$5.6m lab lets scientists see the sea

Friday, 13 March 2009

A marine laboratory has opened on Wellington's south coast, boasting world-class facilities and one of the best views in the city.

The Victoria University Coastal Ecology Laboratory is tucked between Island Bay and Owhiro Bay with room for six fulltime academic staff and 48 students. A hi-tech system pumps up to 10,000 litres of seawater an hour through a wet laboratory, so marine creatures and plants can be kept alive for study.

The lab, with a budget of $5.6 million, was a far cry from the 'rabbit warren' of the old one, director Jeff Shima said.

'It's actually not much bigger than the old lab, but there's a real sense of space, and everything has a purpose. The architects were keen to build something that was impressive but not overbearing.'

A welcome feature is the new changing room, where divers can suit up or undress, before locking their gear away in personal lockers and popping next door for a hot shower.

'It's really nice to be starting this part of my degree with a new lab,' said master's student Shiree Palmer, who is studying the social habits of starfish.

The new laboratory is on the doorstep of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve, created in August last year.

The refit and upgrade began in 2007 to handle a surge in research into marine biology and coastal ecology.