An emotional Anthony Albanese has reflected on the devastation of Cyclone Tracy as he tours a new exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the disaster.
Walking through the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery in Darwin, the Prime Minister learned how the catastrophic cyclone impacted more than 37,000 Australians when it crossed the coast on Christmas Day 1974.
“I was a child in Sydney, but like the rest of Australia and indeed the world, we were shocked by the images that came from Darwin,” he told media on Tuesday.
“We had people all over Australia providing their support, their funding and their commitment to the people who had experienced this devastating cyclone… that’s part of the Australian story.”
Albanese becomes emotional when looking at archive photographs showing Australians who lost their homes and lives.
“We are so resilient when we get knocked down, that we get up and work together… and that’s what we saw with the rebuilding of this city.”
He used the moment to ask Australians to prepare for another summer of bushfires and cyclones and to heed the lessons learned.
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister and Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy recalled a more recent cyclone that caused damage and flooding in her remote hometown community in 2024.
The small but powerful storm whipped up winds of up to 217 km/h in Darwin before measuring instruments failed as residents prepared to celebrate Christmas (pictured, debris left after the storm)
An emotional Anthony Albanese (pictured) reflects on the destruction left behind by Cyclone Tracey at an exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the disaster.
Tropical Cyclone Megan made landfall near Borroloola in March, but many residents were unable to evacuate because it was too late to deploy planes.
Strong winds and more than 300 mm of rain in 24 hours prevented planes from landing, forcing thousands of residents to take shelter in homes that did not meet the cyclone building code.
“What happened in Borroloola this year was absolutely devastating for residents,” Senator McCarthy said.
“Many would say the arrival of the planes came too late and that was a criticism at the time and was certainly taken into account.”
Cyclone Tracy killed 66 people and left around 25,000 homeless after it unpredictably turned towards the Top End capital early on December 24.
Darwin’s population shrank to a quarter of its pre-storm size during the months it took to rebuild the city to “cyclone code” standards.
“We have to remember in the Northern Territory that the federal government can only intervene when invited to do so and that is really the responsibility of the NT Government today.”
Senator McCarthy said she and Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister had visited Borroloola and other communities to ensure there was no repeat of this year, or of Cyclone Tracy, in remote communities.
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