land development corporation | develop tiwi PHOTO CREDIT: TOURISM NT AQUACULTURE development opportunities developtiwi.com.au OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEAFOOD Barramundi is considered an iconic fish of northern Australia. Barramundi is an Aboriginal word meaning “large scaled silver/river fish”. The Australian farmed barramundi industry started in the mid 1980s and barramundi is now farmed throughout Australia. Barramundi can be farmed in a number of ways, from indoor recirculating aquaculture (tanks) systems, to land-based pond operations and sea cages. The Tiwi Islands offers an abundance of both of these options for Barramundi farming. Mud Crabs are a highly regarded and valued food item in both Australia and Asia. Mud crab aquaculture is not currently undertaken in the Northern Territory but has been successfully carried out in a number of Asian countries. Mud Crab farming is generally based on catching juveniles from the wild and using them to stock mangrove enclosures, pens or ponds for grow out. The Darwin Aquaculture Centre has now made it feasible to supply juvenile crabs to farmers. With this development, opportunities now exist for pioneering investors to become involved in mud crab aquaculture. Sea Cucumber, also known as Trepang, is a prized delicacy throughout the Asia Pacific region. Trepang were historically harvested in the NT and traded with the Macassans dating as far back as the 1600s.The Darwin Aquaculture Centre is working with private enterprise and other organisations including Indigenous communities to find and develop suitable Trepang ranching sites in the NT. Prawns are a popular seafood and consumer demand is high. In the Northern Territory, the main species farmed is commonly known as the Black Tiger Prawn. Prawn farming started in Australia in the 1980s and currently contributes 15-20% of the total prawn production. Prawn farming is carried out in earthen ponds filled with sea water and aerated to supply oxygen and maintain the good water quality needed for optimal growth. Black Lip Rock Oysters have been historically harvested by remote Indigenous communities for food and/or trade. A number of different farming systems have been trialled and hatchery techniques for reliable production of spat are progressing. Several thousand oysters have been bred by the Darwin Aquaculture Centre and 4000 have been given to the community of Pirlangimpi on the Tiwi Islands for future growth and breeding programs. Clams can be used for export, conservation programs, eco-tourism and sustainable traditional harvesting for cultural and nutritional practices. Following an aquarium industry initiated research and development project, hatchery production of clams at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre was successful and indicated that this industry could offer a viable enterprise opportunity to Indigenous coastal communities. 2 | developtiwi.com.au land development corporation | develop tiwi Cape Van Dundas Strait Diemen Point weekly East Goose Creek Jahleel 2,900 Hectares Smoky Cape Wurankuwu North Point Point Fleeming Byng Yuananji Bay 1,000 Hectares Wuluwunga Point Jual Brenton Kuanipiri Bay Bay Brace Point St. Asaph Harold Boradi Bay Bay Radford Point Point Deception Point Luxmore Head Lethbridge Shark Cape Lavery Burra Burra Pulloloo Bay Bay Heads Bay Garden Point Brown Nodlaw Is. Point Tinganuwu Airport Snake Bay Bay Caution Point Port Melville Pirlangimpi Milikapiti Goose Creek Snake Bay Curtis Wetlands Haven Harris Airport Cape Helvetius Is. Bathurst Apsley Strait Tamparraimi 1,300 Hectares (Soldier Point) Napier Bay Yipinuwurra ISLANDS (Clift Island) TIWI Johnson River Camp Wangiti Beach Camp Point Cape Campsite Keith Wurankuwu Taracumbi Falls Yimpinari Kanunga Point Cobham Melville Island Bay Cape Bathurst Ranku Waterhole Helvetius Island Lodge Island Gordon Bathurst East Johnston River Rinamatta Beach Bay Island Airport Timor Inter-Island Ferry 1,800 Hectares Terminal Sea Point Fawcett Paru Wurrumiyanga Pickataramoor Cape Teddy’s Fourcroy Shoal Ant Camp Bay Takamprimilli Cliff West Johnston River Mitchell Yirripurlingayi Point Bowen One Tree 3,300 Hectares Bay Point (Buchanan Is.) Robertson Creek weekly Campsite fortnightly Muranapi Point Point Elly Irrititu Is. Yuwurlipi (Cape Gambier) Clarence Strait Wurankuwu South weekly Vernon 6,000 Hectares South West Islands Vernon Island FLIGHTS 15-20 MINS Gunn Djukbinj Wurrumiyanga Precinct Point National Van Diemen Gulf 1,800 Hectares Park FERRY 2.5 HRS (one way) BARGEfortnightly SERVICES Northern NORTHERN Suburbs TERRITORY Fannie Darwin International AQUACULTURE Bay Airport Beagle Gulf Ferry Cox Terminal Palmerston Barge OPPORTUNITY LOCATIONS Peninsula Darwin Darwin Harbour Howard Springs There are a range of aquaculture opportunities The species and farming systems targeted fit with present on the Tiwi Islands. the Aboriginal peoples’ cultural and economic aspirations and capacities of the Tiwi people. The Tiwi people encourage development that provides Species currently under trial are trepang (sea the opportunity to re-engage with the land and provide cucumber), giant clams and tropical rock oysters. opportunities for economic and social self-reliance. The Tiwi environment lends itself to development of both Around the world aquaculture has proven to be one of sea cage farming and land based farming enterprises. the few developing industries that can provide economic and employment outcomes in rural and/remote areas. Advantages of the Tiwi Islands include pristine coastlines due to low level populations, pristine sources of fresh With the support of the Northern Territory Government, water and sea water and natural stocks of barramundi, the Darwin Aquaculture Centre works to develop crab and sea cucumber. successful aquaculture enterprises, that provide employment and business opportunities for The Tiwi Islands has an established port for the import Indigenous people. and export of product to be used in both sea cage farming and land based farming. AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITIES | 3 land development corporation | develop tiwi DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK TIWI LAND COUNCIL AGREEMENT • Represents the Traditional Owners The Tiwi Development Framework Agreement is an • Approves all leases agreement between the Tiwi Land Council and the Land Development Corporation to facilitate leases LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION and sustained development on the Tiwi Islands. • Northern Territory Government strategic Under the Agreement Traditional Owners lease land development agency land for up to 99 years to the Land Development Corporation for on-leasing to investors. • Facilitates Tiwi Islands visits for investors • Identifies and investigates sites • Interacts with Traditional Owners TRADITIONAL OWNERS • Facilitates technical advice and government approvals • Negotiates and finalises leases LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ABOUT THE TIWI ISLANDS • Home to 2,600 people, primarily the Tiwi Traditional Owners • Melville, Bathurst and a number of smaller 2 INVESTORS islands have an area of 7,800 km • Located 70 kilometres north of Darwin. Access by sea (2.5 hours) and air (15 - 20 minutes) The Agreement provides for 10,040 hectares of land to • Hot, tropical climate with distinct wet be leased for: Tourism and Recreation; Aquaculture; and dry seasons Agriculture; and Industrial development. • Largely vegetated by undisturbed woodland CURRENT DEVELOPMENT with abundant ground and surface water The Tiwi Islands are home to a plantation forestry • Popular for fishing, art centres and industry, which exports woodchip via a deep sea port. cultural museums In addition there is a flourishing tourist industry • Three main communities which focussed on recreational fishing and culture. provide a range of services FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE A SITE VISIT CONTACT: Nicole Paas Tel: 08 8944 0900 A special acknowledgement is extended to the Ngaruwanajirri (Keeping Place) Mob: 0401 115 593 Workshop and Gallery for all Tiwi textile images used as watermarks and the Email: [email protected] Tiwi Land Council for their supply of other key images and support..