• The Finocchiaro CLP Government has declared the Northern Marine Complex a Territory Development Area, activating statutory powers for the first time to drive coordinated delivery of an economically significant precinct.
   
• The declaration positions Darwin’s Ship Lift and Marine Industry Park as a strategic maritime gateway supporting defence, international trade, energy and critical minerals supply chains.
   
• The TDA framework strengthens governance, coordination and cost control, ensuring taxpayer value, attracting private investment, and delivering skilled local jobs after years of Labor mismanagement.

In a Territory first, the Finocchiaro CLP Government has declared the Northern Marine Complex a Territory Development Area (TDA), activating the Territory Coordinator’s powers to drive the coordinated delivery of a major economic precinct.

The declaration marks a turning point for the area, shifting it from fragmented delivery to a clear, whole-of-government approach focused on unlocking long-term economic growth for the Northern Territory.

Located at East Arm, just minutes from Darwin’s CBD, the Northern Marine Complex spans 246 hectares, including both land and water. It brings together the Darwin Ship Lift and the Marine Industry Park into a single, integrated maritime precinct.

At its core is a 5,500-tonne capacity ship lift, supported by infrastructure that allows multiple vessels to be dry-docked at the same time. This capability enables Darwin to service defence, commercial and international vessels operating across northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific.

Surrounding the ship lift is a purpose-built industrial subdivision, with large-scale workshop and fabrication areas located just 600 metres from the lift, specifically designed to support marine maintenance, repair and fabrication activities.

The complex also includes a 10.3-hectare common-use hardstand, providing a secure and expansive area for fabrication, storage and maintenance operations, as well as a multi-user barge ramp offering all-tide access to ensure seamless vessel movement and logistics.

The Marine Industry Park anchors a northern marine industry ecosystem by concentrating marine trades, engineering, logistics and specialist services in one location. This co-location builds industrial scale, strengthens local capability, and ensures the activity generated by the ship lift is captured and grown in Darwin.

Together, these assets position Darwin as a competitive, full-service maritime hub capable of supporting defence, trade and industrial activity across the north and into the Indo-Pacific.

As Australia’s most northern deep-water harbour, the Northern Marine Complex is strategically located close to major international shipping routes and emerging opportunities linked to defence posture changes, gas development, critical minerals supply chains and increasing commercial vessel movements across the region.

Chief Minister and Minister for the Territory Coordinator, Lia Finocchiaro, said the declaration ensures a major public investment delivers real economic returns for Territorians.

“The Ship Lift is a major public investment, and Territorians rightly expect it to deliver. Developing an economically significant precinct will maximum the benefit of the Ship Lift to the entire maritime industry.” Mrs Finocchiaro said.

“Growth in the marine sector means more skilled local jobs, more Territory businesses in the supply chain, and even more reasons for defence to anchor itself in the Territory.

“That’s why, in our year of growth, certainty and security, we are taking strong action to rebuild our economy.”

In October 2025, the Public Accounts Committee delivered its findings into the Darwin Ship Lift Facility, identifying systemic coordination and accountability failures under Labor’s delivery of the project.

“During Labor’s eight-year tenure, taxpayers were left exposed to blowout after blowout as costs escalated through poor oversight,” Mrs Finocchiaro said.

Territory Coordinator Stuart Knowles said designation as a TDA provides the statutory framework to assess, facilitate and coordinate the delivery of developments of economic significance and to attract investment.  

“This declaration is a practical enabler,” Mr Knowles said.

“It supports a whole-of-government approach, stronger governance, cost discipline and coordination, ensuring taxpayer value is protected and delivery progresses.”

The designation of a TDA triggers the development of a TDA Plan, with full community consultation and input into the plan to occur, led by the Territory Coordinator.

The proposed Northern Marine Complex, at East Arm encompasses the Darwin Ship Lift and the Marine Industry Park and is critical to the Territory’s marine sector as a strategic growth engine, underpinned by Darwin’s geographic position in the Indo-Pacific as Australia’s northern maritime gateway.

For more information on the Territory Development Area, visit the website.

Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom