This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Cyclone Tracy. On Christmas Day 1974, a severe tropical cyclone devastated Darwin, the Northern Territory’s capital city. The Northern Territory Government has requested half-masting of flags in the Northern Territory to mark this occasion.
The cyclone struck early on Christmas morning in 1974. Between midnight and 7 am, the cyclone’s eye passed over the city, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds. The wind speeds were recorded at 217 km/h before the Bureau of Meteorology’s anemometer was destroyed. The impact was catastrophic with over 70% of Darwin’s homes destroyed or severely damaged, and all public services—including communications, power, water, and sewerage—were cut off.
Cyclone Tracy is one of the most prominent and costly natural disasters in Australia’s history. It claimed at least 66 lives and forever changed Darwin’s identity. Of the city’s 47,000 residents, 41,000 people were left homeless, and 35,362 were evacuated from Darwin after the event.
To mark the 50th Anniversary of Cyclone Tracy, the Australian National Flag should be flown at half-mast all day on Wednesday, 25 December 2024 in the Northern Territory only from all buildings and establishments occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies. Other organisations are welcome to participate.
- When flying the Australian National Flag with other flags, all flags in the set should be flown at half-mast.
- If a set of flags includes the flags of other nations, it would be appropriate to seek permission from the diplomatic representatives of that nation to half-mast their flag.
- An acceptable half-mast position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.
- Information on flag protocol is available on the Department's website.
The financial and staffing implications arising from public holiday flag marshal duties are the responsibility of each organisation.
Your assistance is appreciated.
Commonwealth Flag Officer