The Stokes Hill Wharf artificial reef was placed by NT Fisheries beneath the fishing platform on the approach to the wharf, to hold fish for the large number of anglers who fish there. It consists of three small vessels and several concrete pipes in about 10 m. NT Fisheries lists black jewfish, queenfish, cod, snapper and mackerel on the reef. Close by lie pieces of the wartime wreck Neptuna, the munitions ship that blew up at the old wharf on 19 February 1942 and was later almost completely removed by the Fujita salvors.

Stokes Hill Wharf itself has a long history. The original wharf was the scene of the worst single loss of life in the 1942 raids, when bombs hit the wharf and the Neptuna's depth charges exploded. The current wharf is now the centre of the Darwin Waterfront tourist precinct, with restaurants and a cruise terminal, and its pylons carry sponges, ascidians and soft corals.

As a dive the reef is a compact, shallow structure that attracts fish in numbers, and it can be combined with a look at the Neptuna debris for historical interest. Its drawbacks are equally clear: visibility beside the wharf is often poor, tidal flow along the wharf face is strong except at slack, and the constant fishing means line, hooks and lures litter the structure. It is therefore a site for experienced local divers on a good neap rather than a visitor's dive. Night-time fishing under the wharf lights is popular, so a night dive here is not practical.

By boat from the Stokes Hill / Frances Bay public ramp a few hundred metres away, or from Cullen Bay. The reef lies under the fishing platform on the wharf approach, one of Darwin's busiest recreational fishing spots, so any dive must be coordinated to avoid anglers' lines and berthing vessels; check with Darwin Port before diving at the working wharf. Park at the Darwin Waterfront; the wharf has cafes, toilets and lighting.

Tide is everything in Darwin Harbour: the spring range is 7-8 m and tidal streams run hard through the harbour, so diving is generally only possible on neap tides (range under about 3-4 m), timed to the slack at high water when clearer ocean water sits over the site. Spring tides bring strong currents and silt-laden water with near-zero visibility. The dry season (May-October) gives the most consistent conditions; the south-east trade winds can chop up exposed water in the afternoon, so mornings are best.

In the wet season (November-April) run-off from the rivers and creeks drops visibility, afternoon storms build quickly, and the harbour is in cyclone season; box jellyfish are present October-May.

Descend at neap high-water slack beside the platform, explore the three sunken vessels and concrete pipes at about 10 m, and extend to the nearby remnants of the Neptuna. Keep low, carry a knife for fishing line, and surface well clear of the wharf edge.

No regular operator; an occasional club dive. Primarily a fishing reef.