NextDC to build Darwin data centre

NextDC has revealed plans to build its first data centre in the Northern Territory with the D1 facility in the capital Darwin.

Located in the city’s central business district next to a major electricity substation and the Charles Darwin University Campus, D1 is expected to accommodate approximately 8 megawatts of capacity once completed.

The facility will also include a collaboration hub called “Innovation Centre”, aiming to promote research, development and new incubator programs, as well as a Mission Critical Operations space (MCX). NextDC said MCX will enable customers to operate and monitor their high availability and business-critical services.

Vocus will be D1’s anchor tenant and will host its new services and associated infrastructure in the facility, and will also provide high-capacity connectivity on its Terabit Territory fibre network.

“NextDC’s commitment to supporting the Northern Territory’s goal of becoming a key destination for digital growth extends beyond our initial D1 development,” NextDC chief executive Craig Scroggie said.

“We have also secured the rights for an additional and significant land parcel for our second Darwin site (D2). This site is in excess of 15 hectares and will provide additional capacity for the long-term development of a hyperscale campus designed to serve the emerging Asia South region connected to Darwin by new international submarine cable networks.”

NextDC said it is also working with the Northern Territory Government and the Land Development Corporation to further plan the data centre.

In the announcement, NT chief minister Michael Gunner said, “This investment will help us diversify and strengthen the Territory economy. Not only will it create jobs for Territory tradies during construction, but the innovation centre will spur the growth of tech businesses here in the Territory and create digital careers for locals.”

“NextDC’s investment cements Darwin as Northern Australia’s most advanced digital economy, and this will open the door to new opportunities for future investment in cloud-based computing services and advanced manufacturing. We are Australia’s comeback capital, but we also want to be Australia’s destination for all things digital.”