what category was cyclone tracy when it hit darwin
Cyclone Tracy


cyclone at around 10 p.m. on 21 December, when it was around to the north-northeast of Cape Don ( northeast of Darwin). Cyclone Tracy was first observed on the Darwin radar on the morning of 22 December. Over the next few days, the cyclone moved in a southwesterly direction, passing north of Darwin on 22 December. A broadcast on ABC Radio that day stated that Cyclone Tracy posed no immediate threat to Darwin. However, early in the morning of 24 December, Tracy rounded Cape Fourcroy on the western
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Cyclone Tracy


the cyclone there were 43,500 people living in 12,000 dwellings in the Darwin area. Though building standards at the time required that some attention be given to the possibility of cyclones, most buildings were not capable of withstanding the force of a cyclone's direct hit. On the day of the cyclone, most residents of Darwin believed that the cyclone would not cause any damage to the city. Cyclone Selma had been predicted to hit Darwin earlier in the month, but it instead went north and dissipated without affecting Darwin in any way.
8777871
1897 Darwin cyclone


The 1897 cyclone was a tropical cyclone that destroyed the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is considered the worst cyclone to strike the Northern Territory of Australia prior to Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Prior to contemporary naming conventions, the storm became known as the "Great Hurricane". The cyclone hit Darwin in the evening of the 6 January 1897, peaking between 3.30am and 4.30am on 7 January. It dumped 292mm of rain on Darwin, then known as Palmerston. It uplifted roofs, uprooted trees and
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Cyclone Thelma


known Category 5 cyclone to be observed in the Timor Sea, and was also the most intense cyclone to threaten Darwin since Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve in 1974. Ten months after the storm's passage, the skull of an 81-year-old man, who was believed to have been swept away by flood waters, was discovered. A developing low in the Timor Sea in early December was named Thelma at 2 p.m. Australian Central Standard Time (0430 UTC) on 6 December, located about north of Darwin. The new cyclone
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Cyclone Tracy


As a result, Cyclone Tracy took most Darwin residents by surprise. Despite several warnings the people of Darwin did not evacuate or prepare for the cyclone. Many residents continued to prepare for Christmas, and many attended Christmas parties, despite the increasing winds and heavy rain. Journalist Bill Bunbury interviewed the residents of Darwin some time later and recorded the experiences of the survivors of the cyclone in his book "Cyclone Tracy, picking up the pieces". Resident Dawn Lawrie, a 1971 independent candidate for the electorate of Nightcliff, told
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Victoria Hotel, Darwin


Lims operated the hotel for nearly 20 years, selling it in 1965. During this period, the hotel was a popular 'watering hole' frequently attended by crocodile shooters, buffalo hunters and mining prospectors, as well as the local office workers and bank staff. On Christmas Day 1974 the hotel survived yet another cyclone, when Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin killing 71 people and damaging 95 per cent of buildings at an estimated cost of over A$800 million. The hotel was significantly damaged but survived structurally, losing its roof for the
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Cyclone Tracy


through the wreckage to local television station NTD and had the ABC station in Mount Isa, Queensland notify ABC headquarters in Sydney that Darwin had been hit by a cyclone. In order to provide the initial emergency response, a committee was created. The committee, composed of several high-level public servants and police, stated that, "Darwin had, for the time being, ceased to exist as a city". Gough Whitlam, the Australian Prime Minister, was touring Syracuse, Sicily at the time and flew to Darwin
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History of the Royal Australian Navy


were either wounded or suffered other injuries. During the morning of 25 December 1974, Tropical Cyclone Tracy struck the city of Darwin, killing 71 people and causing $4 billion of damage (1998 A$). In response to the cyclone, the RAN embarked upon Operation Navy Help Darwin; the largest peacetime disaster relief operation in its history, involving 13 ships, 11 aircraft and some 3,000 personnel. When Tracy struck Darwin, the RAN had a total of 351 personnel based in the city, along with four ; the small
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Cyclone Tracy


, by a Bureau staff member at Darwin Airport. This was recorded during the eye of the cyclone. From around 6:30 a.m, the winds began to ease, with the rainfall ceasing at around 8:30 a.m. After making landfall, Tracy rapidly weakened, dissipating on 26 December. Darwin had been severely battered by cyclones before; in January 1897 and again in March 1937. However, in the 20 years leading up to Cyclone Tracy, the city had undergone a period of rapid expansion. E.P. Milliken estimated that on the eve of
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Cyclone Tracy


him: Another resident, Barbara Langkrens, said: Cyclone Tracy killed at least 66 people. Two Australian Navy RAN sailors died when , an , sank at Stokes Hill Wharf. The storm also caused the substantial destruction of the city of Darwin. At Darwin Airport, thirty-one aircraft were destroyed and another twenty-five badly damaged. The initial estimate put the reported death toll at 65, but it was revised upwards in March 2005 to 71, when the Northern Territory Coroner proclaimed that those six who still remained listed
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Cyclone Tracy


led Malcolm Fraser, Whitlam's successor as Prime Minister, to give self-government to the Territory in 1978. Many of the government records associated with Cyclone Tracy became publicly available on 1 January 2005 under the 30 year rule. Cyclone Tracy inspired the song "Santa Never Made It into Darwin", composed by Bill Cate and performed by Bill and Boyd in 1975 to raise money for the relief and reconstruction efforts. In 1983 Hoodoo Gurus released "Tojo", a song comparing the Japanese bombing of Darwin under the command
8777892
Darwin International Airport


airlines did not need to stop over in Darwin, and chose to cease services. Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974 and flattened the city. The airport was used to ferry 25,628 people out of Darwin. Darwin Airport was extensively used to assist UN operations in East Timor from 1999, and to support medical evacuations following the 2002 Bali bombings. The new passenger terminal, with four aerobridges, was opened in December 1991. On 8 November 2007 it was announced that it had reached agreements for a $100 million home and lifestyle
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Cyclone Marcus


Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcus was a very powerful tropical cyclone that struck Australia's Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia in March 2018. It was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2017–18 Australian region cyclone season, as well as the strongest tropical cyclone in the Australian region basin since George in 2007. It was also considered the worst cyclone to hit Darwin since Tracy in 1974. On 15 March 2018, a tropical low formed in the western Arafura Sea. Drifting east-southeastwards north of the Tiwi Islands, the tropical
5299261
Millner, Northern Territory


Australia (Darwin) is located in Kelsey Crescent. The Darwin office was under construction when Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in Christmas 1974. Construction continued, after the clean-up of the town, and the building opened in 1976. Being a purpose built repository with the added protection offered by strict Cyclone Coding it was one of the safest buildings in the whole of the Territory. With the event of self-government for the Northern Territory in 1978, a Custody and Ownership Project was undertaken to split the Darwin collection between the
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Cyclone Tracy


were fleeing by road, supplying them with food, fuel, rest and mechanical aid. At Adelaide River, the small local population provided hot meals to the refugees who stopped there. Approximately twenty-four hours after the storm hit Darwin, the population of Alice Springs had raised over $105,000 to assist the victims of Tracy. In Melbourne at the Boxing Day Test cricket match between Australia and England, members of both teams moved around the boundaries carrying buckets which the crowd threw cash into for the relief funds. Darwin families
8777887
Andrew N. Liveris


He is proud of being the grandson of a Greek immigrant and identifies strongly with his Greek heritage. He attended Darwin High School until 1974 when Darwin was hit by Cyclone Tracy. He then moved to Brisbane where he continued his education at Brisbane State High School. He earned a bachelor's degree (first-class-honors) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Queensland. In 2005, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in science by his alma mater as well as being named Alumnus of the Year. Liveris began his
10972799
George Brown (Australian politician)


George Brown (29 July 1929 – 8 January 2002) was an Australian local politician and Lord Mayor of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. George Brown first came to Darwin on a golfing holiday. He was the curator of Darwin Botanic Gardens, now named after him. Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin on 24 December 1974 destroyed 89 per cent of the plants in the garden. Brown was away at the time, but returned to Darwin as soon as he could. Despite being stopped at a checkpoint at gunpoint,
14202987
Operation Navy Help Darwin


Operation "Navy Help Darwin" was a disaster relief operation initiated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the destruction of Darwin, Northern Territory by Cyclone Tracy during the night of 24–25 December 1974. 13 ships, 11 aircraft, and 3,000 personnel were sent to Darwin in the largest disaster relief operation undertaken by the RAN in its history. The RAN task force was present from 31 December 1974 to 31 January 1975. Cyclone Tracy made landfall in the early hours of 25 December 1974. Darwin was destroyed: only 408
4724988
Ron Wilson (newsreader)


much of his childhood in Victoria and completed a law degree in Darwin, Northern Territory. When Cyclone Tracy destroyed Darwin in 1974, Wilson was on scene as host of a local radio program. Wilson admitted on the "Newsreaders Vs TV Hosts" episode of "All Star Family Feud" on 21 November 2016 that he still suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder from surviving Cyclone Tracy. He received Australian citizenship on 31 March 2008. Wilson is married with three children. He supports the Sydney Swans AFL club. Wilson worked as a
19924517
Cyclone Marcus


the most destructive storm to hit Darwin since Cyclone Tracy caused devastation on Christmas Eve of 1974. The insurance loss were over A$85 million (US$65.6 million). In all, Marcus caused an estimated total of A$97.46 million (US$75 million) in damages. The cleanup response was coordinated by the Northern Territory Emergency Services and included soldiers from the 5th Battalion and the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment of the Australian Army. The US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) also contributed to the clean up effort
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Cyclone Tracy


the centre, and was also the smallest tropical cyclone worldwide until 2008, when Tropical Storm Marco of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season broke the record, with gale-force winds extending only from the centre. After forming over the Arafura Sea, the storm moved southwards and affected the city with Category 4 winds on the Australian cyclone intensity scale, while there is evidence to suggest that it had reached Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale when it made landfall. Bruce Stannard of "The Age" stated that Cyclone Tracy
8777895
Cyclone Tracy


Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia from 24–26 December 1974. The storm was the second-smallest tropical cyclone on record (in terms of gale-force wind diameter), behind only Tropical Storm Marco in 2008. The small, developing easterly storm had been observed passing clear of the city initially, but then turned towards it early on 24 December. After 10:00 p.m. ACST, damage became severe, and wind gusts reached before instruments failed. Residents of Darwin were celebrating
8777863
Cyclone Tracy


as many as sixty percent of Darwin's 1974 population had left, never to return. In the years that followed, Darwin was almost entirely rebuilt and now shows almost no resemblance to the pre-Tracy Darwin of December 1974. Although a Legislative Assembly had been set up earlier in the year, the Northern Territory had only minimal self-government, with a federal minister being responsible for the Territory from Canberra. However, the cyclone and subsequent responses highlighted several problems with the way the regional government was set up. This
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Booya (ship)


anchored off Fort Hill wharf in Darwin Harbour at about 8.00pm on 24 December 1974, the evening Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin. Nearly twenty-nine years later, in October 2003, she was discovered by chance in Darwin Harbour, lying on her starboard side in about 20 metres of water. "Booya" was built in Waterhuizen, the Netherlands in 1917 by Gebroeders van Diepen, under her original name, "De Lauwers". She was a three-masted auxiliary schooner with a steel hull and a 130 bhp engine.
5758222
History of Darwin


and techniques during the late 1970s by the Darwin Reconstruction Commission. A satellite city of Palmerston was built south of Darwin in the early 1980s. As a result of air raids and cyclones, Darwin has few historic buildings although some of the stronger stone structures survived and have been restored. Since Cyclone Tracy all buildings are constructed to a strict cyclone code. Steel is a popular building material and led to a distinctive modern style associated with Darwin known as "Troppo". Southeast Asian influences are also apparent in some of the architecture
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Cyclone Tracy


