Economy
Darwin's economy — industries, employment and economic profile
Darwin economic snapshot
Defence
Larrakeyah Barracks, RAAF Base Darwin and Robertson Barracks anchor a multibillion-dollar defence economy with growing US Marine Rotational Force.
Mining and resources
Offshore LNG, onshore gas and critical minerals processing make Darwin a strategic export gateway to Asia.
Tourism
Gateway to Kakadu, Litchfield and Arnhem Land — a key dry-season driver for hospitality and aviation.
Public sector
NT and Commonwealth government departments are among the city's largest employers.
Top employers in Darwin
Australian Defence Force
Joint operations across Larrakeyah, RAAF Darwin and Robertson Barracks; one of the largest single employers in the Top End.
NT Government
Health, education, infrastructure and corporate services across Darwin and Palmerston.
Santos LNG
Operator of the Darwin LNG plant at Wickham Point, with the Barossa project extending operations into the 2040s.
Charles Darwin University
The Territory's dual-sector university, employing academic, research and professional staff across multiple campuses.
Employment rate
The Darwin unemployment rate sits at approximately 4.3 per cent, broadly tracking the national average and reflecting tight labour supply across health, defence support and construction.
Economic outlook
Major defence, energy and infrastructure projects are expected to underpin steady growth across the next decade.
Workforce shortages in healthcare, trades and engineering remain the key constraint on faster expansion.