Rick Mills Artificial Reef

Meet the site

Rick Mills Reef is one of three artificial reefs placed off Lee Point by the NT Government to create fish habitat close to Darwin's northern suburbs. According to the NT Government reef list it is built from assorted plant equipment, about 1,500 tonnes of concrete culverts and five shipping containers, deployed in around 15 m of water. Local fishermen later added the 15 m steel yacht Van Bruggen close by in 2008, which is now a dive in its own right.

The reef is a broad, low field of heavy material rather than a single tall structure. Box culverts are stacked and scattered in piles, creating tunnels and ledges, while the containers and old machinery form larger blocks that fish use as shelter. After years on the bottom the concrete and steel carry encrusting sponges, hydroids, oysters, small soft corals and algae.

Fish life is the attraction. Golden snapper and fingermark hang around the culverts, black jewfish and estuary cod occupy the bigger voids, and schools of baitfish attract trevally, queenfish and the occasional Spanish mackerel. Along the sand and mud edges look for rays, flathead and shovelnose rays. In poor visibility the fish often appear suddenly at arm's length.

Visibility is the main limitation: this is a shallow site near a muddy coastline, and even on a good neap it rarely exceeds 8 m. The shallow depth, however, gives long bottom times, and the reef is close enough to the Buffalo Creek ramp for a short, low-cost boat trip. It suits Darwin-based divers with a boat who want a quick local dive, and it is a good training ground for low-visibility navigation. Pair it with the Van Bruggen or with the Truck Tipper reef to the east.

What you might see

Golden snapper, fingermark, black jewfish, estuary cod, trevally, queenfish, Spanish mackerel, baitfish, rays, flathead, sponges, hydroids

Location

The westernmost of the Lee Point artificial reefs, off Casuarina/Lee Point north of Darwin (12°18.451'S 130°48.872'E), close to the Van Bruggen yacht wreck.

Facilities nearby

Buffalo Creek boat ramp (trailer parking, no fuel); nearest air fills and fuel in Darwin.