of Hideki Tojo during World War II to the damage done by Cyclone Tracy. The much feared Japanese invasion never happened, but the cyclone was virtually ignored and ended up destroying the city. In May 1976, Australian band Ayers Rock released the single "Song for Darwin", also as a fund raiser for the relief and reconstruction efforts. In 1986, the Nine Network and PBL created "Cyclone Tracy", a period drama mini-series based on the events during the cyclone. Michael Fisher, Ted Roberts and Leon
8777893
Victoria Hotel, Darwin


third time in less than a century. The cyclone left Darwin nearly uninhabitable, so the Vic Hotel was not reconstructed until 1978. Some original stonework was repaired at this time, particularly in relation to the Smith Street gabled parapet. Other stonework repairs were minimal as it was still in generally good condition, despite the severity of Cyclone Tracy. The hotel has had several refurbishments since Cyclone Tracy. The hotel facade was registered on the "National Estate" as a Historic site in 1999 for its historic associations with important events and
11473470
Hannah Wood (nurse)


Hospital she was appointed as acting Matron of the Palmerston Hospital; she held the position for a number of years. During January 1897 Palmerston was impacted by a tropical cyclone that caused significant damage and recorded of rain; this would be the largest cyclone to hit Palmerston (Darwin) until Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Wood's house collapsed during the storm leaving her trapped; she was rescued by a group of Indigenous Australians who cared for her until the storm had passed. Wood was forced to appeal to the community for assistance to
625265
Rugby league in the Northern Territory


subsequent shipping out of army and navy personnel from Darwin the competition was completely halted. There appears to be no other competition formed between 1943 and 1949. After 1949, the competition was finally revived. In 1950, a small group of men, mainly ex-servicemen, joined together to form the Northern Territory Rugby League. The first official season was started in 1950 in Darwin with a number of pre-season trial matches and tournaments. The first official match was played on 14 June 1951. Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin on
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Tojo (song)


members Clyde Bramley and Brad Shepherd, with Bramley providing bass, which had previously been noticeably absent from the band.'"Tojo" was an answer song to an Australian hit of a few years earlier, "Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" which had been released to raise money for the victims of Cyclone Tracy which had almost destroyed Darwin on Christmas Eve, 1975 ("sic"). During World War II the Japanese army invaded New Guinea but failed to reach Australia thanks to the heroic resistance however Darwin was bombed heavily
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Cyclone Tracy


over it. On 25 December at around 3:30 a.m, Tracy's centre crossed the coast near Fannie Bay. The highest recorded wind gust from the cyclone was , which was recorded around 3:05 a.m at Darwin Airport. The anemometer (wind speed instrument) failed at around 3:10 a.m, with the wind vane (wind direction) destroyed after the cyclone's eye. The Bureau of Meteorology's official estimates suggested that Tracy's gusts had reached . The lowest air pressure reading during Tracy was , which was taken at around 4 a.m
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Cyclone Tracy


of reconstruction, the Commission had built 3,000 new homes in the nearly destroyed northern suburbs, and completed repairs to those that had survived the storm. Several new building codes were drawn up, trying to achieve the competing goals of the speedy recovery of the area and ensuring that there would be no repeat of the damage that Darwin took in 1974. By 1978, much of the city had recovered and was able to house almost the same number of people as it had before the cyclone hit. However, by the 1980s,
8777890
Fable Records


the last major Fable hit for some time, but the label bounced back in early 1975 with Bill & Boyd's "Santa Never Made It Into Darwin", inspired by the disaster of Cyclone Tracy which went to #1. The duo had further success with their next single, "Put Another Log On The Fire". When Brian Cadd relocated to the USA in 1976, Bootleg lost its main creative force and its fortunes waned (although Fable continued to release records on Bootleg until 1978). By this time,
21133757
HMAS Advance (P 83)


the Gulf of Carpentaria for two months. "Advance" and three other patrol boats were in Darwin Harbour on 25 December 1974, when Cyclone Tracy hit. "Advance" and managed to escape serious damage, but "Attack" was forced aground and suffered hull damage, and collided with Stoke's Hill Wharf and sank. During 1975 and 1976, "Advance" regularly operated as part of Operation Trochus: a concentrated effort to respond to illegal fishing vessels in northern Australian waters. From late 1977, the patrol boat was
3087287
Susannah Carr


she was broadcasting on Christmas Day – the same day when Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin. She worked in both radio and TV in Perth for the ABC becoming that station's first ever female TV news presenter in Perth for the ABC (and the second only by a day for the ABC nationally.) Susannah was asked to join TVW 7 in 1985 and is now a face of Channel 7 news in Perth along with her long-time co-anchor Rick Ardon. Under their guard, the then-second-rate bulletin
4370096
Darwin, Northern Territory


had sailed with them on the ship's previous voyage which ended in October 1836. The settlement there became the town of Palmerston in 1869, but it was renamed Darwin in 1911. The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by the 1897 cyclone, the 1937 cyclone, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974. The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group are the traditional custodians and the first inhabitants of the greater Darwin area. They had trading routes with Southeast Asia
8379052
Cyclone Thelma


Severe Tropical Cyclone Thelma was a tropical cyclone that affected northern Australia from 6 December 1998 until 12 December 1998. Cyclone Thelma was one of the most intense tropical cyclones to be observed off the coast of Australia. Thelma formed in the Arafura Sea north of the Northern Territory while intensifying rapidly into a Category 5 cyclone, passing very near the Tiwi Islands and posing a severe threat to Darwin, but passed by at a distance of . It then moved across the Timor Sea before hitting the north Kimberley coast. Thelma was the first
20077305
Severe storms in Australia


severe storms. The system, stretching for nearly 3,000 km at its peak, was the result of two systems merging on Friday 3 June, developing into an East Coast Low. Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated , from 24 to 25 December 1974. It killed 65 people and destroyed over 90 percent of Darwin's buildings, leaving over 20,000 people homeless. Most of Darwin's population was evacuated to Adelaide, Whyalla, Alice Springs and Sydney, and many never returned to Darwin. Tropical Cyclone Sigma caused destruction from
15701737
Wireless Hill Park


Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1975, destroying or disabling much of its communications infrastructure, the WA VHF Group helped provided communications between Darwin and Perth. In the 1980s an antenna was added to the Stores building, which became the control centre for the State Emergency Service. Since 2002 Wireless Hill has been home to Capital Community Radio's studios and one of their transmitters. Wireless Hill Park comprises of bushland surrounding of grass parkland. The bushland is home to numerous wildflowers, native plants, birds and reptiles. It is listed as
2605625
Darwin Aviation Museum


The Darwin Aviation Museum, previously known as the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre, displays aircraft and aircraft engines of relevance to the Northern Territory and aviation in Australia generally. It is located in Darwin, Northern Territory. The Museum's origins can be traced to 1976 when a group of enthusiasts sought to preserve aviation relics after the destruction of Cyclone Tracy. It was later broadened to include the documentation of World War II aircraft crash sites and the preservation of aviation relics related to the defence of Darwin during World War II. The original
18069282
1974–75 Australian region cyclone season


Ocean basin. Cyclone Norah existed over the eastern Indian Ocean from October 28 to November 4. Cyclone Penny also existed over the eastern Indian Ocean from November 6 to November 16. Cyclone Selma was predicted to impact Darwin, but instead, the system turned westward out to sea and eventually dissipated over open water. Cyclone Tracy devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974. It is the most compact cyclone or equivalent-strength hurricane on record in the Australian basin, with
19071214
Barbara James


that Darwin “seduced me immediately”. She lived in Nightcliff and Fannie Bay marrying Darwin solicitor Geoff James in 1968. She initially worked at the Northern Territory News under editor Jim Bowditch. James followed up with freelance work at the ABC. James was on night duty in the ABC newsroom when Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin in December 1974. She was evacuated shortly after. She became involved in citizen's groups actively liaising with Darwin residents as a community consultant for the then Department of Urban and Regional Development, the Australian Council of
17706341
Grocon


the United Arab Emirates. In Melbourne, Grocon's completed developments include: In New South Wales, Grocon has developed: Grocon has been involved in three Queensland building projects: In Darwin, Grocon is best known for what are locally known as 'Grollo houses'; ground level and split level homes recognisable by the small protrusion on the roof which held the water heater. These houses were built in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy as an effective means of providing housing for Darwin's population. Leo Hammond architect of Melbourne designed them
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Cyclone Grant


Cyclone Grant was a tropical cyclone that affected Queensland and the Northern Territory in Australia. On 21 December, the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin, Australia, began monitoring an area of low pressure that had developed about to the northeast of Darwin. Tropical Low 04U developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the morning of 25 December and moved slowly towards the Cobourg Peninsula. The system reached Category 2 strength in the afternoon of 25 December. In the evening of 28 December the system
15552063
HMAS Stalwart (D 215)


, when not deployed, she was always secured to the same buoy just off at Sydney), "The Mighty 'Wart", and "Battlestar". On 14 November 1974, "Stalwart" was present at Port Moresby for Papua New Guinean independence celebrations. On 27 December 1974, after Cyclone Tracy destroyed Darwin, "Stalwart" sailed from Sydney as part of the disaster relief effort Operation Navy Help Darwin. The vessel arrived on 2 January 1975, and was the only vessel to dock alongside in Darwin Harbour (
1972648
Ella Stack


. She was elected to the Darwin City Council in 1969 and became Deputy Mayor in 1974. Stack and her family survived Cyclone Tracy, despite the destruction of their house. Stack decided not to evacuate Darwin, instead running an emergency clinic at Darwin High School, which became the main shelter and evacuation centre after the cyclone. She was responsible for the health care of 11,000 people who passed through the centre. "Not only did I look after the people that came in, but also people came and lived here,"
5335819
Cyclone Laurence


Kalumburu, south to Wyndham and west to Mitchell Plateau. The system hovered in the same general region for a day, before strengthening into a category one cyclone, and was named by the TCWC Darwin as Tropical Cyclone Laurence. During the morning of 15 December, the cyclone strengthened into a category 2 cyclone before strengthening further into a category 3 system. In the early hours of 16 December Severe TC Laurence was upgraded to a strong category 4 with an eye starting to develop; later developing into a category 5 system. The
15301286
Eva Lawler


Eva Dina Lawler is an Australian politician. She is a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the electorate of Drysdale. She was Minister for Education in the Gunner Ministry from September 2016 until June 2018, when she was made Minister for Environment and Natural Resources and Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics. Lawler was born in Darwin. She and her family were evacuated after Cyclone Tracy but returned to Darwin. Lawler completed a Bachelor of Education at the then Darwin Community College. She taught at Berry
11075852
2006–07 Australian region cyclone season


and the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Darwin initiated tropical cyclone advisories on 2 March while the low was still inland. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the system later that day, and designated it Tropical Cyclone 17S the next day as it emerged into water. Later on 3 March, TCWC Darwin upgraded the low to a tropical cyclone, naming it George, the first name used from the Darwin list since Fay in March 2004. George continued to strengthen, and was upgraded to a Category 2
8099705
Lameroo Beach


, Darwin City Council were prosecuting campers that chose to stay on the Beach as trespassers. In February 1974 about 20 campers were forced from the beach by police and 13 tree houses were burned by council inspectors. Many of the campers dispersed to sites further along the foreshore, with some later returning to Lameroo Beach. It was one of the early television stories broadcast from Darwin. The camp was destroyed during Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Campers returned to Lameroo Beach after the cyclone. As part of the reconstruction plans, Darwin City
18615943
Northern Territory Rugby Union


The Northern Territory Rugby Union, or NTRU, is the governing body for the sport of rugby union within the Northern Territory in Australia. It is a member of Rugby Australia. The Northern Territory Rugby Union manages competitions in several age groups and divisions, involving clubs from Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, and Nhulunbuy. The NTRU also hosts the annual Hottest 7s tournament in Darwin, which draws Rugby 7s teams from around Australia and overseas and awards prize money to the winners. Rugby union in Darwin started after Cyclone Tracy when
10318134
Hotel Darwin


