Darwin data centre powering ahead: D1 Darwin opening soon

Kapitol Group NT are managing construction of D1 Darwin, and since site activity commenced in November 2023, several civil works have been completed.

The concept design of the Darwin data centre D1. Picture: Supplied.

The Northern Territory is welcoming a world-class $80 million critical infrastructure project that is being built and operated by Australia’s leading data centre provider, NEXTDC.

The facility, which is called D1 Darwin, will house approximately 1500 racks and support

approximately 8MW of IT load when fully developed.

It is strategically located on Harvey Street, within walking distance to the new Charles Darwin University CBD campus.

Data centres are crucial for the Territory’s digital connectivity and economic development,

serving as the backbone and vital infrastructure for critical data storage, processing and

distribution.

They are pivotal to supporting cloud computing, data analytics, and other digital

services necessary for businesses across sectors such as agriculture, education, mining,

tourism, health care and retail services.

Kapitol Group NT are managing construction of D1 Darwin, and since site activity commenced in November 2023, several civil works have been completed, including the completion of foundations and resilient structures have been erected.

To accelerate the construction process, the sections of the facilities interior are being

assembled in modules off-site by Kapitol Group NT.

This month, these modules will be

transported and then assembled on-site in Darwin, to finalise the facility for ongoing

operations, which is anticipated to begin early in the second half of 2024.

NEXTDC Head of Regional Sales Claire Sangster stated:

“This will be NEXTDC’s first data centre in the Northern Territory, connecting premium digital infrastructure to a nationwide ecosystem of carriers, partners and cloud platform providers,” she said.

“We are excited by its strategic location with close proximity to the CBD in addition to major

submarine cable infrastructure for ultra-speed international access.

“For many sectors such as mining, resources and defence, the capability to scale digital capabilities and optimise the value of innovative technologies like AI will present ongoing digital transformation opportunities.” Ms Sangster said.

Kapitol Group Director Andrew Deveson, with NEXTDC CEO Craig Scroggie, and Head of Regional Sales Claire Sangster on the Harvey Street site at the commencement of construction of NEXT DC’s Darwin D1 data centre.

D1 Darwin will utilise terrestrial and subsea cables into Darwin to enable private and secure

networking for Australian and overseas customers and will offer national and international

connectivity through VOCUS’ Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore subsea cable project which was

launched in 2023.

The facility incorporates state-of-the-art technologies with advanced cooling and energy

efficiency to ensure operational excellence in Darwin’s tropical climate while prioritising

environmental sustainability.

As the Territory aims to diversify its economy and business growth, robust data centre

infrastructure becomes increasingly important in enabling innovation, driving efficiencies, and

fostering economic growth.

Territory Investment Commissioner Kelly Ralston says there is already significant customer

interest in D1 Darwin, with the facility supporting strong growth for the Territory’s digital

economy.

“Darwin is within 50 milliseconds of more than 500 million people,” she said.

“Our strategic position offers a secure and stable solution for digital, data, technology and

telecommunications companies to start-up, relocate or expand their operations to service the

local, Australian and Indo-Pacific markets.

“We look forward to seeing the benefits of D1 Darwin and the many other digital projects

currently underway in the Territory – it is strengthening our digital infrastructure, and it will

inspire innovation and fresh thinking for many generations.”

NEXT DC’S construction of D1 Darwin is one of many digital projects underway in the

Territory aimed at driving economic growth, connectively and innovation across industries.

Discover how private investments are driving digital projects at: invest.nt.gov.au