Sir Peter Cosgrove talks Tracy ahead of documentary Cyclone Warriors, presented by Sitzler
The former governor-general popped into Darwin to meet the faces behind a special production, for which Sir Peter is personally invested in. See why.
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During a special visit to Darwin, Sir Peter Cosgrove has shared his memories of Cyclone Tracy, recalling the catastrophic disaster which decimated the Top End almost 50 years ago.
Last week, the Vietnam War veteran and former Governor-General dropped into Darwin to meet the faces behind upcoming documentary, Cyclone Warriors, which sheds light on the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the largest evacuation in the nation’s history.
At an exclusive dinner at Parliament House on election night, Sir Peter revealed he had been a junior officer “on leave” in Sydney when news of Tracy first broke.
“We were all aghast about the notion of the damage, the fact that Darwin basically for some hours was blotted off the map, the loss of life and then, inevitably, a national effort to come to the aid of Darwin,” he said.
“From that point of view it was an unforgettable time – a military officer on leave, seeing it all happen on TV, over the radio and saying ‘hells bells’.”
With more than 8000 military personnel involved in Cyclone Tracy’s recovery efforts, Cyclone Warriors examines the ADF’s involvement in salvaging the port city.
Sir Peter, who deployed to Darwin as part of the ADF response, said he expected audiences to be captivated by the untold stories soon to be unveiled.
“I’m looking forward to seeing when the documentary is out there, I can assure all Australians they’re going to be gripped by it,” he said.
“They’re going to love it and they’re going to say ‘Right, that’s part of the wide, brown land – cyclones happen’.”
Directed by Ian Richards, the documentary includes the testimonies of notable survivors, including Bob Dagworthy, who was commanding HMAS Arrow when it was sunk by the storm, claiming the lives of two crew members.
Indigenous Territorians from the Tiwi Islands and Belyuen have also contributed to the documentary, revealing their contributions to the recovery efforts.
Having watched Darwin evolve throughout his decorated 40-year military career, Sir Peter described Darwin as one of the ‘jewels of the region’.
“Darwin is a gateway, our doorway, to the continent, to all of those countries to our north,” he said.
“It is in national terms vital, crucial – always think of Darwin when we think how we protect our wonderful continent.”
Cyclone Warriors is scheduled to air on Network Seven on September 21, 2024.
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