Hotel Darwin was a hotel located on the Esplanade in central Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was commonly known as the "Grand Old Duchess". Despite surviving the Bombing of Darwin and Cyclone Tracy, the hotel was demolished in 1999. A bar at the rear of the original site formerly known as the Hot & Cold Bar now functions under the name Hotel Darwin. The Hotel Darwin was designed by D. K. Turner of Messrs. Stephenson and Turner. It was built on the site of the old Club Hotel at
7688670
2009–10 Australian region cyclone season


was named by the TCWC Darwin as Tropical Cyclone Laurence. During the morning of 15 December, the cyclone strengthened into a category 2 cyclone before strengthening further into a category 3 system. In the early hours of 16 December, Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence was upgraded to a strong category 4 with an eye starting to develop; later developing into a category 5 system. The cyclone crossed the Kimberley coast southeast of Cockatoo Island on 16 December and passed near Derby. On 17 December the cyclone weakened as it meandered over land dumping heavy
1117844
Cyclone Marcus


the northwest Top End. Major events and flights in and out of Darwin were cancelled. Approximately 26,000 homes were affected by electricity outages as a result of the destructive winds, even in areas as far south as Batchelor and Adelaide River. Thousands of trees were destroyed across the Greater Darwin region including many African mahoganies planted after Cyclone Tracy for their fast growing and expansive shade qualities. Public schools and non-essential public service agencies were closed while the clean-up efforts continued and tree trunks removed from roads. Cyclone Marcus was
5299264
Darwin, Northern Territory


in 2004. The Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery (MAGNT) in Darwin gives an overview of the history of the area, including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy and the boats of the Pacific Islands. The MAGNT also organises the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, the longest running Indigenous art award in Australia. The MAGNT also manages the Defence of Darwin Experience, a multi-media installation that tells the story of the Japanese air raids on Darwin during World War II. The Darwin Festival and the Darwin
8379102
Cyclone Vance


An area of low pressure formed on 16 March, six hundred miles northwest of Darwin, Australia. The storm then quickly reached tropical depression strength as it curved over the Northern Territory causing no damage. On 18 March, the tropical depression intensified and became Tropical Storm Vance west of Darwin. Interacting with a subtropical ridge, the storm moved westward and then southwestward where it reached Category 1 cyclone status on the 19th. The cyclone then continued southwestward, strengthening to a Category 5 storm overnight on 20 March with gusts of more than
19053439
HMAS Balikpapan


vessels. "Balikpapan" was transferred to the RAN and commissioned on 27 September 1974; as the other seven LCHs had commissioned into the RAN on completion, "Balikpapan" was the last to enter naval service. "Balikpapan" was one of the first ships to depart for Darwin to render assistance after Cyclone Tracy hit that city in December 1974, sailing on 26 December from Brisbane with sister ship . During May and June 1984, "Balikpapan" completed a transit from Brisbane to Penang, transporting vehicles, equipment, and
3901105
Rex Patterson


minerals in northern Australia. On 19 October 1973, he was sworn in as Minister for the Northern Territory by Queen Elizabeth II, the only occasion when an Australian minister has been sworn in by the Monarch of Australia directly (rather than by the Governor-General of Australia). On Christmas Day, 1974, the day after Cyclone Tracy, he flew into Darwin with Major-General Alan Stretton and they took responsibility for rebuilding Darwin. In June 1975, Patterson's portfolios were combined and retitled as Minister for Northern Australia
13683172
Anglican Diocese of the Northern Territory


of Christ Church Cathedral, Darwin is currently vacant. Christ Church in Darwin became a cathedral when the Northern Territory diocese was created in 1968 out of the larger Diocese of Carpentaria. The building was almost totally destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. The present cathedral was completed in 1977 on the site of the previous building, incorporating the surviving porch of the old church. The porch had been constructed in 1944 by the Australian Navy. The back wall of the new octagonal building was formed from reclaimed stone from the old church.
15304876
Malak, Northern Territory


Malak is a Northern suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Malak is named after the Aboriginal tribe who came from the Daly River area. Alternative spellings have been "Mallak", "Mulluck Mulluck". The naming intended in 1965 to have the tribe pronounced "Mulluck". The suburb of Malak was under construction when Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in late 1974. Historically, a high proportion of the residential dwellings in Malak and the neighbouring suburb of Marrara have been allocated to social housing,
19568608
Cyclone Grant


companies were poised to raise transportation costs as shipping to Darwin would need to be done by road. The railway between Katherine and Darwin would be out of service until the end of January 2012. On 28 December the system moved eastward, bringing with it heavy rainfall to the Roper-McArthur River districts. A cyclone watch was issued for Queensland for coastal areas from Thursday Island to Gilbert River Mouth but was later cancelled when the system did not re-intensify to Category 1 strength. Late on 29 December the system as a
15552067
2007–08 Australian region cyclone season


, and then later that day TCWC Darwin followed suit and issued its final advisory on Tropical Low Ex-Helen as it approached TCWC Brisbane's Area of Responsibility. The strongest wind gust recorded was at Charles Point Lighthouse with 120 kilometres an hour recorded during the Tropical Cyclone with Darwin Airport recording 102 kilometres an hour around 2 am ACST making it the first time since April 1985 for Darwin to experience Category 1 or more since Cyclone Gretel passed Darwin on 12 April 1985. Damages from the storm amounted to an estimated A$21.5 million
2593541
2007–08 Australian region cyclone season


the 28th by TCWC Perth. Melanie was the first storm of the season which required Cyclone watches and warnings were issued for the Pilbara coast however it had weakened into a low pressure area before it made landfall. Tropical Cyclone Helen was the first Tropical Cyclone to form in 2008, in the Southern Hemisphere, forming in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility. Helen marked the first time that Darwin had experienced a tropical cyclone since Cyclone Gretel in the 1984–85 season. Cyclone Nicholas made landfall north of Carnarvon on 20 February as a category
2593525
Northern Territory


