FAQs

Who is the developer?
Defence Housing Australia (DHA). To meet our Defence housing obligations, we are active in the residential housing market. We acquire and develop land to build residential communities of mixed military and private owners.

How many lots will Lee Point Darwin have in total?
This new master-planned community located in Darwin’s Northern Suburbs, sits across 132 hectares of premium real estate, and will comprise approximately 740 development lots delivered over the project’s lifespan.

The development will comprise a mix of residential housing typologies including detached houses, townhouses and apartments as well as a retail and tourism precinct, and open space for recreation.

How many Defence members will live at Lee Point?
At least 211 homes are planned to be retained for ADF members and their families, however, it is expected this number will increase as the ADF presence in Darwin, NT grows. The remaining lots not required for provisioning will be sold to the public.

What is the average lot size?
The average lot size is 600m², with blocks ranging from 360m² to more than 4,000m².

Will all the land be developed at the same time?
No. The construction of Lee Point Darwin will be staged. There are eight distinct precincts within the development and civil works and land releases will occur over the next several years, with completion of the entire development anticipated in 2033.

Do DHA have the necessary approvals to develop Lee Point Darwin?
Yes. The Planning, Development, Engineering and Environmental approvals can be found on DHA’s website at https://www.dha.gov.au/development/residential/lee-point

How many lots will be available for sale in Precinct 2?
Aurora (Precinct 2), will comprise 110 residential land lots, ranging in size from 360sqm to 960sqm. The initial sales release will include approximately 46 residential land lots.

I am not an Australian Resident, do I require Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval before I purchase land from DHA.
No, individual purchasers acquiring property from DHA do not need FIRB approval. Other purchasers including foreign government investors may require FIRB approval.

What kind of amenity will be provided?
The vision is to create a seaside residential community including a planned tourism precinct with hotel accommodation, restaurant strip, boardwalk and mixed use strand with small scale retail shops, a medical centre and child care facilities.

Three lots in Precinct 1 have been designated for Community Purpose, with some suggested uses including a café or childcare centre.

Will there be a primary school located within the community?
The master plan provides a designated area for a proposed K-6 public school, which is being assessed by the Department of Education for suitability based on proposed catchment area numbers.

Will there be any other community facilities?
A local community centre owned and operated by the City of Darwin will be co-located with the school and may provide facilities such as before/after school care, long day care or other child care facilities, among other community uses.

Are there any community fees that residents need to pay?
No, just the standard council rates.

How many parks are planned for the local community?
Esplanade parkland will run along the lineal extent of the Western boundary of the development adjacent to Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The parkland will encompass a shared pedestrian/cycle trail and will provide a buffer between residential housing development and the escarpment edge bordering the expanded Casuarina Coastal Reserve.

There will also be four neighbourhood parks, spread throughout the development as well as a dedicated 2.47 hectare Recreational Reserve which will be suitable for large, organised sports. In total, the Lee Point Development will have approximately 18 HA of dedicated Parks and Reserves.

What is being done to preserve and protect the local area wildlife and ecosystem?
Within the site, 33.9 hectares of land will be set aside for conservation purposes, 22 hectares of which will be transferred to the NT Government Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. A 50-metre-wide wildlife corridor will also be established along the northern boundary of the site to help preserve the Gouldian Finch.

In addition annual surveys and research funding will be provided for Migratory Shore Bird management and protection and similarly for turtles along the beachfront. Funding and offset arrangements are being put in place for research and creation of sanctuary areas for the Black Footed Tree Rat under control of the NT Government and Federal Department of the Environment.

An area of Monsoon Vine Thicket is identified for sensitive protection in the eastern portion of the Muirhead North precinct and has a dedicated 15 m wide buffer around it as well as precise water flow requirements to manage the amount of water needed to sustain the plants long term.

A special Cat Containment policy is also being introduced on all householders to prevent cat predation in the conservation areas adjoining the Lee Point Project; a first for Darwin.

The bulk of timber is of low value for re-use but wherever possible it is recycled. The Muirhead North area was subject to extensive alluvial sand mining many years ago and the bulk of the site is regrowth from the sand mining period.

The Cycad’s on site are collected and then replanted into the parks and gardens areas of the project under the management of the Landscape Design team. Likewise the Design Guidelines specify the planting of a range of local endemic native plants into the landscape designs for individual households as part of the Design Guideline process.

What is the Cat Containment Policy?
City of Darwin has recently invoked a Cat Containment Policy. Please see their website www.darwin.nt.gov.au for more information on their Animal Management policy.

Will the land be cleared?
The area of the actual development for building lots, roadways and paths will be cleared to allow for both underground and surface services improvements to be constructed. The lots require a minimum area of 25% of the lot to be landscaped and planted with both trees, shrubs and grassed areas under the Design Guidelines.

A further 10% of the total area will include Parks and Reserves and there are extensive Conservation areas to the east towards Buffalo Creek and to the west along the frontage to the Casuarina Coastal Reserve.

Will the developer install the road, sewer, water, and electricity?
Yes.

Is there natural Gas?
No.

Will NBN be installed at Lee Point Darwin?
Yes. NBN will be connected to your premises.

Are there any Design Guidelines and what are they?
Yes. To preserve the integrity and investment appeal of homes at Lee Point Darwin, and to ensure optimal environmental sustainability, a set of practical, sensible, carefully planned design guidelines are in place, and can be found on the Design Guidelines page on our website. 

What safety measures have been taken for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists?
Lee Point has been carefully planned to include shared pathways for pedestrians and bicycles, and wider roads to enable safe passing of traffic when there are parked cars on each side.

Why did works stop on site?
A number of environmental concerns were raised around the project’s potential impacts on the Gouldian Finch, the Black Footed Tree Rat and Shorebird monitoring. There were also cultural concerns in relation to the significance of the area to the local indigenous community.

As a result, DHA voluntarily paused Stage 2 of the development while these matters were being considered by the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), the Northern Territory Government and the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water, Hon Tanya Plibersek MP.

These have now been properly and thoroughly reviewed, and as a result we have been given the relevant approvals to proceed.