Survivors of Cyclone Tracy Reflect on 50 Years Since Disaster
This Christmas, survivors gather in Darwin to honor the legacy of Cyclone Tracy and share their stories of resilience and community.
Darwin, Australia, Cyclone Tracy, Memorial, Survivors, Community
Darwin: This Christmas, survivors of Cyclone Tracy are heading back to where it all began, marking 50 years since the cyclone wreaked havoc on the city.
Many still recall the terrifying sounds of that night—the howling winds and the chaos as debris flew through the air at 3:30 am on Christmas Day in 1974.
Larrakia elder Christine Fejo-King, who was just 20 at the time, shared her memories of survival and the kindness of strangers. “We were refugees with nowhere to go,” she said.
Despite losing everything, she felt the warmth of support from people she didn’t even know. “We had nothing, but we had a whole country of people be kind to us,” she reflected.
Christine is among many survivors who will gather to remember the pain and healing that followed Cyclone Tracy. A new memorial site at East Point was recently unveiled by the Remembering Cyclone Tracy Incorporated committee.
Local and federal leaders, including Prime Minister Albanese, will join the survivors to pay their respects during this significant event.
The memorial, named “5 Decades, 5 Flowers, Forever Remembered,” was created by local artist Techy Masero and symbolizes the resilience of the community.
This is the second memorial to be unveiled, following a $700,000 kinetic art sculpture commissioned by the City of Darwin.
Prime Minister Albanese reflected on the cyclone’s impact, recalling how Australians came together to support those affected. “That is part of the Australian story,” he said, visibly moved by the memories.