Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

(1)acknowledges that 24 December marks 40 years since Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin, killing 71 people and destroying 70 per cent of buildings, including 80 per cent of residential homes, leaving homeless 41,000 of the 47,000 people living in Darwin;

(2)recognises the enormous Commonwealth contribution in providing extensive resources to perform the rescue and evacuation of survivors and for the rebuild of Darwin, including:

(a)the Royal Australian Navy undertaking its largest peacetime relief operations with HMA Ships Balikpapan, Betano, Brunei, Hobart, Melbourne, Stalwart, Stuart, Supply, Tarakan, Vendetta and Wewak berthing in early January 1975 to join HMA Ships Brisbane and Flinders;

(b)naval personnel spending 17,979 man days ashore during January 1975, with up to 1,200 onshore at the peak of operations working to re-build Darwin; and

(c)the evacuation of approximately 30,000 of the 45,000 Darwin residents in the days after the disaster thanks to the Royal Australian Air Force and Qantas; and

(3)notes that:

(a)the estimated damage to Darwin was $837 million dollars in 1974 dollars;

(b)the resilience of Territorians is remarkable;

(c)Cyclone Tracy was a defining moment in the history of Darwin—a city that had already been rebuilt after the 1942 Japanese bombings and natural disasters in the years preceding World War II; and

(d)today Darwin is a thriving city and is looking forward to maximising future opportunities, particularly around Developing North Australia.

It is inconceivable to imagine the devastating impact that a natural disaster can leave on our community, with the loss of homes, livelihoods and the health and safety of those that we love the most. Today I would like to share with the House the details of one such natural disaster—one that profoundly changed the lives of almost 50,000 people who were living in Darwin some 40 years ago. It was a natural disaster that changed Darwin forever.

As the motion states, 24 December this year marks 40 years since Cyclone Tracey devastated Darwin, killing 71 people and destroying 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings, including 80 per cent of Darwin's homes and leaving 41,000 of the 47,000 people living in Darwin homeless. I think it is important for us to look back on this significant event in Darwin's history and acknowledge the community spirit and the resilience of all those involved in bringing Darwin back to life. We have come a long way since Australia's single, biggest natural disaster hit, and we should acknowledge those who supported the reconstruction efforts and those who helped shape Darwin into the modern metropolis that so many Territorians are now proud to call home.

By Christmas Eve 1974, Darwin had already endured many hardships. It had weathered major cyclones in 1897 and in 1937. And we were the scene of the first enemy attack on Australian soil during World War II. Yet no-one anticipated the ferocity of Cyclone Tracey, which lasted around seven hours, leaving the town in ruins. The Northern TerritoryNews commemorative 40th anniversary lift-out contains an incredibly moving collection of tales of survival, strength, courage and hope. Its contributors should be commended and, in particular, editor Rachel Hancock, on a job well done. Some of the stories indicate Darwin had been caught off guard because of Cyclone Thelma weeks before. People had prepared then only for the cyclone to drift towards the Kimberley coast and to dissipate. Cyclone Tracey was expected to be much the same, and perhaps because it was Christmas Eve many residents were caught unprepared. As the eye passed over the city between midnight and 7 am, winds of more than 217 kilometres per hour ripped through houses and buildings and damaged critical infrastructure across the city. The winds were so fierce that the Bureau of Meteorology's anemometer was destroyed. People were hurled from their homes like rag dolls. Livelihoods changed. Public services like communications, power, water and sewerage were severed, and those on boats in the Darwin Harbour had no hope at all. At sea, 16 people perished.

Trisha Shep said that the sounds from that night will forever haunt her. As the roof of her home peeled away, she huddled under a mattress with her husband and four-year-old son. She recalls:

We could hear our beloved dogs crying … The outer wall which was giving us shelter blew out and my husband was exposed to the elements. We had our son in between us and held on to each other as the wind sucked and pulled us upwards and sideways. We said goodbye to each other as … the wind screamed and roared above us.

