Northern Territory

Diving in Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Outside the harbour the water clears a little and a collection of post-war wrecks, artificial reefs and natural patches (the Fenton Patches, Charles Point reef and the scuttled Song Saigon and Anchorage wrecks) give Darwin divers deeper and cleaner alternatives to the harbour war graves.

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YouDive turtle in an illustrated Northern Territory setting; not a photograph of Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Custom YouDive mascot art inspired by Northern Territory. An imaginative illustration, not a photograph or map of this destination.

Your bearings, in a minute

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs at a glance

Start with the local site mix, explore the map and find people to ask about your trip.

Explore
24 site records
Recorded settings
Artificial Reef · Wreck · Reef
Map coverage
24 locations to explore
Plan with local help
Meet the listed operators

Directory counts describe published records, not bookable trips. Location confidence is shown separately in the map list. How we check information →

Sources, authorship and review status

Prepared by YouDive editorial with AI assistance. No firsthand visit, equipment test or instructor review is implied.

Independent specialist review: pending. We publish a reviewer’s name, qualifications, date and exact review scope only after the review has actually happened.

Who can contribute and how reviews work →

Find your bearings

Explore Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs on the map

Compare where the recorded sites sit, then open a site to read its access and source notes. Locations are for orientation, not marine navigation or entry instructions.

24 matching records · 24 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.

The local notebook

Where should you start in Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs?

Use the actual places attached to the local records to narrow your research. These are recorded nearby towns and areas, not verified departure points or accommodation recommendations.

Different outings to look into

Details drawn from individual published site records
Local exampleRecorded nearby placeRecorded accessFollow the evidence
Adelaide River Mouth Engineered ReefDarwin (Leaders Creek / Gunn Point)Boat (day trip)Recorded source ↗
Peron IslandsDundee Beach / DarwinBoat (multi-day/liveaboard)Recorded source ↗
Bynoe Harbour Entrance ReefsDundee Beach / Crab Claw IslandBoat (day trip)Recorded source ↗
Amanda LeeDarwinBoat (day trip)Recorded source ↗
How to use this shortlist

Choose the named outing that interests you first. Compare its recorded place and access with your accommodation plans, then obtain the actual meeting address and schedule from the provider. The site links show the underlying depth, location confidence and source notes. Similar town names or map positions do not establish that two outings can be combined in a day.

A closer look at Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Get a feel for the diving

Our Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs directory currently includes 24 published site records. The largest recorded category is artificial reef (9 records). Use the mix below to decide what you would like to read about first.

The YouDive turtle introducing this destination’s guide

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs: what’s in the directory?

A visual guide to recorded site types. Counts show coverage, not popularity or current availability.

Artificial Reef9 records
Wreck9 records
Reef5 records
Island1 record

Source: published YouDive directory records for Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.

A few local records to compare

Start with Adelaide River Mouth Engineered Reef, Peron Islands, Bynoe Harbour Entrance Reefs. These are examples from different recorded categories, not a recommended route or a list of the best sites. Open each record for its sources, map and review notes.

One alphabetical example per recorded type, up to four types
SiteRecorded typeAccessDepth
Adelaide River Mouth Engineered Reef

Details need confirmation

Artificial ReefBoat (day trip)11–16 m
Peron Islands

Details need confirmation

IslandBoat (multi-day/liveaboard)Depth not recorded
Bynoe Harbour Entrance Reefs

Details need confirmation

ReefBoat (day trip)Depth not recorded
Amanda LeeWreckBoat (day trip)18–28 m

How the recorded depths compare

A dot shows a recorded maximum. A line joins the recorded minimum and maximum when both are available. These are site descriptions, not target depths or certification limits.

Peron IslandsDepth not recorded

No mark plotted: depth is missing.

No mark plotted: depth is missing.

Amanda Lee18–28 m

The table above contains the same depth values. Depth alone cannot establish suitability, and records may require correction. Source: the linked site records.