Commission a Land Rights Bill was drafted, but the Whitlam Government was dismissed before it was passed. The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was eventually passed by the Fraser government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on 26 January 1977). In 1974, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, Darwin was devastated by tropical Cyclone Tracy. Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people, caused A$837 million in damage (1974 dollars), or approximately A$6.85 billion (2018 dollars), and destroyed more than 70 per
1871083
Cyclone Tracy


Christmas, and did not immediately acknowledge the emergency, partly because they had been alerted to an earlier cyclone (Selma) that passed west of the city. Additionally, news outlets had only a skeleton crew on duty over the holiday. Tracy killed 71 people, caused 837 million in damage (1974 dollars), or approximately 6.85 billion (2018 dollars), or $4.79 billion 2018 USD. It destroyed more than 70 percent of Darwin's buildings, including 80 percent of houses. It left more than 25,000 out of
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No. 37 Squadron RAAF


called on for relief operations following many natural disasters including tsunamis in New Guinea, cyclones in the Solomons and Tonga, and fires and floods throughout Australia. It played a major role in the evacuation of civilians following Cyclone Tracy in Darwin in 1974–75; a No. 37 Squadron C-130E was the first aircraft to touch down in Darwin following the disaster. The squadron contributed eleven aircraft to the relief effort, carrying 4,400 passengers and of cargo. No. 37 Squadron aircraft took part in Operation Babylift, the US-led effort to
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Wulagi, Northern Territory


in the Darwin suburbs for its large block size and green areas, and convenience to key locations such as Darwin Airport and Casuarina Beach. Wulagi is not greatly exposed to storm surge from tropical cyclones. Between the 2006 and 2011 censuses there was a marked increase in the 60+ age group, reflecting a more settled population in the area. The great majority of residences are the original, robustly built post-Cyclone Tracy houses, but, with an increasing proportion of private ownership, frequently have had significant renovation and expansion.
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Emery Point Light


the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses", taking place between 1913 and 1920. The original light source was a carbide lamp (acetylene gas lamp). It was converted to electric power on 23 March 1966, with an acetylene gas standby. The current light source is a 1,000 watt tungsten-halogen lamp. In Christmas Eve of 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit the city of Darwin. Emery Point Light was the only navigational aid to remain functional in the path of the storm. Over the years, the light characteristic shown
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Star Theatre (Darwin)


The Star Theatre was the first purpose-built cinema in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Destroyed during Cyclone Tracy, it was the centre of Darwin's social life between the 1930s and 1960s. The partially open air theatre was built by Snell and Gordon, the company of well-known Darwin builder Harold Snell, in the 1920s. The theatre's design was innovative at the time, in particular the roof structure, which Snell had studied in England. Only the rear rows at the back and upstairs dress circle
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Climate of Australia


are known to bring destructive winds, heavy rain with flooding creating storm surges along the coast, causing inundation to low-lying areas. The strongest Australian region cyclone was 2006's Cyclone Monica, with gusts topping . Cyclones can also move inland, decaying to rain depressions, dumping heavy rain and causing flooding. The worst cyclones of Australia have caused billions of dollars of damage and many deaths. Cyclone Tracy crossed directly over Darwin in 1974, killing 71 persons. It was Australia's most damaging cyclone. Cyclone Mahina in 1899
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Star Theatre (Darwin)


decided to sit downstairs. It was reported that a number of Aborigines who were invited had paddled in from Bathurst Island to attend. The Star lost popularity during the 1960s when two new cinemas opened in Darwin by Michael Paspalis, the open-air Parap Theatre and the drive-in cinema at Nightcliff in 1964. The Star Theatre was destroyed during Cyclone Tracy in 1974 and never reopened. Manager Tom Harris had died the year before after 40 years in the Northern Territory. His son, Tom Harris Junior, renovated the theatre
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ABC Radio Darwin


and most programming was flown up on discs. Since there was only one newspaper in the area, 5DR frequently broadcast funeral arrangements because the Northern Territory's humid climate made it impossible to keep a body for any long period of time. In 1960 all Northern Territory radio stations moved from the 5 prefix previously shared with South Australia to the 8 prefix, the station becoming 8DR. The station came into its own in 1974, when Cyclone Tracy slammed into Darwin. Dick Muddimer, one of the station's reporters, was able
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Cyclone Laurence


Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence of December 2009 was the first Category 5 tropical cyclone to make landfall in Australia, since Cyclone George in 2007. Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence was first identified by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on 8 December 2009 over the Arafura Sea. As the system moved west north of the Top End on 10 December, TCWC Darwin issued a Tropical Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Croker Island to Bathurst Island but excluding Darwin. Later that day, TCWC Perth cancelled all previous warnings and issued new watches for
15301285
Cyclone Althea


studies of the destruction resulted in a new understanding of the structural design loads necessary to withstand severe winds. In particular, inadequate roof cladding and fastening systems were among the primary points of failure. Consequently, much stricter building codes were explored in Queensland and Australia as a whole. Three years later, Cyclone Tracy's devastation in Darwin, Northern Territory, bolstered the trend of more rigorous construction specifications in the country. Many of the buildings destroyed by Tracy were government housing units constructed according to new guidelines based on findings after Althea
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James Dibble


landing (1969), the destruction of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy (1974), and the dismissal of the Whitlam government (1975). He appeared as himself in episodes of the ABC-TV comedy series "Our Man In Canberra" and "Our Man In The Company" episodes, narrated segments of the radiophonic works 'What's Rangoon To You Is Grafton To Me'(1978) and 'Hot Bananas', written by Russell Guy and originally broadcast on radio station 2JJ (Double Jay). Dibble also did voice-
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Cyclone Tracy


