Indo Pacific Marine faces eviction by government from Darwin waterfront site

One of Darwin’s longest surviving tourist attractions is facing ruin because the NT government is evicting it in the peak of the tourist season.

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ONE of Darwin’s longest surviving tourist attractions, the iconic Indo Pacific Marine, says it is facing ruin because the NT government is evicting it in the peak of the tourist season.

The NT government says Indo Pacific Marine must clear out of its site at the entrance to Stokes Hill Wharf to make way for the Larrakia Cultural Centre.

Indo Pacific Marine owner Jon Ostara said he had just reopened after the Covid-19 shutdown and was now operating daily from 10am to 2pm.

“The NT government will kill the business … it has told me it is evicting me next month and made an offer to relocate the attraction but it is right in the peak of the tourist season, which will put us out of business,” Mr Ostara said.

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“This is meant to be a permanent live coral exhibit and this was the understanding that we would be permanent when we went to the wharf precinct site more than 20 years ago.

“Indo Pacific Marine is a unique living coral exhibit and it is not something that you can just pack up and easily relocate.

“There is design work and then the set up. It is a huge task to move.

“To relocate and then have the attraction up and running again will take three to four months and that’s the end of the tourist season.”

Mr Ostara said his preference would have been to try to work his coral attraction in with the Larrakia Culture Centre, but accepts that is not going to happen.

“The Larrakia Culture Centre will be a wonderful addition to Darwin,” he said.

Larrakia Development Corporation chief executive Nigel Browne said the tourist attraction did not fit with the vision for the Larrakia Cultural Centre.

“The plan for the Cultural centre is for it to be 100 per cent about Larrakia culture, language and history,” Mr Browne said.

Indo Marine is being evicted from it Darwin Wharf site after close to 40 years. Owner Jon Ostara. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

A spokeswoman for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler said the government had been working with Indo Pacific Marine about how its exhibits may be used in the future.

“The NT government, through both the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics and the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet, has been working with the operators of Indo Pacific Marine for some time in relation to the need for them to vacate the site, which is owned by the Territory Government,” the spokeswoman said.

“This has included discussions around what is required to relocate the marine life and facilitating potential opportunities with other private proponents to enable preservation of the legacy of Indo Pacific Marine as a tourism attraction.

“These discussions are ongoing.”

The spokeswoman said Indo Pacific Marine’s lease over the building expired in 2014.

“At the time the business was offered a new three year lease, however refused to accept the offer, and has therefore been running on a month by month lease,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue to have discussions with Indo Pacific Marine.”