Start an NT diving enquiry with local knowledge

Use the directory to discover names and ask better questions. Establish who currently offers the particular activity, where it takes place and what participation requirements apply before building a holiday around a stored site record.

Turn a record into a current enquiry

A published location may be useful historical or geographic information without describing a trip that can be booked today. Contact a relevant local provider with the site name, your dates and your recent experience. Ask what activities are actually running and which sites may be considered. Keep a clear distinction between a place being listed and an operator agreeing to take you there.

Ask for the whole arrangement

Establish the departure, access permissions, equipment support and current local briefing. Tell the provider which qualifications and equipment you have, rather than assuming a generic beginner or experienced label is enough. If it cannot provide the activity you want, ask about appropriate alternatives and investigate those separately. Avoid making a booking from a map pin or old access description alone.

Keep your travel flexible until the details are clear

Before connecting flights, accommodation and other activities to the outing, get the expected timetable and booking terms. Identify who handles changes and what remains unanswered. The useful outcome of early research may be a different activity or a different date. Leave that possibility open while you confirm the practical details with people who operate locally.

Three conversations worth having before you book

Site research

Is a relevant operator currently offering this activity?

Treat a directory entry as a starting point.

Access enquiry

Which permissions and local briefing apply?

Use current arrangements, not an old pin.

Travel booking

What is confirmed and what may still change?

Keep dependent bookings flexible.

From “that looks lovely” to a plan

Make Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs your kind of dive trip

Find your starting point, meet the local options and keep your ideas together. You do not need to have the whole trip worked out yet.

Where are you on your diving journey?

These are learning paths to explore, not prerequisites for every local site. Confirm the actual course, instructor and your readiness with the provider.

People to talk to about Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

These profiles are based in the region or have a sourced link to one of its sites. Shown alphabetically, not as a quality ranking. Ask about the specific trip or course you want.

Source-linked to a site in this region

Dive Darwin

Darwin

The main verified dive operation in the Northern Territory, offering recreational training through professional level alongside technical diving and a large specialty range.

Listed agencies: padi. Check current affiliations and course availability.

Meet this operator →

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Let’s put the pieces together

Start with the place and your questions. Add dates and prices once you have spoken with the people running the trip.

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Creates a new trip with this destination, useful reading and starter questions. Saved on this browser; export a backup from My trips.

THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF

Understand the options around Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

What this regional directory records

There are 24 published site records in Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs. The recorded categories include artificial reef (9), wreck (9), reef (5), island (1). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.

Use the Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs site cards to compare recorded access and depth, then open the individual pages for the map accuracy and source notes. Sites grouped in a region are not necessarily close enough to combine in one day.

Research operators in Northern Territory →

Ask before booking

  1. Is there a current, appropriate operator-led activity at this location?
  2. Which official access and wildlife guidance applies?
  3. What permissions and travel arrangements must be confirmed?

Save the answers with the contact name and date. Separate confirmed arrangements from items still waiting for a reply.

Record your trip questions →

Questions, answered

How do I choose a dive in Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs?

Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 24 published records are research options, not a list of trips available today. Match the plan to your training, recent experience and the operator’s current requirements.

When should I visit Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs for diving?

Choose dates with a provider who runs the activity you want, then discuss seasonal patterns, recent conditions and alternative itineraries. A generic best-month claim cannot establish the conditions at your exact site or guarantee a wildlife encounter.

Can I use these maps to enter or navigate a dive site?

No. Recorded and approximate map positions support orientation only. Confirm the exact access, permissions, meeting point and route with the responsible local provider or manager.

Regional planning context: NT Government — Be Crocwise ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.

