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Milford Sound Underwater Observatory | Status and what we know

The Milford Sound underwater observatory in Harrison Cove has been closed since a storm damaged it on 1 September 2024. Most of the floating structure has since been towed out of the fiord. Southern Discoveries, which owns it, has not announced a reopening date. Right now, no cruise or tour includes an observatory visit, but you can still book regular Milford Sound cruises.

You can still cruise past Harrison Cove, learn about the fiord's underwater world from an onboard nature guide, or get onto the water by kayak. This page covers what happened, what we know about its future, and how to plan around it.

Status at a glance

  • Open: No. Closed since 1 September 2024.
  • Reopening date: None announced.
  • Can I book it: No. It has been removed from all Southern Discoveries cruises.
  • Closest alternative: The Southern Discoveries extended cruise (up to 2 hrs 15 mins, nature guide on board, max 99 guests). It sails the full fiord, including Harrison Cove.

What happened to the observatory

Milford Discovery Centre

The observatory was built across five linked pontoons: reception, docking, a generator pontoon, the underwater viewing chamber, and a kayak base. During a two-day storm in early September 2024, winds at Milford Sound reached 115 km/h. The main reception pontoon partly sank, and the docking and generator pontoons began to lean. The building was closed for maintenance at the time, so no one was on site.

Southern Discoveries worked with the Department of Conservation, Environment Southland and a salvage team to contain debris, and fuel leakage was negligible. By early October 2024, the three damaged pontoon buildings had been towed to Deep Water Basin to be deconstructed and removed from the fiord. The viewing chamber and kayak pontoon were not damaged.

Part of the Te Wahipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Site, which also includes the surrounding Fiordland National Park.

Will it reopen?

Milford Sound, New Zealand

No reopening date or rebuild plan has been made public. Southern Discoveries has since relaunched the Discover More Cruise, the departure that used to include the observatory, as a longer nature-guided cruise without the visit. Its observatory booking page has also been taken down. Rebuilding anything in Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, inside a World Heritage Area, needs regulatory approval, so any return would be announced well in advance. We will update this page if that happens.

How to experience Harrison Cove and the underwater world now

Cruise ship sailing in Harrison Cove, Milford Sound with towering mountains.
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Take a longer, guided cruise

Every Southern Discoveries cruise sails the length of the fiord and passes Harrison Cove. On the extended cruise, a nature guide explains the fiord's marine ecology, geology and wildlife, which is the closest thing to what the observatory offered.

Get on the water yourself

Guided sea-kayaking trips run from Milford Sound and put you at water level beside the fiord walls.

Go under the surface

Local dive operators run guided dives to see black coral at shallow depths. You need certification or a guided discovery dive.

Watch for wildlife from deck

Fur seals and bottlenose dolphins are seen year-round, and Fiordland crested penguins (tawaki) visit from roughly August to November.

History of Milford Sound Underwater Observatory

Milford Sound, 1989, marked the emergence of a dream. John Roberts, a local visionary, envisioned an underwater observatory beneath the turquoise surface. Undeterred by skepticism and budget constraints, John's passion for the fiord's hidden wonders propelled him forward. Five years later, in 1994, his dream materialized as the world's first floating underwater observatory opened its hatches, unveiling the mesmerizing kaleidoscope of life below. Milford Sound's once-secret world was revealed, and John earned his place as a local legend, forever known as "Aquajohn."

The observatory opened to visitors as the Milford Discovery Centre and Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, officially launched in November 2010. It was New Zealand's only floating underwater observatory and the only structure of its kind in the Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve. Visitors walked down 64 steps to a viewing room about 10 metres below the surface. Through its windows, they watched wild marine life come and go, from black coral to anemones and fish. Above the water, the Discovery Centre covered Māori history, early European settlement, and the building of the Homer Tunnel and Milford Road.

​Learn more about Milford Sound

Frequently asked questions about Milford Sound Underwater Observatory

When operational, it was New Zealand's only floating underwater observatory, offering a window into the fascinating marine life hidden beneath Milford Sound's turquoise waters.