Toni Harper says:

As the wind intensified I felt a pinching … That was the house lifting off the pillars … We heard the roof go, that's when we really started to get scared … From 1am to 7am we said the Lords prayer, that was all we could do.

Ted D'Ambrosio sheltered with his family in his car, which was parked in the carport under the house. He recalls:

The noise was so great, and the wind was so devastating, and there was the screaming of people … it was just something out of a—horror movie …

For Brian Graham, it was the last time he saw his father. He said:

… I still remember the sound of the wind something I will never forget … still fresh in my mind and to lose our father to drowning … I can't imagine what he must have gone thru!

The entire fabric of life in Darwin was catastrophically disrupted that night. The damage bill was estimated at $837 million. In some of the newer northern suburbs homes, the destruction was absolute. Some journalists likened it to Hiroshima in 1945. The scene at Darwin Airport was one of utter chaos. The operations and terminal buildings had been severely damaged. Navigational aids had been destroyed or disabled. Runways and taxiways were littered with large containers and all sorts of building debris. In the harbour, the shipping fleet was decimated. Approximately 20 of the larger vessels were wrecked, including the Navy patrol boat HMAS Arrow. Fishing trawlers, ferryboats and yachts were also destroyed. Most of the boats in the harbour were either sunk by the huge waves or run aground.

Major General Alan Stretton, who was the Director-General of the Natural Disasters Organisation, was placed in charge of the rescue efforts for Darwin on Christmas Day. He carried out counterdisaster activities through local liaison and action committees, with priority given to health issues and restoration of communication and water supplies, as well as evacuation. The three branches of the defence forces played a major role in the relief operations in the city and the suburbs. On Boxing Day, naval aircraft left southern bases for Darwin, with urgent supplies and personnel. The Army also flew specialist personnel into Darwin, and through them rations, store equipment and specialist vehicles were supplied. Emergency committees were established to deal with such matters as accommodation, clean-up, clothing, communications, evacuation, food, law and order, sanitation, and health and social welfare. People have relayed stories of how there was no money and no homes and how it was like a war zone. There are so many stories of how many people had lost everything. It is just hard to imagine.

The evacuations were necessary. The RAAF, Qantas, TAA and Ansett were involved in carrying out Australia's largest ever air evacuation, which saw Darwin's population drop from 47,000 to 10,000 within a matter of days. For the next six months, access to Darwin was regulated by a permit system to keep so-called unnecessary people out of the rebuilding city.

The Royal Australian Navy undertook its largest peacetime relief operations, with HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Stuart, HMAS Stalwart, HMAS Supply, HMAS Hobart, HMAS Vendetta, HMAS Betano, HMAS Balikpapan, HMAS Brunei, HMAS Wewak and HMAS Tarakan berthing in early January 1975 to join the ships Brisbane andFlinders. Incredibly, during January 1975 naval personnel spent 17,979 man-days ashore, with up to 1,200 onshore at the peak of operations, working to rebuild Darwin.

Eventually Darwin was rebuilt, substantially in the location and form it had been pre cyclone and with the replication of pre-existing planning deficiencies. Today the Top End continues to cope with natural disasters through well-established and cooperative emergency management arrangements, effective capabilities and dedicated professional and volunteer personnel.

Cyclone Tracy was a defining moment in the history of Darwin, a city that, as I said earlier, had already been rebuilt after the 1942 Japanese bombings and the natural disasters in the years preceding World War II. Those harsh times have helped forge the Territory into what it is today. Territorians are renowned for their resilience to hardship, including the ability to innovate and adapt, a strong community spirit that supports those in need and the self-reliance to withstand and recover from disasters.

Today, many say that Darwin is the unofficial capital of north Australia. The Abbott government is absolutely committed to developing north Australia, and it is keen to see Darwin continue to evolve and prosper. I often say that Darwin and her people are very much like the phoenix, rising from the ashes in all its glory, reinvigorated, bigger, better and more beautiful than before.

