When I was researching about cyclone Tracy, I wanted to know who organised all the evacuation of Darwin and the restoration of it. This is what I found out….
In 1974 Alan Stretton was appointed the Director-General of the Natural Disasters Organisation, This wold make him in charge of all the natural disaster in Australia.
On Christmas Day in 1974 he flew to Darwin, where Cyclone Tracy had just hit. Under Stretton’s leadership, 36,000 people were evacuated and essential services were restored. He led the evacuation very well and helped rescue many lives.
At the age of 53 Stretton received the Australian of the year award, for his amazing leader ship during the evacuation of cyclone Tracy. When Stretton was being presented with is award the prime minister at the time, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, described cyclone Tracy as a ‘baptism of fire’ for the natural disaster organisation.
Once Stretton had received his award he he insisted that he was just a leader of a team and that everyone had played a role. This is what he said.
‘There should be 45,000 awards so that one could be awarded to each of the people of Darwin.’
A painting of Major General Alan Stretton
The people of Darwin being evacuated under Major General Alan Stretton direction
Cyclone Tracy 
Leave a comment