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Category: History & Culture

History & Culture

Cyclone Tracy: unseen images from the Red Cross archive

When catastrophic Cyclone Tracy wreaked havoc on Darwin on Christmas day 1974, the Australian Red Cross hit the ground running. With 71 fatalities, hundreds seriously injured and thousands homeless the charity stepped up as an essential body providing vital aid. These images have just been released after 40 years in the archives. Taken by Red Cross photographer Ramon A Williams, they document the people of Darwin and volunteers pulling together in a city that was 70 per cent destroyed. An exhibition of Williams’ images can be seen at Community Art Space at the City of Darwin Civic Centre until January 15.

History & Culture

Cyclone Tracy: Images of Christmas Day, 40 years ago

It wasn’t until the dark of midnight, on Christmas day, 25 December 1974, that Cyclone Tracy really began to make an impact. In the seven hours it took the cyclone to pass over Darwin, it destroyed roughly 70 per cent of the small capital city. In all, 71 people were killed in the chaos, 13 of them lost at sea. A bill of $500-600 million dollars also racked up ($2.5-3 billion today), as planes, cars, power lines and structures were whipped across streets, destroying buildings and infrastructure. But there were sparks of hope amid the destruction. The then-tiny town of Alice Springs raised $100,000 (~$700,000 today) with 24 hours of the tragedy.

History & Culture

Shared Sky: Indigenous astronomy art

The Shared Sky art project connected indigenous artists in remote communities from either side of the Indian Ocean (Western Australia and South Africa) whom have ancient cultural connections to the two sites where the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope will be located.