the 47,000 inhabitants of the city homeless prior to landfall and required the evacuation of over 30,000 people, of whom many never returned. After the storm passed, the city was rebuilt using more stringent standards "to cyclone code". On 20 December 1974, the United States' ESSA-8 environmental satellite recorded a large cloud mass centred over the Arafura Sea about northeast of Darwin. This disturbance was tracked by the Darwin Weather Bureau's regional director Ray Wilkie, and by senior meteorologist Geoff Crane. On 21 December 1974, the ESSA-8
8777865
2007–08 Australian region cyclone season


one cyclone. Cyclone Ophelia actually formed in TCWC Darwin's area of responsibility but had moved into TCWC Perth's area when it was named. Tropical Cyclone Pancho formed on 23 March to the south of Christmas Island, and was named by TCWC Perth on 25 March; the system eventually reached Category 4 status, with winds of . In April 2008, Tropical Cyclones Rosie and Durga were the first ever Tropical Depressions to be monitored within TCWC Jakarta's area of responsibility and Durga was also the first storm to reach Tropical cyclone status
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Trevor Riley


. He worked with Ian Barker in the firm Withnall & Barker until 1974 when Cyclone Tracy destroyed Darwin. After the cyclone he joined the firm Ward Keller. Justice Riley joined the Northern Territory Bar in 1985 and was appointed as a Queen's Counsel in 1988. From 1988 - 1991 he was counsel in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. On 22 July 2010 it was announced that Justice Riley would become the Northern Territory's sixth Chief Justice after the retirement of Brian Ross Martin. Justice Riley retired in 2016.
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2011–12 Australian region cyclone season


21 December. Tropical Low 04U developed into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on the morning of 25 December, and reached Category 2 strength in the afternoon of 25 December. A cyclone watch was declared between Dundee Beach and Nhulunbuy, whilst a cyclone warning was issued for areas between Cape Fourcroy and Milingimbi including the Tiwi Islands. A gale warning had been issued for Darwin and the Tiwi Islands on 24 December. Upon intensification to Category 1 on 25 December the cyclone was moving slowly towards the Cobourg Peninsula. The system intensified further on
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2012–13 Australian region cyclone season


cyclone status in the best track data post-analysis of the storm, with sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). During 29 December, Tropical Cyclone Freda briefly moved into the basin from the South Pacific basin, as a Category 2 tropical cyclone with winds of 100 km/h (65 mph). During the season a total of 9 tropical cyclones received a name from BoM, either by TCWC Perth, Darwin, or Brisbane, when the system was judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of .
386493
2016–17 Australian region cyclone season


TCWC Darwin upgraded the low to Tropical Cyclone Blanche. With increasing deep convection and a more consolidated centre of circulation, the JTWC issued a tropical cyclone formation alert at 02:00 UTC on 5 March, and designated the system as Tropical Cyclone 10S shortly thereafter at 15:00 UTC. At 00:00 UTC on 6 March, TCWC Darwin upgraded Blanche to a Category 2 cyclone on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale, with 10-minute sustained winds of 95 km/h (60 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 988 hPa (29.18 inHg)
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George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens


The George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden located 2 km north of the CBD of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The gardens were established on their present site in 1886; this was the third attempt by European settlers of Darwin to establish a site where plants of economic importance could be tested for their suitability in the tropics. Initially the collection of the gardens was focused on economic gardening and the ornamental plantings. The gardens were severely damaged during Cyclone Tracy in 1974, 89% of all plants were lost.
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Darwin Festival


from visiting international artists. For the next 10 years, the festival featured sporting and cultural events that increasingly reflected the 'ocker' image of many Darwin residents, culminating in a beer drinking competition and the staging of the first Beer Can Regatta in 1974. The festivities were temporarily halted by the evacuation of Darwin following Cyclone Tracy, which devastated the city and its northern suburbs on Christmas Day 1974. Following the evacuation of Darwin and a short intense period of reconstruction, by late 1977, plans were under way for a Back
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2009–10 Australian region cyclone season


Darwin reported that a tropical low pressure system had formed near the south coast of Papua New Guinea. As the system moved west north of the Top End on 10 December, TCWC Darwin issued a Tropical Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Croker Island to Bathurst Island but excluding Darwin . Later that day, TCWC Perth cancelled all previous warnings and issued new watches for Kalumburu, south to Wyndham and west to Mitchell Plateau. The system hovered in the same general region for a day, before strengthening into a category one cyclone, and
1117843
List of retired Australian region cyclone names


names retired, with the 1990s accounting for 44 of these. Two of the most intense systems ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, Cyclones Gwenda and Inigo each attaining a barometric pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg), are among the retired storms. The deadliest cyclone to take place since the 1960s was Cyclone Guba in 2007 which killed 149 people in Papua New Guinea. Additionally, the most damaging system was Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy in 1974 which devastated the city of Darwin, leaving A$ (A$ 2011 AUD; US$ 2011
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2008–09 Australian region cyclone season


good" and issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. Joint Typhoon Warning Center designated the system as Tropical Cyclone 27S later on 27 April. In the afternoon, TCWC Darwin upgraded 23U to a Category 1 tropical cyclone and designated it as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily. Later that day, as it made landfall over Aru Islands, the low weakened slightly and JTWC downgraded Kirrily to tropical depression, and TCWC Darwin downgraded Kirrily to a tropical low. In the afternoon of the 27th, the JTWC again upgraded Kirrily into tropical storm. During 28
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Royal Darwin Hospital


Terrace commenced in 1941 to cater for the Darwin area population of 4,000. The new hospital opened 2 February 1942 and was bombed just 17 days later during the Bombing of Darwin. Prior to Cyclone Tracy in 1974, approval had been given for the construction, based on the Woden Valley Hospital design, of Casuarina Hospital on Rocklands Drive in the northern suburb of Tiwi. Casuarina Hospital became fully operational on 20 May 1980. On 1 January 1982, the Casuarina Hospital name was changed to Darwin Hospital. Following the Royal Assent on
20294757
1984–85 Australian region cyclone season


