The 1897 cyclone was a

tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...

that destroyed the city of Darwin in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

of Australia. It is considered the worst cyclone to strike the Northern Territory of Australia prior to

Cyclone Tracy Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy was a small but destructive tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, in December 1974. The small but developing easterly storm was or ...

in 1974. Prior to contemporary naming conventions, the storm became known as the "Great Hurricane".

Damage

The cyclone hit Darwin in the evening of the 6 January 1897, peaking between 3.30am and 4.30am on 7 January. It dumped of rain on Darwin, then known as Palmerston. It uplifted roofs, uprooted trees and telegraph poles destroying almost all of the buildings. The only remaining structures include the historic Victoria Hotel, doctors residence, BAT House, the

Commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

and E. S. & A. Banks and the Court House. These remaining structures housed scores of homeless residents after the cyclone. There were 28 fatalities, mostly Chinese and Aboriginal people. One family was reported to have run from three different houses as they were destroyed around them, surviving without injury. Illness spread throughout the predominantly homeless population after the cyclone. While little is known about the Aboriginal loss of life, the deaths of a couple of women who sought refuge in the Roman Catholic Church before its collapse were documented. The other major loss of life occurred on

Darwin Harbour Darwin Harbour is a body of water close to the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the traditional waterways of the Larrakia people. It opens to the north at a line from Charles Point in the west to Lee Point in the ...

, with the deaths of many "coloured persons" working in the pearling industry. Of 29 vessels in the harbour at the time, 18 were wrecked, mostly pearling luggers such as the ''Flowerdale'', ''Maggie'', ''Roebuck'', ''Cleopatra'', ''Olive'', ''Florence'', ''Revenge'', ''Jack'', ''Black Jack'', ''Brisbane'' and ''Galatea''. The government steam launch and three sampans were also damaged. Many crews donated to the rebuilding efforts. The pearling fleet was quickly restored and expanded and by 1898, 55 vessels were operational. Another building that suffered significant damage was the Darwin Public School, and the home of its schoolmistress Catherine Pett, which were largely destroyed. One of the people to loose their home was businesswoman Amelia Kilian and parts of her house was reported to have "blown into the sea" and her survival, alongside her children, was considered miraculous. The damage is estimated to have cost over £150,000 in 1897 values.

References

{{reflist, 30em 1897 meteorology 1897 natural disasters Tropical cyclones in the Northern Territory January 1897 1897 in Australia

Damage

See also

References