Meet the site
Lee Point Wide (designated AR1) is one of four engineered reef complexes the NT Government installed off the Top End coast in 2019. It sits in about 28 m of water roughly 18 km north of Lee Point, in open ground well offshore from the older, shallower Lee Point reefs built from scrap and culverts. The 2019 installation was part of an $8.3 million NT Government artificial reef project described at the time as the largest single installation of artificial reefs in the Southern Hemisphere, with a design life of well over 100 years. Each module is a purpose-built concrete structure about 5 m tall, 4 m square at the base and weighing about 24 tonnes, designed with openings and internal cells to provide shelter at several levels, and the modules are grouped into a reef complex rather than a single block.
What a diver finds is a group of tall, geometric concrete towers standing on a flat sand and shell bottom. In their first years the modules were bare; by now they carry a growing cover of sponges, hydroids, oysters, soft corals and algae, and the tallest faces attract gorgonians and sea whips. Because they stand 5 m high, the modules concentrate fish vertically: baitfish and fusiliers hang above the tops, golden snapper, saddletail snapper and fingermark sit around the mid-levels, and cod and black jewfish use the shaded interior cells. Trevally, queenfish, cobia and Spanish mackerel hunt around the complex, and big groper have been reported on similar NT modules.
Diving documentation for Lee Point Wide is sparse – it was designed for anglers and is visited by divers only occasionally. The depth, open-water position and tidal stream make it an advanced dive requiring a competent boat crew. For divers interested in how modern engineered reefs mature, it is one of the most accessible examples in northern Australia, and it offers better water clarity than the inshore reefs on a good day.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Lee Point Wide Engineered Reef is recorded as Artificial Reef in Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs. The listed access is boat (day trip). Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Lee Point Wide Engineered Reef suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Lee Point Wide Engineered Reef through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Golden snapper, saddletail snapper, fingermark, black jewfish, estuary cod, trevally, queenfish, cobia, Spanish mackerel, fusiliers, baitfish, sponges, hydroids
Location
Engineered concrete reef complex about 18 km north of Lee Point in open water (12°10.083'S 130°47.033'E).
Facilities nearby
Buffalo Creek boat ramp or Cullen Bay Marina; air fills in Darwin.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
nt.gov.aufishingworld.com.audarwingamefishingclub.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
