When the Ryan family moved to Darwin in 1970, life was filled with lemon cordial, coconut tree-climbing and Nightcliff neighbourhood play dates. Four years later, Cyclone Tracy struck. Kathy was seven at the time, but her memories of the night don’t fit with commonly told terror and trauma tales.

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SPUN: True Stories Told in the Territory is a live storytelling event that showcases some of the extraordinary people and stories that make up the Northern Territory. Popping up at different venues across Darwin, working with a range of partner organisations with a different theme each time, SPUN brings to light stories from diverse backgrounds.

Kathy’s story was told at a SPUN event on 10 August 2021 at Darwin Festival where the theme was After Dark.

Storyteller: Kathy Ryan

Producer: Jennifer Pinkerton

Audio + Editing: Gaia Osborne

Photography: Helen Orr

Presenting Partners: StoryProjects and Darwin Festival

Supporting Partners: Charles Darwin University