As we approach the 40th anniversary, we have much to be proud of, but we also have to remember those who lost their lives and those families who were profoundly impacted by this event. The anniversary will be very difficult for them too. There are so many stories that I could share, but we only have 10 minutes. I seek leave to table the names of all the victims of Cyclone Tracy.

Leave granted.

Thank you. I would also like to table the Northern Territory News cyclone anniversary lift-out. It is a very, very important piece of history that should be recorded in Hansard.

Leave granted.

Thank you, and I thank you for listening. (Time expired)

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for External Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Solomon for putting this motion forward and for her contribution. We do not agree a lot of the time, but on this I agree absolutely with her. Her contribution was a very good summation of the events that surrounded Cyclone Tracy and after and I think does justice to those who worked so hard and to those who sacrificed.

Bruce Stannard in The Age on 28 December 1974 said of Cyclone Tracy that it was 'a disaster of the first magnitude, without parallel in Australia's history'. We now know subsequently that 71 people were killed, and damage was estimated at $800 million in 1974 prices. The most compact cyclone on record in Australia destroyed in excess of 70 per cent of buildings and 80 per cent of all housing, leaving 41,000 of 45,000 people homeless, and led to the evacuation of more than 30,000 people.

We have heard the story about how it happened. First identified as a significant cloud mass on 20 December 1974, it was tracked by the Bureau of Meteorology staff, including Ray Wilkie and Geoff Crane. Mr Crane issued the first alert on 21 December as 'a tropical low that could develop into a tropical cyclone'. By 10 pm that night, it was officially pronounced as a tropical cyclone, 700 kilometres north-east of Darwin. On 22 December, it moved south-west, passing north-west of Darwin. On 23 December, the ABC, quoting the Bureau of Meteorology, said there was 'no immediate threat to Darwin'. However, in the early morning of the 24th, Tracy rounded Cape Fourcroy on the western tip of Bathurst Island and headed south-east directly at Darwin. There was strong rain and increasing wind, with the first damage beginning to occur between 10 pm and midnight.

It was generally believed that the first building destroyed was the famous—or some might say infamous—weatherboard-constructed Seabreeze Hotel at Nightcliff, commemorated today by the very popular Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival, held on the Nightcliff foreshore in April of each year. The eye of the cyclone passed between Fannie Bay and Nightcliff at around 3.30 am on 25 December. It tore through the town and then returned an hour later for another go. 1974—what a momentous year!

The anemometer at Darwin airport, as the member for Solomon has said, was destroyed at 3.10 am. The last wind speed recorded was 217 kilometres per hour, but the Bureau of Meteorology's official estimates suggest gusts reached 240 kays an hour. Darwin had been damaged, as the member for Solomon has said already, by previous cyclones in 1897 and 1937 and was largely destroyed by the 64 Japanese aircraft raids in 1942 and 1943.

On Christmas Eve, Darwin style, people were celebrating as they do. Many remained all night in the pubs where they had been drinking, as the winds were too strong to return home. Dawn Lawrie, a famous Northern Territory person and mother of the current leader of the ALP in the Northern Territory, said:

We'd had a cyclone warning only 10 days before Tracy [that another …] was coming, it was coming, and it never came. So when we started hearing about Tracy we were all a little blase.

Another resident, Barbara Langkrens, said:

And you started to almost think that it would never happen to Darwin even though we had cyclone warnings on the radio all the time … most of the people who had lived here for quite some time didn't really believe the warnings.

Darwin, thanks to Tracy's devastating impact, will never be so ill prepared again.

We have heard of the impact—71 dead; sadly, some say there were far more than that, especially so-called long-grassers who may have been without shelter that dreadful and awful night. You can hear the late Bishop Ted Collins's recording of the noise of the incredible winds at the Darwin museum's excellent Cyclone Tracy display, a truly chilling reminder of that hideous night. Most of Darwin's 12,000 dwellings were either destroyed or severely damaged. Thirty-one aircraft were destroyed and 25 were severely damaged.

