Marine & Coastal

Darwin Harbour – a precious Marine Environment

Darwin Harbour is a tropical estuary in Northern Australia, with a maximum tidal range of eight metres. The Harbour covers approximately 450 square kilometres, including 23 square kilometres of inter-tidal mangrove and saltmash communities. Darwin is one of the few cities in the world with a large area of undisturbed mangroves on its doorstep.

Ecological Values

The Darwin Harbour environs are dominated by mangrove forests on the foreshores and savanna woodland on the hinterland. The mangrove forests are some of the most diverse and abundant in the Northern Territory. Thirty-six of 48 species occur in the area. They provide nursery habitat for marine life and are home to waterbirds and other fauna. The forests also provide some protection from storm surges and coastal erosion, and improve water quality by acting as a sink for sediments and nutrients.

The reefs of Darwin Harbour support both soft and hard corals. Coral reefs occur at depths of up to 10 metres and are inhabited by an array of marine wildlife. One hundred and thirteen species of coral have been recorded. The reefs are unusually rich and diverse in sponges, with 220 species recorded at East Point alone.

Darwin Harbour provides excellent opportunities for viewing waterbirds. At least 48 species of waterbirds occur, of which 25 are listed under international migratory bird agreements. Notable species sighted are the Great-billed Heron, the Chestnut Rail and the Beach Thick-knee. Rare birds include the Red necked Phalarope, Sabine's Gull and the Black-tailed Gull. At least 15 migrant shorebird species use the Harbour.

Darwin Harbour provides a home for vulnerable dugongs and threatened Irrawaddy River dolphins. Five species of marine turtle have been recorded in the Harbour, including significant populations of flat-back and green turtles. The area also provides habitat for saltwater crocodiles. Three hundred and forty species of fish have been recorded in Darwin Harbour. Fifteen of these species appear to be restricted to the Northern Territory coast.

The Channel Island Reefs and Darwin Foreshores are on the Register of the National Estate.

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Cultural and Social Values

The mangrove forests of Darwin Harbour are relied on by Aboriginal people, particularly local Larrakia people for traditional foods. The use of the Harbour's natural resources by Aboriginal peoples is an essential part of Aboriginal culture.

The low wooded hills, mangrove forests, rocky foreshores, cliffs and sandy beaches combine to make Darwin Harbour an aesthetically beautiful place with high recreational values. Fishing, boating, scuba diving, sailing, water skiing and beach use are popular activities. Wrecks of warplanes and ships scatter the Bay providing popular fishing and dive sites.

Economic Values

Economically, the Harbour is important for commercial fishing, pearl culturing, aquaculture and tourism. All of these uses rely on different components of the marine environment and require a healthy ecosystem for their economic sustainability.

The mangroves and adjacent environments of Darwin Harbour are in relatively good condition, despite localised development in Frances Bay, Cullen Bay and Bayview Haven.

Planning for Future Use of Darwin Harbour

There is a need for careful land-use planning to ensure that increasing pressure on Darwin Harbour does not compromise the ecological, social, cultural and economic values enjoyed by the local community and visitors to Darwin. Threats to these values include vegetation clearance, tidal flat drainage, altered drainage patterns, extractive industries, port operations, sewage outfalls, stormwater drains and surface runoff. Government plans to dam arms of Darwin Harbour represent a major attack on the ecological integrity of the Harbour.

Increasing human pressures on Darwin Harbour point to the need for a management plan to ensure the ecological sustainable use of the Harbour. Management plans provide a means to identify and protect areas of high conservation value and to manage adjacent land-use activities. The development and implementation of a management plan for Darwin Harbour should actively involve Aboriginal peoples and the wider community. Above all a management plan for Darwin Harbour must protect important mangrove environments from further damage.

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MORE INFORMATION

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