Rock and Tempest: surviving Cyclone Tracy and its aftermath

In Australia we know that during the wet season cyclones strike northern Australia. Fortunately many cyclones reach land in unpopulated or sparsely populated areas but they can also cause havoc in coastal towns or cities. Cyclone Tracy arrived in Darwin on Christmas Day, 1974.

 In 1974, Patricia Collins was a Wran stationed in Darwin. Staff at the naval base knew that the storm was approaching but exactly where it would cross the land was not known until shortly before its arrival. Many people had left Darwin to celebrate Christmas with families further south, however those left quickly prepared for the arrival of the storm. The devastation was incredible with most of the city flattened by the cyclone. Most women and children left in Darwin were evacuated as soon as possible though the Wrans remained with other navy staff to assist in the cleanup. 

In Rock and Tempest, Patricia Collins recounts her experiences in Darwin at this time. She has also interviewed other people with whom she was working for their memories of that time. Together that paint a picture of the horrors encountered when Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin and the devastation caused by the storm when they were involved in the cleanup afterwards. The exact number of deaths due to the storm has been questioned. Figures for those who died varied from 66 to 71. Some people consider these figures to be low.

Christmas Day 2024 will be the the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy hitting the Australian coast. Rock and Tempest is a book that allows ordinary Australians to better understand what it was like being in Darwin at that time.