And to mark the milestone, a special commemorative service will be held around the country.

In 1942 Australia faced an unprecedented foreign attack on home soil - 260 Japanese enemy aircraft dropped more bombs over Darwin than were used in the attack on Pearl Harbour.

This attack marked the first of at least 64 air raids on northern Australia and attacks continued until November 12, 1943.

The bombing of Darwin left hundreds of service men and women and civilians dead, countless others injured and took a significant toll on Darwin's infrastructure.

The service at Nowra on the NSW South Coast, for instance, will recall Sister Lorraine Stewart Blow, of Berry who was badly injured in the attack, and Margaret Augusta de Mestre, a relative of the Terara de Mestres who was killed.

Both sisters were onboard the hospital ship AHS (TSMV - Twin Screw Motor Vessel) Manundra, anchored in Darwin Harbour on February 19, 1942 when the attack took place.

The bombing of Manunda, a passenger ship converted to a hospital ship in 1940, was part of the first Japanese air raid on Darwin, which saw eight ships sunk, 350 wounded and 243 killed.

Twelve members of the Manunda crew and hospital staff died, including Sr de Mestre, a descendent of Terara's Propser de Mestre and Sarah Melanie de Mestre who distinguished herself as a nurse in France and Flanders in World War I.

Forty-seven others, including Sr Blow, the daughter of Alfred "Ernie" Blow who led the famous WW1 Waratah March, were wounded.

Sr Blow suffered significant injuries, after being struck by shrapnel, which fractured her spine and perforated her abdomen.

She was hospitalised for two years.

Expecting casualties from the attack, Sr Blow was preparing her ward when... "There was a terrific blast which flew me off my feet into the air and down again"..., the bomb blast that wounded her, killed Sr de Mestre who was preparing her ward one deck below.

Twenty-six-year-old Sr de Mestre was standing near a door and was hit in the back by a piece of shrapnel. She died two hours later. She was the first Australian Imperial Force nurse to be killed in action on Australian soil.

Sr Blow recovered and went on to be a familiar figure at Sydney's Prince Alfred Hospital, where for 11 years she was in charge of the casualty department.

She died September 21, 1995 aged 88 years, a headstone marks her resting place at Gerringong Cemetery.

Sr de Mestre was a descendent of Jean Charles Prosper de Mestre (known as Prosper) who was the father of famous horse trainer Etienne de Mestre, the winner of the first two Melbourne Cups with Archer and eventually training five cup winners.

Her aunt Sarah Melanie De Mestre, who inspired Margaret to be a nurse, had also trained at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and served in WWI and distinguished herself as a nurse in France and Flanders. Among her decorations was the Royal Red Cross which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace by King George V on June 3, 1918 (the King's birthday).

In 2011 Bombing of Darwin Day joined Anzac Day and Remembrance Day as a National Day of Observance.