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Welcome to National Marine Science Centre Open Day!
Join us at Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre (NMSC) and immerse yourself in the world of marine science. Located on the shores of the Solitary Islands Marine Park – where tropical and temperate currents converge – the NMSC offers a truly unique environment for hands-on learning, research and discovery.
During your visit, you'll explore how a degree in Marine Science prepares you for exciting and impactful careers both in Australia and overseas.
On-campus events include an informative panel session with experienced academics and a guided tour of the NMSC facilities, including our cutting-edge laboratories and the aquarium. Get up close with incredible marine species, meet our dedicated staff and students, and learn more about the real-world experience you'll gain during your studies.
Don't forget to check in for your chance to win a MacBook Pro!
Visit our main Coffs Harbour campus on Hogbin Drive to explore our full range of courses, including Physiotherapy, Education, Nursing, and other health-related programs.
Panel sessions (all sessions are 25 minutes)
Explore our revolutionary learning model, changing lives by improving student outcomes and satisfaction. Southern Cross University is committed to inclusivity, offering opportunities for all to access a transformative education. Discover our campuses, world-class facilities, and the scholarships available to support your studies. Experience a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.
Explore how a degree in Marine Science prepares you for exciting and impactful careers both in Australia and overseas.
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National Marine Science Centre tour
Sunday, 10 August - 11:00am
Join a guided tour of the National Marine Science Centre facilities, including our cutting-edge laboratories and the aquarium.
Get up close with incredible marine species, meet our dedicated staff and students, and learn more about the real-world experience you'll gain during your studies.
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Win a MacBook Pro
Book your spot at Open Day and check in when you arrive to go in the draw to win one of three MacBook Pro's (one per campus). Easy as that!
National Marine Science Centre facilities
Seawater Supply System
The NMSC has a state-of-the-art flow-through seawater supply system. Drawing water from Charlesworth Bay, high-quality filtered seawater is available on tap in the laboratories, hatchery, aquarium rooms and tank farm. Identified as one of the best systems in Australia, the supply of seawater supports a range of experimental research activities and specialist laboratories, and is backed up by a standby generator and an elaborate alarm system.
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Aquaculture Farm
The large aquaculture farm allows the NMSC to house a wide range of fish and invertebrate species in a variety of round tanks and raceways that range from 1,000 to 7,000 litres. This space includes open air, undercover and climate-controlled rooms to cater for different animals and research requirements.
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Teaching Spaces
The NMSC has an 80 seat lecture theatre, a computer laboratory with 25 computers, a classroom that can seat 30 - 40 people and a teaching laboratory that can hold up to 60 people. These are general purpose rooms with differing levels of audio-visual capability.
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Hatchery
Research into all aspects of aquaculture is possible, with a broodstock facility (30,000 litres), hatchery and nursery tanks to grow fish to fingerling stages. The hatchery enables researchers to grow all stages of the food chain, from algal culture to live food. The broodstock facility is climate-controlled to allow breeding conditions to be simulated and studied to attain optimal reproduction of fish species.
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Other Research Facilities
Specialist rooms include climate and temperature-controlled rooms, a genetics lab, as well as general lab space. Two climate-controlled labs are serviced by a water temperature control system, which can supply seawater at four separate, tightly-held temperatures. These labs are ideal for climate change research. The NMSC also has a research vessel that may be used for a variety of purposes, providing a platform for SCUBA diving, water and sediment sampling, and the deployment of a range of small to medium-sized gear types.
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The Solitary Islands Aquarium
The Solitary Islands Aquarium showcases a range of species from local marine and estuarine environments and is a primary interpretive facility promoting community education. Open to the public on weekends and during school holidays, also by appointment for school and community groups, this facility forms the core of the NMSC's public outreach program.
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Coffs Harbour Open Day
Come check out the Coffs Harbour Open Day from 9:00am - 2:00pm on Sunday 10 August and see what it’s really like to be a Southern Cross student. Explore the classrooms, labs, and chill spots - you might even find your future go-to study hangout.
