Artificial reefs plan set in local concrete not Chinese steel, says Kirby

NINETY per cent of the structural steel earmarked for the NT Government’s $8.3 million artificial reefs has been cut following controversy over plans to ship it in from China

Shorelands managers Toby Roe and Graeme Benaim with one of the concrete modules. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

NINETY per cent of the structural steel earmarked for the NT Government’s $8.3 million artificial reefs has been cut following controversy over plans to ship it in from China.

Primary Industries and Resources Minister Paul Kirby said NT contractors Shorelands originally planned to use about 140 tonnes of steel for the reef’s central modular components but had since cut it down to about 12 tonnes.

The NT News revealed in May that contractors had intended to ship in steel from China for cost reasons.

“When I heard that some of the steel may come from China we had a meeting straight away and orchestrated to use the same concrete modules instead and bolt the steel structures to the top of them,” he said.

“So now it’s feasible to purchase and manufacture every portion of the steel locally from Total Steel Australia.”

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Shorelands manager Graeme Benaim said replacing the steel would not affect the project’s structural integrity.

“We’ve actually been able to deliver a far superior reef with the changes we made — all it took was a bit of local ingenuity,” he said.

“We originally planned for 96 modules with the steel structures and now we’ve got 116 modules with an extra 200 tonnes of concrete all sourced locally.”

With more than three-quarters of the 116 planned modules complete, the construction of the artificial reefs will be installed in four locations in the Darwin Harbour next month.

Shorelands director Arthur Hamilton said they would also build about 30 smaller reef structures, with the project’s left over cement to be placed in locations much closer to shore, such as the Nightcliff Jetty.

Amateur Fishermen’s Association of the NT chief executive David Ciaravolo said the reef towers would hold bait fish and attract more pelagic fish such as trevally, mackerel, snapper and jewfish.

Helping People Achieve has also joined forces with Shorelands to assist in the construction of the artificial reefs.

The disability support group’s chief executive, Tony Burns, said three staff members from HPA — the only Australian Disability Enterprise in the Top End to offer welding work — have been engaged.