After 7 am on Christmas Day, Darwin Hospital began receiving patients. Over 500 were treated on Christmas Day, along with 112 admitted. Both operating theatres worked nonstop until the morning of Boxing Day. A surgical team arrived from Canberra around sunset on Christmas Day. The Whitlam government set up an emergency committee on Christmas Day afternoon with the arrival of the Minister for the Northern Territory, Rex Patterson, and Major General Alan Stretton, Director-General of the Natural Disasters Organisation, arrived in the early evening. Housing was in makeshift accommodation and emergency shelters. Trench latrines were dug and water deliveries were made by tankers. Emergency vaccinations began. This was a dreadful set of circumstances.

Patterson and Stretton took advice from the head of the health department, Dr Charles Gurd, that evacuation was essential. Ten thousand left on Boxing Day and the next day. Evacuation by the RAAF, Qantas, Ansett airlines and TAA continued at cost to government, including road transport to Alice Springs. One person I know who was involved in those evacuations was Fred McCue Sr, who was the manager of Ansett in the Northern Territory. Adelaide River, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs residents set up reception centres, raised money and helped people as they passed through. Between 26 December and 31 December, 35,363 people were evacuated: 26,828 by air and the remainder by road. This was, in any set of circumstances, a most horrific set of events. The government of Australia responded appropriately, but most importantly the people of the Northern Territory responded in the right way—although, sadly, many left, never to return.

Reconstruction was itself a challenge. In February of 1975 Gough Whitlam set up the Darwin Reconstruction Commission, despite calls from several conservative politicians of the day to forget and leave Darwin as a small, isolated township or move it inland. This reconstruction committee was chaired by the former Labor Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Clem Jones, and Sir Leslie Thiess and was headed up by Tony Powell. In May 1975, only eight months after work had begun, over 3,000 cyclone coded houses had been built by companies like Grollo, Barclays and others. Schools, clinics et cetera were also constructed. Prime Minister Fraser continued the reconstruction. By 1978 over 40,000 people were resident there. However, more than 60 per cent of the pre-Tracy population never went home. Of course, Malcolm Fraser granted self-government to the Northern Territory in 1978.

By the 1980s, Darwin was largely unrecognisable to the Darwin of 24 December 1974. I arrived in Darwin in the middle of 1975. It was a scene that you could never forget. When I went to live in Darwin, one of the first places that I lived in, in 1976, was a house on Bagot Road. I slept in the back room; the back room had no wall. It was an interesting place, to say the least.

The period was known for the many people who came to the Northern Territory to participate in the reconstruction. It was said that anyone who could put a nail bag on would get a job, and they did. They made a magnificent contribution to the rebuilding of Darwin and the Northern Territory. It is a tribute to them and all of those who were engaged that what we see today is the product of their work. We should never forget the sacrifices that were made but most importantly understand and remember the contributions made in that huge humanitarian operation by the Navy, the RAAF, Qantas and TAA personnel, doctors, nurses, police, public servants, construction crews, power and water teams, transport workers—they all deserve special mention. One of the people who worked during that period is a member of this parliament, the member for Leichhardt. He can tell you some interesting stories about his time in the period post-cyclone.

Many lessons have been learnt. What we know is that Mother Nature in this part of the world is incredibly dangerous and must never be underestimated. Australians in strife, we know, are indomitable and compassionate. We have proved time and time again—such as with Cyclone Althea and Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland and Black Friday in Victoria—that we know how to work together as a community and to respond for one another with great compassion, being aware of the welfare of all.

We should remember that the ABC's emergency role should never be jeopardised by funding cuts. The commitment to the North by the Whitlam government and subsequent governments should never be allowed to wither. It is a remarkable story, tragic but ultimately triumphant. Darwin's rise, phoenix-like, to the extraordinary city it is today proves it must never be forgotten. All schools should have it as part of their Australian history curriculum. I commend motion to the House.

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to confirm that I would like the list of the names of the victims of Cyclone Tracy recorded in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The list read as follows—

Question agreed to.

Debate adjourned.