The 1984–85 Australian region cyclone season was one of the most active seasons on record. It officially started on 1 November 1984, and officially ended on 30 April 1985. A Category 3 cyclone, Emma struck Western Australia on December 12, 1984, as a Category 1 cyclone. Due to its minimal intensity, 04S was designated only as a tropical storm strength cyclone by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The storm remained unnamed by the warning center in Darwin. Tropical Cyclone Frank was a significant tropical cyclone which formed
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James Cook University


became "James Cook University of North Queensland" on 29 April 1970. The official opening of the university was conducted by Queen Elizabeth II. The namesake is British sea captain James Cook, who is best known for discovering the eastern coast of Australia. A year after JCU's proclamation, Cyclone Althea struck the Townsville region. This, together with the destruction caused by Cyclone Tracy in Darwin 1974, prompted the establishment of a cyclone research facility. The Cyclone Testing Station started out as a small project of Professor Hugh Trollope and
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Cyclone Tracy


and the Commonwealth Minister for the Northern Territory, Rex Patterson, arrived at Darwin Airport late on Christmas Day and took charge of the relief efforts. After an assessment of the situation and meetings with the Department of the Northern Territory and the relevant minister, it was concluded that Darwin's population needed to be reduced to a "safe level" of 10,500 people. This decision was made on the advice of Dr. Charles Gurd, the Director of Health in the Northern Territory. Around 10,000 people left Darwin and the surrounding area within
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Australian Red Cross


from 260,000 in 1941 to 450,000 in 1944. The Australian Red Cross proved to be an important link between the public and Japanese prisoners of war. In 2005, the organisation made an agreement with the Maldives Government to help clear debris created by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. In December 2010, aid workers from the Australian Red Cross were sent to Christmas Island to assist the survivors of the 2010 Christmas Island boat disaster. Australian Red Cross volunteers were also active after Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin, the Ash Wednesday bushfires,
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David Bussau


businesses to his credit, he "retired", having reached what he refers to as the "economics of enough". In 1974, answering a call for help, Bussau moved his family which includes Carol, his wife, and Natasha and Rachel, his two daughters, to Darwin and headed up a national movement to assist the victims of Cyclone Tracy. Soon after, he began aid work in Indonesia and eventually endowed a private foundation committed to responsible wealth creation and entrepreneurship, believing this is the best way to alleviate
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Nakara, Northern Territory


Nakara is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The suburb it is bounded by Trower Road, Ellengowen Drive and Dripstone Road . It is in the local government area of City of Darwin. The suburb is mostly residential. Nakara is an older suburb in Darwin, the suburb was established before Cyclone Tracy in 1974. It is named after the Nakara Indigenous Australians who live around Boucaut Bay, west of the Blyth River in northern Arnhem Land, close to Maningrida. The streets in Nakara are
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Billie Pitcheneder


Peter Pitcheneder in 1961. He was a prisoner-of-war in Western Australia, after being captured by a British vessel. He came to Darwin in 1961, as the ship's cook on the "Denman". While delayed, Billie offered to show him around Darwin. They were engaged by the end of the week. Hundreds flocked to the wedding at the United Church in Darwin. He died in 1977. After Cyclone Tracy Pitcheneder collected donations for the Chung Wah Society to allow the Chinese temple to be repaired
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Cyclone Tracy


Darwin was handled via continuous wave radio (Morse code). The only local radio station that wasn't completely disabled was the ABC's 8DR. For the next two days, it was Darwin's only link to the outside world, and was on the air for all but 34 hours in the coming weeks. Those who remained in Darwin faced the threat of several diseases due to much of the city being without water, electricity or basic sanitation. An initial response was to vaccinate residents for typhoid and cholera. Approximately 30,000
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2010–11 Australian region cyclone season


tropical cyclone could cause damage more severe than Cyclone Larry in 2006 and Cyclone Tracy, which nearly destroyed Darwin, in 1974. Thousands of residents in the path of the storm were urged to evacuate by Premier Anna Bligh. Yasi crossed the Queensland coast near Mission Beach shortly after midnight (local time) on 3 February. At that time, the large destructive core around the eye extended between Innisfail and Cardwell, Queensland. Yasi caused at least $3.6 billion (2011 USD) in damage, becoming the costliest tropical cyclone recorded
4557781
Cyclone Mahina


his parents, of a reading of . This study considers the apparently third-hand report of an unreliable measurement made possibly five hours prior to passage of the eye. In comparison, the tiny Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin in 1974, with a central pressure of . Barometric pressure this low at mean sea level also likely caused Cyclone Mahina to create such an intense, phenomenal, claimed world-record storm surge that was not immediately known afterward. In 2008, Ian Townsend published "The Devil's Eye: a novel" as
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Casuarina Square


Casuarina Square, the largest shopping centre in the Northern Territory, is located in Casuarina in Darwin's northern suburbs. The shopping centre is built to the building code for Tropical Cyclones, due to cyclones that sweep through the area such as Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Casuarina Square was built in 1973, the shopping centre contains over 180 businesses including two supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths), and the discount department – stores (Big W and Kmart), and a 7-screen BCC Cinemas. The GPT Group owns and manages the shopping
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Cyclone Tracy


as missing had "perished at sea". Several factors delayed the dissemination of the news of the cyclone's impact. The destruction of transportation infrastructure and the distance between Darwin and the rest of the Australian population played a role, as did the fact the storm made landfall on Christmas Day and most media outlets had only a skeleton crew rostered on at best. Most Australians were not aware of the cyclone until late in the afternoon. Dick Muddimer, a reporter for the local ABC station, 8DR, was able to travel
8777874
History of Darwin


used in the attack on Pearl Harbor. As was the case at Pearl Harbor, the Australian town was unprepared, and although it came under attack from the air another 58 times in 1942 and 1943, the raids on 19 February were massive and devastating by comparison. Another significant raid was conducted by the Japanese on 2 May 1943. Darwin was granted city status on Australia Day (26 January) 1959. On 25 December 1974, Darwin was struck by Cyclone Tracy, which killed 71 people and destroyed over 70% of
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