Stokes Hill Wharf shut down after WWII explosive discovered in Darwin Harbour

Police are calling for calm after a WWII explosive was discovered in Darwin. See pictures of the operation to retrieve the “unexploded ordinance”.

Police blocked off a large portion of the Darwin Waterfront following the discovery of a WWII explosive at the popular Darwin attraction.

Northern Territory Police confirmed that people were being evacuated from the Stokes Hill Wharf, in the Darwin Waterfront, following the discovery of the unexploded WWII ordinance on Tuesday afternoon.

“Officers are moving people from Stokes Hill Road and access to the Wharf is currently blocked,” a spokesman said.

“There is no risk to public safety and efforts are under way to remove the device.”

A Defence spokesman confirmed a “Japanese WWII 60kg High Explosive bomb” had been located in the area.

Northern Territory Police have released an image of a unexploded WWII ordnance found near the Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin City on Tuesday June 25.

The NT News understands that the exclusion zone around the eight-decade old explosive extended down Mavie St, with a significant police presence spotted in the area near the Frances Bay Marine.

Workers were seen unloading sandbags from the back of two utes, with what appears to be a Territory Response Group vehicle driving nearby within the industrial area.

The Darwin Waterfront was shut down after a WWII bomb was found at Stokes Hill Wharf. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility said it was expected the operation would continue to impact the wharf until the end of the day. “We’ve been informed by the Darwin Waterfront Corporation that due to unforeseen circumstances impacting Stokes Hill Wharf, we will be closed for the remainder of the day.”

This is not the first time a piece of military history to spark a shut down of the harbour, with the Australian Defence Force creating an exclusion zone to the proposed ship lift area in September 2022.

ADF divers work on recovering a World War 2 era UXO from Darwin Harbour at the site of the proposed ship lift. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Dive crews were in the area around the multi-user barge ramp facility when they spotted the unexploded bomb.

For three days boaties were banned from going into the 250m exclusion zone, before it was detonated and removed.

Only a month later another unexploded WWII weapon was uncovered near Manton Dam, with its discoverer then carrying 25-pound explosive back to his property in Berry Springs.

When police were alerted they immediately cordoned off an area to detonate the explosive, warning others not to move potentially lethal items ‘of military heritage’.

Pictures of an explosive found at Manton Dam. Picture: NTPFES

In 2015 road workers extending Tiger Brennan Drive at Bayview unearthed a Japanese bomb, while other unexploded World War II weapons have been found under driveways at Virginia in garden beds at The Narrows, as well as several coastal discoveries including Vesteys Beach, Dundee Beach and at the shore opposite the Beachfront Hotel.

In 1961 The NT News reported that a drover, who carried a live bomb in the back of his truck for three days, was killed when he tapped the end with a hammer and chisel causing a deadly explosion.

Police were told the 32-year-old found the 25 pound wartime shell in a disused rubbish dump.