The Northern Territory Government has awarded the contract for the construction and deployment of a new artificial reef in the Darwin region to HCS Constructions NT Pty Ltd, supported by In-Depth Innovations.
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Gerard Maley said HCS Constructions NT had been awarded the tender to design, construct and deploy the new $1.6 million artificial reef within the existing Charles Point Wide Reef Fish Protection Area.
“Our Government is committed to making the Territory the best place in Australia to enjoy world-class fishing, boating and outdoor recreation opportunities, and that means supporting our marine environments to thrive,” Minister Maley said.
Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure, Bill Yan, welcomed the award of the tender.
“This investment delivers for our local fisheries, supports our environment, and protects the iconic Territory lifestyle that locals love, and visitors travel the world to experience,” Minister Yan said.
The project brings together HCS Constructions’ local construction capability and In-Depth Innovations, a Darwin-founded marine habitat and environmental services business specialising in artificial reef design and delivery.
Director of HCS Constructions NT, Luke Harvey, reflected on the opportunity the initiative represented for creating broader capability within Territory construction.
“This project shows the versatility of Territory construction capability. By combining HCS’s fabrication and delivery experience with In-Depth Innovations reef technology, we’re expanding into a new area of marine infrastructure and creating a capability that can grow well beyond this project,” he said.
The artificial reef will be comprised of 55 large reef modules, purpose-built to increase reef complexity and productivity.
“This project provides an important opportunity for Fisheries researchers to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of artificial reefs as a fisheries enhancement tool,” Minister Maley said.
Managing Director of In-Depth Innovations, Kane Dysart, outlined the rigorous process the company has undertaken to design marine infrastructure compatible with the Territory environment.
“This represents three years of design and development and more than twelve months of in-water testing. The modules going into Charles Point build on what we’ve learned from real-world deployment and monitoring in Territory waters,” said Mr Dysart.
Deployment is scheduled for late 2026, after which Fisheries researchers will undertake monitoring of the reef’s performance.
