Final tender released for Gunyangara (Gove Port) Tourism Precinct

27 January 2024

The Territory Labor Government is ensuring East Arnhem is one of the Territory’s fastest growing regions, with the final construction tender to upgrade marine and landside facilities at Gunyangara Tourism Precinct released.

New marine facilities will enable ongoing maintenance by local businesses in Nhulunbuy, while the floating pontoon is detachable so it can be removed and stored safely in preparation for a cyclone.

The upgrades will provide better facilities for recreational users, charter vessels, small cruise ship operators and other marine operators as well as opportunities to maximise local and Indigenous participation and support regional growth.

The tender includes:

o             new extended rock groyne that vehicles and pedestrians can access

o             careening facilities that vessels can dock alongside for maintenance

o             floating pontoon extending out from the groyne

o             washdown bay

o             car park upgrades

o             entry structure. 

This is the third package of works for the $9 million Gunyangara (Gove Port) Tourism Precinct project, which will bolster marine and landside facilities for vessels to dock to enable more visitors to explore the region’s natural beauty and rich cultural history.

Local Indigenous Business Enterprise Deltareef completed the first package of early works for this project in 2022 to secure an area of significance in the car park on the site adjacent to the Gove Boat Club.

Deltareef also completed a $1.4 million package of works that included constructing toilet facilities, shade and seating to provide additional amenities and comfort for visitors and users. 

This created fifteen jobs, 30% of which were local Aboriginal people, and used locally sourced Darwin Stringybark trees milled at the timber mill owned by the Gumatj Corporation. 

An additional seven local Aboriginal people worked with the timber, preparing it for construction and erecting it on site.

The Gunyangara (Gove Port) Tourism Precinct is jointly funded by the Australian Government through the Aboriginals Benefit Account to the Gumatj Corporation, the Northern Territory Government and Developing East Arnhem Limited.

Quotes attributable to Chief Minister and Minister for Territory Development, Eva Lawler: 

“The Territory Labor Government is ensuring all regions of the Territory grow and prosper, we want East Arnhem Land and the Gove Peninsula to have a strong economic future.

“We need to diversify the opportunities available in the region and work to grow the tourism and maritime industries, as well as highlight the natural resources and strong cultural community already in place. 

“These upgrades will bring visitation and investment to a new level, creating more local jobs, Aboriginal engagement and a stronger Territory economy.”

Northern Territory Government