Divers have finished transplanting coral taken from reefs around the Gold Coast, on to a $5 million underwater tourism attraction.
Nine buoyant sculptures were anchored about 2.5 kilometres off The Spit in August, with hopes to open the dive attraction by March next year.
Sea World partnered with Townsville-based consultants Reef Ecologic, to transplant segments of coral reef on to the underwater structures, named Wonder Reef.
"Some were directly attached using like a cement material," Sea World's head of marine sciences, Wayne Phillips, said.
"Others were attached to geo-fab and things like rope and placed around the reef with the hope they will seed to that reef."
Fish colonisation begins
Mr Phillips said transplant effort was undertaken to "speed up" the growth of reef in the area and to "make sure we get the right species".
"Something they're hoping will attract new divers to the area, and an array of divers."
It's expected that transplanted coral will grow between one to 25 centimetres per year, depending on the species.
"It's quite surreal to see them initially."
Thousands of divers each year
The "Wonder Reef" attraction has been jointly funded by the state government and City of Gold Coast.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said that "this is expected to attract more than 16,000 divers each year, supporting local jobs and generating up to $33 million in revenue for the local economy over the next decade".
Mayor Tom Tate said the site will attract a range of skilled divers.
"It's for all different levels; beginnings, medium and if you want to go 30 metres, you can."
It is hoped the site, aimed at diversifying the city's tourism offerings, will create a 32,000-cubic-metre marine habitat.
