Merlin Entertainments' Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium in Australia has announced an A$8m (US$8.2m) refurbishment programme in time for September 2013.

The investment from owners Merlin Entertainments Group, who acquired the aquarium as part of the takeover of Living and Leisure Australia Group, will be used to create 12 new discovery zones with interactive animal encounters, iconic state-of-the-art displays and hundreds of new species.