About Darwin Harbour

Australia's northernmost capital city of Darwin has an outstanding pristine harbour, protected from commercial gill netting to provide a sportfishing mecca for residents and visitors.

Heavy industry is only localised on its shores, with most of the estuary still undeveloped and retaining its environmental values.

The Darwin Harbour Regional Plan of Management area covers Port Darwin and shallow Shoal Bay to the north of Darwin. The management area (referred to as the Darwin Harbour region) covers 3227sqkm and extends from Charles Point on Cox Peninula in the west to Gunn Point in the east, including the estuarine areas and tributaries of Woods Inlet, West Arm, Middle Arm, East Arm, the Howard River and the land that drains into these waterways.

Darwin Harbour is relatively shallow at about 50m in the deepest areas, with much of the area shallow and drying at low tide. Most of the harbour is lined with mangrove forest, providing a rich habitat for various stages of marine life. Tidal movement reaches a considerable 8m.

Despite reliable wet season rainfall the harbour has only limited surrounding wetlands, and it is believed adjacent Shoal Bay is the chief nursery area for fish such as barramundi. Darwin River Dam captures much of the harbour catchment's rainfall.

Fishing is the main recreational activity in the harbour, with barramundi the most popular target species. Other common species include black jewfish, golden snapper, various trevally and mackerel species, queenfish, goldspot cod and threadfin salmon.

A special feature of the harbour is the presence of a large number of war and cyclone wrecks. These originate mostly from the bombing of Darwin in 1942, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

Many of the war wrecks were part salvaged, but the remains still provide spots of interest for fishermen and divers.

More recently, artificial reefs have been installed off Lee Point, and out to sea at the Fenton Patches.

The presence of abundant box jellyfish, crocodiles and sharks makes swimming and watersports problematic, although kite surfing is popular. Up to 300 saltwater crocodiles are removed from the harbour environs each year.

Popular social activities include the annual Beer Can Regatta, and the dry season Mindil Beach Markets.

Here is an online Darwin fishing forum ... www.fishingterritory.com.