Planet Perth: Atlantis Marine Park

If you drive 70km north to Two Rocks on the fringes of Perth’s metropolitan area, you’ll be greeted by a ten-meter high statue of a grinning, trident wielding King Neptune.

Though staring out to see the mythical roman god once overlooked the now abandoned Atlantis Marine Park.

Opening to much fanfare in 1981, the park was part of WA billionaire Alan Bond’s plans to develop Yanchep into a flourishing suburb before it closed prematurely in the early 90s.

What you may not know is that the abandoned park gave birth to a first of its kind experiment…

This fortnight, Jeff Bullen sits down with Atlantis’ lead veterinarian, Dr Nick Gales, to chat about the opening of the park, why it closed and what happened to its main attraction; the dolphins. We also hear from thespian Alice Dale who lead a troupe of actors and actresses in performances alongside the animals.

Planet Perth is an RTRFM podcast series about the weird, wacky and unexplained history of our eccentric city.

Join Jeff Bullen each fortnight for a deep dive into the events, personalities and bygone icons that have shaped one of the most isolated cities in the world.

2. Episode Two Atlantis Marine Park