Client: Northern Territory Government, via Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec (WGA)
Location: Darwin, NT / Larrakia Country
Darwin is strategically positioned to become a maritime maintenance centre for Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. The Northern Territory Government, supported by key stakeholders including maritime sectors operating in northern waters, the Department of Defence, and the Australian Border Force, sought to deliver a major ship lift facility that could service defence and commercial vessels, such as pearling, fishing and coastal cruising alike.
But the path was far from straightforward. The original D&C contractor entered voluntary administration mid-project, forcing a shift in delivery structure. The project was also significantly over budget, triggering multiple site layout changes and design revisions. The sheer scale of the facility, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, brought technical complexity, especially for a team navigating this scale for the first time.
Lucid Consulting Australia joined the project as a subconsultant to WGA, taking the lead on all building services design. We integrated into a multi-office delivery team spanning Darwin (NT), Adelaide (SA), Melbourne (VIC), and Perth (WA), bringing together industrial power, electrical, communications, mechanical, fire, hydraulic, and SCEC security disciplines into a unified design response.
After the client shifted away from the D&C model, we worked directly under WGA to deliver a complete 100% IFC design package. Our approach has been hands-on, collaborative, and responsive, particularly through value management phases that demanded rapid design pivots and clarity in decision-making.
Our work included a full masterplan and detailed design for a fresh water system to support fire testing — improving safety outcomes while mitigating saltwater-related asset degradation.
Lucid’s scope focused on the services that make the site functional, resilient, and future-ready. We provided:
We also led coordination during value management, aligning infrastructure requirements with revised layouts and budgets, while maintaining functionality.
The project is now progressing through value-managed implementation, with construction underway and completion targeted for October 2027. Once operational, the facility will:
The ship lift is strategic infrastructure for national security and regional resilience. The facility enables critical maintenance for defence assets and supports a growing maritime industry, creating lasting impact for Darwin and broader Australian ocean borders.
