Our Harbour is at risk

Keeping our Harbour great means stopping the Middle Arm gas hub

Darwin Harbour is vast and vibrant, with a shoreline that hosts the most diverse mangrove forest in the North, supporting a resilient mud crab and barramundi fishery. Beneath the waves, seagrass meadows support herds of dugongs and coral reefs host schools of golden snapper and mulloway. The harbour is a key part of how we live, work, and play in Darwin.

The Middle Arm gas hub will require five huge jetties that will protrude into the Elizabeth River estuary, potentially obstructing access to the Harbour from the Elizabeth River jetty and blocking much-loved fishing grounds. This infrastructure would allow vessels with a length of 220m to enter the vicinity, fundamentally altering the recreational enjoyment of the Harbour and the Elizabeth River. Our harbour simply won’t be the same.

The toxic industries proposed for Middle Arm can lead to a range of dangerous substances finding their way into our harbour. Government monitoring data shows that the existing industrialisation of Middle Arm and the harbour is already having a marked impact of water quality. Levels of toxins like lead, cadmium, and chromium have all increased significantly since 2008. These chemicals are toxic for the creatures that inhabit the Harbour, the marine ecosystems on which they rely, and even the people who consume them.

The Middle Arm gas hub could push current concentrations of toxic substances in Darwin Harbour, the Elizabeth River estuary, and other sites to levels that are extremely damaging to Harbour ecosystems and even beyond the national guidelines for safe consumption.

Join the movement today.

Authorised by K. Howey, Environment Centre NT, 3/98 Woods Street, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.