The Australian Defence Force has revealed that it is in talks with the Fyles Government to possibly lease the Howard Springs COVID-19 quarantine facility to accommodate the growing number of military personnel in the NT.

Constructed for workers during Inpex’s Ichthys project, the Howard Springs centre was used as a quarantine facility during the COVID-19 pandemic where more than 64,000 people were put in isolation, made up of around 41,800 residents and at least 22,000 individuals from overseas.

Before that, the Gunner government spent nearly $2 million over nine months to maintain the deserted Howard Springs Inpex village after workers left and the facility was handed over to the government in 2019.

The facility, which currently costs NT taxpayers $400,000 a month to maintain, has been vacant since COVID isolation rules were relaxed earlier this year.

The ADF’s interest in the facility came about after this year’s dry season saw an estimated 6,500 Australian and international military personnel in the Territory for several joint-military exercises, including 2,500 for Exercise Pitch Black, 2,000 under the US Marine rotation and another 2,000 for Exercise Predators Run.

While many personnel were accommodated on various ADF bases, others have made use of the limited number of hotels in Darwin, especially during the peak tourist season.

The Defence Department confirmed this week it is in negotiations with the NT Government about potentially leasing the facility.

“Potential future use options for the site have been canvassed during routine discussions between Defence and the Northern Territory Government,” a defence spokesperson said.

However, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said nothing has been finalised.

“We don’t want to take away from what is presently supported by the private sector. But if this could be of benefit to Defence and benefit to our community, particularly tourism, it’s something that should be progressed,” she said.

“We did enter with the Commonwealth government into a period of having it on standby for COVID-19 if it was needed. As we’ve shifted this second half of the year very much to a community-based illness, it’s less and less likely that it is needed to be used.”

Early last month, Internal briefing documents from the Department of Defence revealed the NT Government confidentially contacted the Federal Government to engage in Australia’s nuclear submarine program as part of the AUKUS defence deal with the US and UK.

The NT Government’s approach to the department’s Nuclear-Powered Submarines Taskforce was not reported before the internal documents were released under Freedom of Information laws in September.

In October this year, the US announced that it will deploy six nuclear-capable B52 bombers to RAAF Base Tindal over the next few years, despite fears they could be used as tensions escalate with China over Taiwan.

The US also plans to build its jet fuel storage tanks and an ammunition bunker at the site.

At present, the ADF has a dock and naval airbase in Darwin harbour, an airbase at Darwin airport and two military facilities being upgraded.

Near Katherine, the Tindal RAAF base is being upgraded to host the larger B52 aircraft at the cost of billions of dollars.

Military training grounds also abound the Kakadu, Tiwi Islands, and east Arnhem land during annual joint military training exercises.