie Island Marine Reserve. WWF also helped secure a ban on mining under the Antarctic Treaty Environment Protocol, promote sustainable fisheries and substantially reduce illegal fishing across the Southern Ocean.
  
WWF-Australia’s current work in the Antarctic focuses on building a network of marine protected areas, new initiatives to protect wildlife such as whales and seabirds, securing sustainable fisheries management and responding to the challenges of climate change.

Phillip Island Nature Parks is a not-for-profit organization that prides itself on finding the balance between delivering quality ecotourism experiences and implementing world-renowned conservation, social, environmental, research and education programs.

A proportion from each Antarctic Journey ticket sale will go towards WWF-Australia’s conservation work including Antarctic whale research.

The oceans around Antarctica are some of the most pristine in the world and are home to nearly 10,000 species, most of them found nowhere else on the planet. The Journey aims to influence and change the behavior of visitors towards protecting these species and special areas for future generations.

The existing Nobbies Centre currently attracts over 310,000 visitors per year and Phillip Island Nature Parks received a record 1.2 million visitors in 2014/15 – with 58 percent being from overseas.