Greater Darwin

The Greater Darwin region includes the cities of Darwin and Palmerston, the Litchfield Shire, East Arm and Robertson Barracks. The region is home to around 152,500 people, representing about 60% of the Territory’s population.

Greater Darwin has the lowest proportion of young people among the regions, with around 32% aged 24 years and under, and the highest proportion of population aged 65 years and over, at around 10%.

Darwin is the Territory’s capital city and the main administrative centre. Major industries include construction, defence, retail, tourism, education and training, public administration, community safety and health care.

Darwin is a key gateway to the Territory’s regional centres and tourist attractions, and an important strategic hub for trade and defence. Major industries in Palmerston and the Litchfield Shire include construction, aquaculture, horticulture, cattle and crocodile farming, defence and LNG production. The Robertson Barracks army base, located near Palmerston, hosts ongoing rotations of the United States marines in the Territory.

Royal Darwin Hospital upgrades

The 2025 Budget includes funding to progress upgrades to the Royal Darwin Hospital, including:

• $49.3 million for a mental health inpatient unit and stabilisation assessment and referral area facility
• 17.7 million for a new modular multipurpose facility.

The 2025 Budget also includes $16 million ongoing for operating costs of the new mental health facility and $500,000 to purchase medical equipment.

Economic infrastructure

The 2025 Budget invests in infrastructure to support the growth of the Greater Darwin region including:

• $93.5 million for the Strauss to Middle Arm pipeline
• $13.7 million for East Arm utilities upgrades.

The Territory Government continues to support land release across the Greater Darwin region, including:

• $49.6 million for headworks infrastructure to support the development of Holtze
• $11 million for headworks infrastructure to support the development of Farrar West
• $2 million for a rolling program of headworks infrastructure and subdivision designs to support the
  development of land across the region
• $1.2 million for headworks infrastructure to support the development of the Berrimah North area plan.

Kulaluk town camp upgrade

The 2025 Budget includes $11 million for works at Kulaluk town camp in Coconut Grove to upgrade the stormwater drainage system, infrastructure and access road. The works will create an underground stormwater system that will alleviate localised flooding, water ponding and associated biting insect issues. The works include:

• new underground stormwater drainage
• upgrade the dual lane access road, water, power and street lighting
• new footpath through to the town camp
• improve vehicle entry and exit from Dick Ward Drive.

Works are due to start mid 2025 (weather dependant) and be completed by February 2026.

Transport

The 2025 Budget includes $103 million for upgrades to roads in Greater Darwin, including:

• $80 million for Arnhem Highway duplication – Stuart Highway to Kostka Road
• $23 million for Roystonea Avenue duplication – Terry Drive to Lambrick Avenue.

Upgrades to schools

The 2025 Budget includes $9.1 million for new and continuing works to upgrade school infrastructure and facilities in Greater Darwin, including:

• $3.8 million for new preschool facilities at Parap Primary School
• $1.7 million for planning for enrolment growth in secondary and special education in Palmerston
• $1.6 million for administration block upgrades at Leanyer Primary School
• $1 million for a special education centre for middle and senior students in Palmerston
• $1 million for priority roof replacement at Wulagi Primary School.

Youth Hub

The 2025 Budget includes $4.6 million to support the delivery of a new Youth Hub in Darwin’s northern suburbs.
The Youth Hub will be built at the Leanyer Recreation Park precinct following community feedback about the previously proposed site at the former Casuarina Fire Station.

The new site, based within a popular recreational precinct with existing public transport links, allows the Youth Hub to be easily accessible for young people and families across Darwin’s northern suburbs. The current SHAK Youth Drop-In Centre at Sanderson Middle School, which has been running since October 2021, will continue to operate as an interim youth hub providing essential referral pathways and early intervention to support young people.

The new Youth Hub will complement design work currently being undertaken on Leanyer Recreation Park precinct amenities, including a pump track (for cycling, scootering and roller blading), an undercover basketball court and upgrades to skate park amenities.

Major works overview

Printable fact sheet

Get a printable copy of the Greater Darwin fact sheet PDF (852.4 KB).