What social and economic effects did Cyclone Tracy have on Darwin and its surroundings?

Answer 1

Cyclone Tracy was a category 4 (possibly 5) cyclone that hit Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, Australia on Christmas Day 1974.

The cyclone caused great devastation as so many buildings were destroyed, making thousands of people homeless. There were health issues because the sewerage system was damaged, and sewer lines blocked and overflowed, plus there was a lot of rotting garbage that caused disease. People had to leave the city, which meant they suffered the loss of everything they had ever known - home, their possessions, sometimes pets, even some family members. They went through a lot of grief at having to lose all these things. Some people never returned to Darwin, but stayed in other cities, so when Darwin had to rebuild from scratch, it started off with far fewer people living there.

However, it also made the government aware that Darwin and the Northern Territory needed their own government, instead of being governed entirely from Canberra any more. Because of Tracy, the Northern Territory was given self-government, meaning they had a lot more power in making decisions that affected them.

The effects of Cyclone Tracy were profound. Many people lost all they had and left Darwin permanently. Depending on the source, opinions vary that between 65 and 71 people lost their lives.

See the Web Link 'Cyclone Tracy Aftermath Index' below.

Further information:

It is said that the government wanted to downplay the actual death toll, as an election was looming. Sources indicate that only those who died and could actually be identified were included in the death toll. Perhaps hundreds more were killed, especially among the indigenous communities of the area. Locals reported that entire Aboriginal settlements were wiped out, but these deaths were not recorded.

9,000 homes were destroyed, out of a city of 43,500 people living in 12,000 residences. Many buildings were not built to withstand cyclonic forces, despite being in the cyclone belt.

Many of the residents were short-term residents, who had been working in Darwin for just a few years. these were the people who left for other places, and never returned. Only the long-term residents returned to rebuild.