Sky News Darwin bureau chief Matt Cunningham discusses the devastating impact of Cyclone Tracy on Darwin in 1974 ahead of a special Sky News investigation marking the 50th anniversary of one of Australia’s worst natural disasters. | Sky News Australia

50 years ago, Darwin faced unimaginable devastation when Cyclone Tracy struck in the early hours of Christmas Day, 1974. With winds flattening 80% of the city, 66 lives lost, and thousands forced to flee, it remains one of Australia’s darkest days. To mark this anniversary, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) has restored Cyclone Tracy: Darwin Christmas 1974 to 4K. Directed by Chris Noonan ('Babe' 1995), this film, made just days after the cyclone, documents the destruction a

In the early hours of Christmas Day 1974, Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy passed through Darwin, devastating the city and taking 66 lives. 70% of homes in the city were either destroyed or severely damaged. In this video, see footage of the aftermath of the cyclone and hear descriptions of the damage from people who experienced it. For information on records we hold about Cyclone Tracy, see our fact sheet – bit.ly/2SPZzrW | National Archives of Australia