The prime minister has joined survivors from Darwin and around the country to mark five decades since Cyclone Tracy, one of the worst natural disasters in Australian history.

A new memorial to the victims of Cyclone Tracy has been unveiled in Darwin this morning, 50 years on from the devastating tragedy.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor General Sam Mostyn both spoke at the event,

At dawn survivors will stand on Darwin's shoreline remembering the moment 50 years earlier when Cyclone Tracy made landfall, claiming 66 lives.

Before first light on Christmas morning, hundreds gathered at East Point Reserve to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy, including the nation’s prime minister, who said the disaster brought out the best in the NT and Australia.

Cyclone Tracy tore a path of destruction through Darwin that would take years to repair. Gusts reached 217km/h before measuring instruments failed, and 66 people were killed as buildings blew apart all over the city. "And we could feel the pressure, even indoors – the pressure was pushing at the house."

In the early hours of Christmas Day 1974, a tropical cyclone swept through Darwin... leaving an indelible mark on the city and its people. Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy is regarded as one of the most significant cyclones in Australia's history.

Political leaders have paid tribute to the victims and survivors of the devastating Christmas Eve cyclone that devastated Darwin and claimed 66 lives.