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.
THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF
Understand the options around Darwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
What this regional directory records Counts describe published records, not bookable trips or confirmed open sites.
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
- Is there a current, appropriate operator-led activity at this location?
- Which official access and wildlife guidance applies?
- 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
WreckDarwin 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…
WreckDarwin 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…
WreckDarwin 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…
WreckDarwin 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…
WreckDarwin 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…
Artificial ReefDarwin 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…
Artificial ReefDarwin 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.
WreckDarwin 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…
WreckDarwin 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.
Artificial ReefDarwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
Pipeline Artificial Reef
About 200 tonnes of large concrete pipes forming tunnels and overhangs that shelter big cod and jewfish.
Artificial ReefDarwin 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.
Artificial ReefDarwin 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.
ReefDarwin 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…
ReefDarwin 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…
Artificial ReefDarwin 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…
Details need confirmationReefDarwin 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.
Details need confirmationWreckDarwin 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.
Details need confirmationArtificial ReefDarwin 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…
Details need confirmationWreckDarwin 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.
Details need confirmationArtificial ReefDarwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
Gutters Central Engineered Reef
The westernmost 2019 engineered reef complex, in a strong-current channel area west of Fenton Patches.
Details need confirmationArtificial ReefDarwin 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.
Details need confirmationIslandDarwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
Peron Islands
Remote Timor Sea islands visited by Darwin fishing liveaboards, with bluewater pelagics around the island reefs.
Details need confirmationReefDarwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
Point Blaze Reefs
A remote reef area at the southern end of Fog Bay where tropical bluewater pelagics are regularly seen.
Details need confirmationReefDarwin Offshore & Artificial Reefs
Roche Reef
Dundee's main natural reef – extensive shallow coral with queenfish, mackerel and trevally sweeping over it on the tide.
Details need confirmation