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Quick downloads
Getting to the National Marine Science Centre
Located in Coffs Harbour on the east coast of Australia and adjacent to the Solitary Islands Marine Park, where both tropical and temperate currents meet. This interesting setting provides practical opportunities in the study of marine science and management for both students and researchers.
Interested in learning more about the National Marine Science Centre? Check out:
Win an Apple Macbook Pro
By entering the ‘Win an Apple MacBook Pro’ (Competition), you (the Entrant) agree to the following Terms and Conditions:
- All information on ‘how to enter’ forms part of these Terms and Conditions.
- By submitting an entry into the Competition, you warrant that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.
- The Promoter is Southern Cross University Southern Cross University, (ABN 41 995 651 524; CRICOS Provider: 01241G) a body corporate incorporated under the Southern Cross University Act 1993 (NSW), of Military Road, East Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia P: 1800 72 4357 (the “University”).
- The Competition commences on Friday 11 April 2025 at 9am (AEDT) and will continue until the Friday 30 August 2025 at 4pm (AEDT) (the “Competition Period”).
Eligibility
- Entry is open to all members of the general public that attend a University campus at Southern Cross University Open Day (Eligible Entrants).
- Employees and their immediate families of the University are not eligible to enter the Competition.
- Incomplete, illegible or incorrect entries containing offensive or defamatory comments, or which breach any law or infringe any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights, will not be eligible to win.
- The University reserves the right to verify entries and may disqualify any entrant who does not comply with these terms and conditions.
How to enter
- To enter, Eligible Entrants must attend one of three on-campus Southern Cross University Open Days at either Coffs Harbour (10 August 2025), Lismore (17 August 2025), or Gold Coast (24 August 2025), be registered as an event attendee and complete the digital check-in on the campus between the hours of 9 am and 1.45 pm. Check-in completes all fields of the entry form.
- Eligible entrants may enter the Competition only once.
You agree and acknowledge
By entering into the Competition, you agree and acknowledge that:
- The University is collecting your personal information for the purpose of participation in the Competition and may use your entry and your personal information, including first name, surname, phone, email, postcode, what best describes you, what are you interested in studying, where are you interested in studying and which Open Day are you attending (whether or not it wins a prize) for the University’s promotional purposes. The University may also send you information and marketing communications. You may request to not receive direct marketing from the University at any time. You do not have to provide your personal information but will not be able to enter the Competition if you do not.
- We will otherwise treat information you provide confidentially and will not use or disclose your personal information for another purpose without your consent unless we are required to do so by law. To access or update your personal information please contact the University’s Future Students Team at futurestudy@scu.edu.au.
- The University will keep your personal information in accordance with its Privacy Management Plan. Information on how the University manages personal information can be found at www.scu.edu.au/privacy or contact the Privacy Officer at privacy@scu.edu.au.
- The University accepts no responsibility for any entries not received for any reason during the Competition Period. No responsibility will be taken for lost, late or misdirected entries. The University is not responsible for technical difficulties with the entry mechanism and does not warrant that the entry mechanism will be available at all times.
Winning the prize
- The prize is one of three Apple 14‑inch MacBook Pro — Silver (8GB memory, 512GB SSD storage, 70W USB-C Power Adapter, Blacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch IT), valued at $2499 each. One prize will be per campus location (online Open Day is excluded).
- The winning entries will be drawn on the respective day at 2pm, on campus by the University at random. The winner will be notified immediately if present, or via text and call if not present. If the prize is unclaimed within 48 hours a prize re-draw will be conducted at 9am on the following Friday of the event at the same place as the original draw. The initial winner will be included in the prize draw. The new winner will be contacted by text and call. If the prize is unclaimed by 12 September, the prize will be forfeited.
- The winner at each campus will be asked to have a photo and/or video taken for promotional use by Southern Cross University on social media and web channels (with consent). Media participation is not a condition of winning.
- The prize is not transferable or exchangeable.
- In all matters, all decisions of the University will be final and cannot be contested. No correspondence or discussions will be entered into.