A 4-D educational entertainment centre celebrating salmon has been built in Rakaia, New Zealand's salmon capital.

Salmon World has just opened its doors to the public, transforming the Salmon Tales complex, beneath the township's iconic leaping salmon sculpture in the centre of the Canterbury township, into a top-class and comprehensive visitor attraction.

An all-new aquarium and 4-D movie experience adjoin the existing Salmon Tales cafe and restaurant.

The aquarium focuses on the life-cycle of Rakaia salmon, while the leading-edge 4-D movie provides an 'up close and personal' experience of Mid Canterbury's rivers complete with bumpy ride, wind and soon to have spraying river water plus some of the district's other exhilarating adventure tourism activities.

The 13-minute 4-D movie was filmed by Dunedin company 38 Pictures in 3-D with physical enhancements to provide the fourth 'dimension'. The experience is so real that patrons will be strapped into their seats.

As well as jet-boating on the rivers, the movie takes visitors on other heart-stopping Mid Canterbury adventures helicopter ride, skiing and snowboarding, and hot-air ballooning.

Salmon World is the brain-child of the two couples, Mid Canterbury locals Pat and Kaye Turton and Neil and Judy Brown, who opened Salmon Tales three and a half years ago. They say they are looking to take the business to the next level.

Centerpiece of the aquarium is a 30,000-litre salmon tank housing large salmon and trout specimens alongside a smaller multi-pool system that displays brown and rainbow trout, eels and whitebait.

Information panels and videos will ensure that visitors gain a good appreciation of the life cycle of the salmon, fish and river conservation efforts and, of course, salmon fishing.

Pat Turton said the aquarium was unique in that it was for fresh water fish.

"Most other aquariums focus on salt water sea life and none in New Zealand have the species of trout or salmon that we have.

"Our focus is on telling a story about the Rakaia River and the fishery, and we see our role being very much an educational one."

New Zealand Fish & Game had provided great support for the venture.

This promise of educational activities, a programme of feeding times and other attractions has already drawn bookings from school and scout groups.

The site will continue to accommodate the Rakaia Information Centre as well.

A retail outlet offering a range of fresh and processed salmon products as well as other premium New Zealand food and beverage items will complete the visitor experience.