Territory’s largest crane peaks at 134m view, highest in NT

Territory’s highest crane offers scenic view and towers over Darwin’s tallest building. See the video.

The misty morning view from the top of the Territory’s tallest crane has a way of making a person feel like they’re sitting on top of the world.

But as the sun rises to meet the crane’s 134m arc in the sky, its rays glinting off the windscreens of cars passing below on their daily commute, the extreme height can also have a grounding effect.

The crane stands about 24m above the Territory’s tallest structure, the Evolution.

Tutt Bryant crane operator Michael Woods said he and his team had just completed a week of intensive training to operate the towering piece of machinery.

A Tutt Bryant crane lifted a 'man cage' 134m in the air. Counterweighted by 135 tonnes of concrete, the machinery can lift up to seven tonnes of weight. At it's full height, the crane is about 24m taller than the Territory's tallest building – the Evolution – which stands at about 100m. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Mr Woods said the training was “very intense” and involved piecing the crane together and deconstructing it again, over and over.

“It’s been amazing, pretty incredible to be working on something so big, especially in Darwin,” he said.

“We did have the highest crane in Darwin before, and now we’ve just gone bigger again.”

Mr Woods said the company’s previous crane stood tall at 90m.

Tutt Bryant crane operator Michael Woods was one of the first people to be lifted 134m in the air by the Territory's tallest crane. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Mr Woods – who was one of two passengers during the crane’s “maiden voyage” – said the trip was the highest he had ever been.

Mr Woods said the crane could stretch out to a 96m radius from the cab.

“We can lift seven tonnes to 134m,” he said.

“That’s a lot of weight, that’s seven cars.”

View of Darwin's CBD from the top of the Territory's tallest crane, which stands at 134m. The crane was set up in the Tutt Bryant yard on Tivendale Rd, Berrimah. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Mr Woods said the crane would most likely be used for oil and gas projects such as Middle Arm.

He said it could also be used for bridge-building, maintenance and mining.

“A lot of things are getting bigger and bigger these days,” he said.

“Ten years ago, cranes in Darwin were a lot smaller compared to what they are now.”

Tutt Bryant crane operators Heath Lowman, Michael Woods and Alex Wilson stand in front of the Territory's tallest crane. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Tutt Bryant operations controller Shayne Melbourne proudly said his team could work with any crane.

“We use it weekly, we’re the second-largest crane company in the southern hemisphere,” he said.

Mr Melbourne said the 134m crane would use between 10-15 semi-trailers to transport.

He said one of the company’s biggest cranes in another state needed 96 semis to get it to site and back again.