On Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy tore through Darwin, destroying most of the city in just a few hours and changing the Northern Territory forever.

In this episode of Territory Famous, I look back at Cyclone Tracy — not just as a powerful storm, but as a defining moment in Territory and Australian history. From the timing and intensity of the cyclone to the scale of destruction left behind, Tracy reshaped Darwin in ways that are still felt today.

This episode covers what happened during the storm, the immediate aftermath, and the mass evacuation that followed. It also looks at how the people of Darwin responded in the days and weeks after Tracy, showing resilience, humor, and mate ship in the face of enormous loss.

Cyclone Tracy remains one of the most significant natural disasters in Australian history — not only for what it destroyed, but for how it changed the Territory and the country.

Researched and written by: Kellie Arrowsmith

Audio editor: Bar Brawl Records https://www.facebook.com/BarBrawlRecords

Cover art: http://www.joshbauer.com/

"Skimpy' - a Territory memoir: Kellie Arrowsmith Books - Hachette Australia

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Resources:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-25/cyclone-tracy-warning-to-aboriginal-people-to-leave-darwin/5987974?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Survivor stories were taken from: Cyclone Tracy – Remembering Cyclone Tracy, fifty years later

Bill Barlow's full account (Red Cross Volunteer): Bill Barlow.pdf

Joy White: Cyclone Tracy: Bagot resident Joy White recalls losing her home in winds and floods - ABC News

Cyclone Tracy - Wikipedia

Documentary: Karla Grant Presents - Blown Away | SBS On Demand

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/tracy-a-force-of-nature/video/NS2439D001S00