Fifty years after Cyclone Tracy leveled Darwin, ABC Australia presents Tracy: A Force of Nature, a sobering documentary chronicling the tragedy and the resilience of the city’s inhabitants.
On Christmas Day 1974, Cyclone Tracy ripped through Darwin, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Sixty-six lives were lost, and 41,000 people were left homeless. The documentary uses first-hand accounts from survivors, interwoven with rarely seen ABC Australia archival footage, to paint a visceral picture of the storm’s impact.
Narrated by Leigh Sales, Tracy: A Force of Nature explores not only the terrifying hours of the cyclone itself, but the chaotic evacuation efforts and the long road to rebuilding that followed. The one-hour special aims to capture the scale of the devastation while highlighting the unwavering spirit of those who endured it. This documentary isn’t just a historical record; it’s a testament to human perseverance in the face of unimaginable loss. It’s a story about picking up the pieces and forging ahead when everything familiar has been swept away.
Tracy: A Force of Nature airs Monday, December 23 at 7:30pm on ABC Australia and ABC Australia iview.
