Healthy Coasts

The Northern Territory coast is an incredible asset that is under pressure from development projects and mining.

The NT Government recently released the NT Coastal and Marine Management Strategy, delivering on one of their most important election commitments.

This is an important first step however the strategy needs urgent implementation to ensure our unique and precious coast is protected for future generations.

Download the strategy here

Keep Top End Coasts Healthy

The Territory coast is at the heart of our Top End lifestyle. But its health is under stress. Our fishing is amazing, but not as good as it used to be. Mangroves are being destroyed, pollution is damaging our beaches, and the threat of seabed mining is a looming threat.

The ECNT supports the work of Keep Top End Coasts Healthy. Thanks to thousands of Territorians, the Gunner Government developed a 10 year plan to manage and protect our Top End coasts and seas.

But we need to make sure this 10 year plan - the NT Coastal and Marine Management Strategy - is implemented. Sign here to protect our coasts and send an email to the Chief Minister.

Keep updated on the Keep Top End Coasts Healthy website.

Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee

ECNT is a member of the Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee. The committee provides advice to the NT Government through the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources on the effective management of Darwin Harbour and its catchment. This is to ensure that for now and into the future, a balance is maintained between:

sustainable development
a working harbour important to a range of cultural, recreational and economic values and
the protection and maintenance of healthy environments and ecosystems in the harbour and its catchment.

Find out more on the Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee website, and email ECNT with your concerns.

Glyde Point

Glyde Point has been eyed for development multiple times over the last few decades and each time has been resisted by the Environment Centre NT and others because of the significant environmental values of the site. In 2003, the NT Government proposed a port facility and heavy industry site, with accompanying residential development. That didn’t go ahead but the proposal for a deep water port was revived ten years later which also did not proceed.

The Environment Centre NT strongly supports the designation of the Glyde Point region as an area for marine and coastal conservation and recreation. It calls on the NT Government to create a ban on industrial development in the area, and instead reinvesting its efforts into investigating the potential value of the site as a protected area, supporting well-managed eco-tourism, cultural tourism and recreational industries. Previous analysis has indicated that a that industrial development of this area is unlikely to be economically feasible. Read our report on its precious values.