MEGAfauna of the Great Southern Reef Special - Immersive Worlds

Megafauna of the Great Southern Reef! Experience the magic of the Great Southern Reef like never before with our immersive VR headset event!

Join us for an extraordinary virtual dive, featuring stunning 360° footage of iconic marine life, including grey nurse sharks, humpback whales, eagle rays, dolphins, sea dragons, octopus and more! This unique experience is brought to you by Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries, and acclaimed 360° underwater videographer and storyteller, Carl Charter.

MEGAfauna of the Great Southern Reef – VR Experience

Participants stay seated and wear VR headsets that take them on an underwater journey through South Australia’s Great Southern Reef. 

From the comfort of your chair you will:

Watch whales glide overhead
See playful sea lions darting through the water
Drift through kelp forests with leafy and weedy seadragons
Encounter dolphins, colourful reef fish, squid and
Come face-to-face with the spectacular giant Australian cuttlefish
The experience is designed for kids, families and ocean lovers of all ages.

FAQ's

Q: What marine life is shown in the VR experience?
You’ll see whales, sea lions, dolphins, turtles, sharks, Eagle rays, leafy and weedy seadragons, blue devil fish, squid, and the incredible giant Australian cuttlefish, along with other reef fish from the Great Southern Reef.

Q: What camera is used to film the 360° video?
The underwater scenes are filmed using a professional 360° camera system (Insta360) in a custom dive housing, allowing us to capture fully immersive footage while diving with marine life.

Q: Is all the video footage recorded in South Australia?
All marine life included in the VR experience is found in SA. Most of the VR experience is filmed in South Australian waters along the Great Southern Reef – including sea lions, cuttlefish, seadragons and reef fish. However, a few key sequences are filmed elsewhere so we can show animals that are difficult or impossible to film locally:

Whales – filmed in Tonga, where the clear water and reliable whale encounters allow us to capture high-quality 360° footage.

Loggerhead turtle filmed in Byron Bay 

Grey nurse shark – filmed in Queensland. Grey nurse sharks are now considered locally extinct in South Australia, largely due to historical fishing and spearfishing pressure in the 1960s, so we use interstate footage to tell their story and highlight what has been lost from our local seas.

This mix lets us showcase South Australia’s marine life while also sharing an important conservation message.

Q: How long does the VR experience go for?
VR session runs for 20 minutes. 14 minutes of video and up to 6 minutes for changeover of participants. 

Q: Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The content is G-rated and family-friendly. Children should be seated and supervised while using the headsets. 

Q: Is the experience accessible?
Participants remain seated throughout, so the experience is suitable for people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users. We can also provide non-VR screen viewing if required (subject to space and technical setup).

Q: Does VR make people feel sick?
The footage is filmed in a slow, gentle style with minimal sudden movements to reduce motion sickness. Most people are comfortable, but anyone who feels unwell can remove the headset at any time.

Q: How are the headsets cleaned between users?
We follow a strict sanitisation procedure. After each session, headsets are wiped inside and out with alcohol wipes, including all surfaces that contact the face. This procedure is based on our existing EMS COVID-safe and hygiene protocols.

Q: How many people can participate at once?
12 people in a session 

Check full Immersive Worlds program at adelaidefringe.com.au/immersive-worlds