SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers, but teachers who bring a class get a free teacher ratio on school excursions, which is 1:10 for Prep through Year 12. We couldn’t find a teacher ticket on its ticket, offers or student discount pages, so the savings here come from planning the trip as a class. Here’s how that works, and what’s left for you if you’re visiting on your own.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium calls itself a proud member of Merlin Entertainments Education ANZ. Its school page describes over 13 different exhibits and says its hands-on activities align with the Victorian Curriculum, so this page is for teachers in Victoria, Australia, or anyone bringing a group to Melbourne. It offers 3 different types of excursions: self-guided, curriculum based guided education classes and guided aquarium experiences.
How To Get The Free Teacher Ratio At SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
- Choose guided or self-guided. Standard excursion packages are two-hour sessions, and the rates page lists guided at $25.00 per person with a minimum of 15 students, and self-guided at $22.00 with a minimum of 10.
- Pick a weekday. Excursions are only available on weekdays, and guided tours don’t run during school holidays or on public holidays.
- Send the online booking form at least 2 weeks ahead. The page says bookings are required to be made 2 weeks in advance, and it’s an inquiry form only, so nothing is confirmed until the education team contacts you.
- Watch your inbox. If you haven’t heard back within 7 days, the page says to check your junk email.
What The Free Teacher Ratio Covers
The excursion rates page lists a free teacher ratio of 1:10 for Prep through Year 12, which reads as one free teacher for every 10 students. Prep is the first year of school in Victoria. Kindergarten groups get a free ratio of 1:3, University or TAFE groups get 1:20, and special needs groups get a free carer, teacher or teacher’s aid ratio of 1:1. TAFE is Australia’s vocational college system, if that’s new to you.
Teachers or supervisors beyond the free ratio are listed as additional teachers and adult supervisors at $28.05 each. So on a trip with 30 students, the 1:10 ratio would cover three teachers, and any other adult you bring would be at that additional rate.
There’s also a separate self-guided line for school holidays at $29.00 with a maximum of 100 students and its own free teacher ratio, so look there if your trip falls in a break. The page says you only pay for the students who attend on the day, which takes some of the sting out of a sick day. If you cancel within 2 weeks of the excursion, a cancellation fee applies to cover staffing costs.
The Merlin Teachers Club
SEA LIFE Melbourne also hosts a Merlin Teachers Club sign-up page, where you enter your details to join. The page says the club is designed to benefit teachers and their students with resources you can use in the classroom, alongside or independently of an excursion, and it lists lesson inspiration, classroom activity ideas and entry to competitions. It asks you to join for special offers, resources and updates, and says it will only email you about educational offers. We couldn’t find a specific offer listed on that page, so treat the club as a way to hear about offers, not a discount you can use today.
Visiting On Your Own
For a visit that isn’t a class trip, we couldn’t find anything aimed at teachers. The student discount ticket is $24 per student online, but SEA LIFE says it’s for domestic and international students currently enrolled in a recognized higher education institution, with a student ID required at the entrance, so it only fits if you’re also studying yourself. It has to be booked online in advance, and the student page promises savings of up to 50% when you book online at least one day ahead on weekdays outside school holidays.
The general admission page also lists a Concession ticket, but it requires a valid concession, student or health care card, and teachers aren’t named. For everyone, the offers page says you can save up to 20% online on general admission.
If you’re organizing a group outing that isn’t a school excursion, like a staff event, group tickets are for groups of 10 or more. The offers page shows a 25% off badge, and the group ticket page lists adult tickets from $38.25 online against $51 on the day. Group tickets aren’t valid when visiting as individuals, and at least one adult must be in the transaction. The Melbourne Big Ticket pairs the aquarium with the LEGOLAND attraction in Melbourne and says you can save up to $20.
Q&A
Is there a teacher discount at SEA LIFE Melbourne?
We couldn’t find a discount for individual teachers. Teachers bringing a class get a free teacher ratio on school excursions, and the Merlin Teachers Club sign-up page promises special offers, resources and updates.
How many teachers get in free?
The rates page lists a free ratio of 1:10 for Prep through Year 12, 1:3 for Kindergarten, 1:20 for University or TAFE, and 1:1 for special needs groups.
What do extra teachers pay?
Additional teachers and adult supervisors are listed at $28.05.
How far ahead do I book?
The page says bookings are required to be made 2 weeks in advance, through the online booking form. If you haven’t heard back within 7 days, check your junk email.
Can we go on a weekend or in the school holidays?
Excursions are only available on weekdays, and guided tours don’t run during school holidays or on public holidays. There’s a separate self-guided school holidays line at $29.00.
Do I pay for students who are absent?
The page says you only pay for the students who attend on the day.
Can I use the student ticket as a teacher?
Only if you’re currently enrolled in a recognized higher education institution and have a valid student ID. We didn’t see teachers named on the student discount page.
Does this apply at other SEA LIFE aquariums?
Each SEA LIFE location runs its own offers. SEA LIFE Orlando has a Florida Teacher Pass and SEA LIFE at Mall of America lists Teacher Memberships, and we cover both.
More Information:
Everything above comes from SEA LIFE Melbourne’s own pages for school excursions, excursion rates, booking, the Merlin Teachers Club, general admission, the student discount, group tickets and offers, as they loaded when we checked. Rates and rules change, so confirm on the booking form before you commit your class. If you’re comparing SEA LIFE locations, see our SEA LIFE Orlando teacher discount and SEA LIFE at Mall of America pages. For LEGOLAND’s own teacher offers, see our LEGOLAND teacher discount page, which doesn’t cover the Melbourne attraction.