Dive sites in this region

Find local operators
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Amanda Lee

An 18–20 m trepang vessel lying on her port side with wheelhouse, rails and a large Kort nozzle clearly visible and good coral…

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Antares and Steel Barge

Upright 22 m coastal trader scuttled in 2011 with a steel barge alongside – part of the Antares, Amelia C and Merindah Pearl…

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Marchart 3

The 32 m ex-research vessel and prawn trawler that founded the Fenton Patches reef field in 1988 – upright, intact and heavily…

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

SS Brisbane

The NT's largest surviving colonial wreck: an 85 m 1881 steamer whose boilers break the surface at low springs while the intact…

Boat (day trip)Up to 12 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Amelia C

A 25 m prawn trawler cleaned by Darwin Sub Aqua Club volunteers and scuttled in 2013 – upright, open and busy with snapper and…

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Bottlewasher Artificial Reef

An old Coca-Cola bottle-washing machine surrounded by 1,500 tonnes of concrete culverts – a shallow, fishy and unmistakably…

Boat (day trip)Up to 15 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Bus Stop Reef

An improvised early-1990s reef of steel pontoons, truck tyres, concrete bus shelters and a 10 m boat, known for very large cod.

Boat (day trip)Up to 25 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Japanese Submarine I-124

Australia's first protected war grave – a WWII Japanese minelaying submarine in 45 m, closed to divers; viewable through a 2022…

Boat (day trip)Up to 45 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Merindah Pearl

A 25 m ex-pearling vessel prepared by DSAC volunteers and scuttled in 2013 at the northern end of the Fenton wreck cluster.

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Pipeline Artificial Reef

About 200 tonnes of large concrete pipes forming tunnels and overhangs that shelter big cod and jewfish.

Boat (day trip)Up to 25 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Rick Mills Artificial Reef

Plant equipment, 1,500 tonnes of concrete culverts and five shipping containers in 15 m, with the Van Bruggen yacht wreck nearby.

Boat (day trip)Up to 15 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Truck Tipper Artificial Reef

Twenty mining road-train side tippers and two steel vessels in 15 m – with the Kay Lee wreck and its giant groper close by.

Boat (day trip)Up to 15 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Vernon Islands

Coral reefs rising steeply from fast tidal channels in Clarence Strait, with Spanish mackerel feeding along the edges – the best…

Boat (day trip)Up to 25 m
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Vernon Islands Blue Holes

Tidal blue holes that become sheltered, fish-filled coral pools at low tide – with a 'horizontal waterfall' as the water drains…

Boat (day trip)Depth not recorded
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Adelaide River Mouth Engineered Reef

The engineered reef closest to the Adelaide River – built for anglers, occasionally of interest to experienced local divers on…

Boat (day trip)Up to 16 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Bynoe Harbour Entrance Reefs

Tidal reefs and islands at the mouth of Bynoe Harbour – a sheltered alternative to Fog Bay for self-sufficient divers.

Boat (day trip)Depth not recorded
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Cockatoo and Mudlark Artificial Reef

A pair of 20 m hulls lying side by side on the western edge of Fenton Patches, forming a fish-filled gutter between them.

Boat (day trip)Up to 25 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Dundee Wide Engineered Reef

A 2019 engineered concrete reef in 16 m off Dundee Beach – the shallowest and most approachable of the new NT reef complexes for…

Boat (day trip)Up to 16 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Galah and Heron Artificial Reef

Two 20 m vessels scuttled together as fish habitat, next to the Amanda Lee – quieter than the main Fenton wrecks.

Boat (day trip)Up to 25 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Gutters Central Engineered Reef

The westernmost 2019 engineered reef complex, in a strong-current channel area west of Fenton Patches.

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Lee Point Wide Engineered Reef

Purpose-built 5 m concrete reef modules installed in 2019 in 28 m of open water north of Lee Point.

Boat (day trip)Up to 28 m
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteIsland

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Peron Islands

Remote Timor Sea islands visited by Darwin fishing liveaboards, with bluewater pelagics around the island reefs.

Boat (multi-day/liveaboard)Depth not recorded
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Point Blaze Reefs

A remote reef area at the southern end of Fog Bay where tropical bluewater pelagics are regularly seen.

Boat (day trip)Depth not recorded
Details need confirmation
NTYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs

Roche Reef

Dundee's main natural reef – extensive shallow coral with queenfish, mackerel and trevally sweeping over it on the tide.

Boat (day trip)Up to 15 m
Details need confirmation