The reconstruction of darwin after cyclone tracy.

Learning from any process or past experience is one of the wing graces of mankind. In this context, the rebuilding of Darwin had been to ensure that the catastrophic events, wrought by nature, will not be repeated by bringing total devistation of a city and a way of life. The total engineered city is a unique product of the "rethink" process brought about by the rebuilding of Darwin. The future economic viability of this cyclone resistant city is of paramount importance, but the lessons to be learnt also include a social and psychological value that the people of any city have for their existing infrastructure, and life style. The economic well being of any population development goes hand in hand with the happiness and contentment that the settled population work towards. The following is an assessment of the background, problems and achievements in which the Commonwealth Department of Construction played a major role. The Author, during the whole of the rebuilding programme in Darwin, occupied the position of Associate Director in charge of a multidiscipline cell within the Departpent of Construction, whose sole purpose was to handle the majority of the reconsiruction work for the Darwin Reconstruction Commission.