THE new Darwin Helicopter Terminal (DHT), located at the city’s cruise port (pictured), is currently awaiting approval, in what is being described as a “game-changer” for the industry in the NT. The Terminal, run by Operations Manager Bjorn Farley, is located at Fort Hill Wharf, right on the doorstep of...
THE new Darwin Helicopter Terminal (DHT), located at the city’s cruise port (pictured), is currently awaiting approval, in what is being described as a “game-changer” for the industry in the NT.
The Terminal, run by Operations Manager Bjorn Farley, is located at Fort Hill Wharf, right on the doorstep of one of the port’s key cruise ship berths.
DHT was conceived just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been in planning for about five years, with Farley keen to improve accessibility to some of the NT’s greatest and most remote tourism assets.
Final approvals currently sit with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Farley told Cruise Weekly, and once consented to, DHT will allow passengers to step straight off their ship and into a helicopter to head out on a range of shore excursions around the NT.
DHT will operate a number of itineraries to Barramundi Adventures Darwin and the Territory Wildlife Park in Berry Springs, and an Adelaide River jumping crocodile cruise, which can all be reached in around half an hour.
These shore excursions are often up to a three-hour turnaround on the road.
Also offered will be flightseeing over Kakadu or Litchfield national parks, Nitmiluk Gorge, Mt Borradaile in Arnhem Land, and trips to the Tiwi Islands, which will cut a ferry ride of up to four hours down to an hour-and-a-half helicopter flight.
Many of these experiences are not feasible for cruise passengers unless they are staying overnight in Darwin, and are almost impossible to see in wet season.
Operations will commence with one helicopter, which will be capable of five departures per hour; however, Farley hopes to expand beyond a single chopper in the future.
“If we could move to 400-500 passengers per day, I think that would be quite amazing,” he told Cruise Weekly.
The facility will also be able to be used by other helicopter and tour operators, provided they meet safety requirements.
Farley said a number of cruise lines have already been in contact with him about the product. MS
