NSW floods gallery: Images from on the ground as extreme weather event unfolds
NSW floods gallery: Images from on the ground as extreme weather event unfolds
Extreme weather conditions are lashing the NSW north coast, with 50,000 currently isolated, one person confirmed dead and three others currently missing. Here's a look at what's happening on the ground.
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Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Icy homes: Why most Aussies are using their heaters the wrong way
Icy mornings across much of the country in recent days have delivered a reminder to many Aussies that no matter how much they blast their heaters, warmth never seems to stay for long. Housing experts have revealed that this chill isn't just down to the weather — it's a design flaw baked into the way Australian homes have been built for decades. And it means that most households are using heaters in an inefficient way that's sending their power bills through the roof – without doing an adequate job of keeping the interior warm. A common problem is that heaters are being used in rooms that lack insulation and are too open and too large for the heater to deliver any meaningful feeling of extra warmth. MORE: New blow for those earning less than $290k Dr Sarah Robertson, research fellow at the RMIT University Centre for Urban Research said most Australian homes were simply never designed with winter comfort in mind. 'We have work to do to improve the energy efficiency of our housing stock,' she said. Previous energy prices had played a part in promoting a housing climate where poor insulation was common, Dr Robertson added. 'We didn't have the pressure of high energy prices for a long time, until more recently when the costs went up markedly. 'There wasn't that pressure to look at energy efficiency because energy was more affordable.' She added that a key factor in why Aussie homes were often colder than those in chillier countries was that energy efficiency has never been a top priority in residential building standards. 'Our homes tend to lose warm air through poorly sealed windows and doors, and lack the basic insulation needed to retain heat,' Dr Robertson said. 'That makes heating expensive and inefficient.' MORE: 40yo 'disappointed' he only has 300 homes Even newer homes — some equipped with modern heating systems — struggle to perform. Large open-plan designs and limited zoning controls often mean residents are forced to heat the entire house rather than a single room, driving up costs while also minimising heater effectiveness. Australian energy regulations have improved over time, but housing researchers claim the standards are still far behind comparable nations. Dr Nicola Willand of the RMIT University School of Property, Construction and Project Management has previously noted that Aussie regulatory standards reinforced heating levels that were below par. Homes in North America and Europe — even in comparable climates — are more than 50 per cent more efficient when it comes to heating and cooling. The average overseas home exceeds a seven-star energy rating, while most Australian homes still lag well behind that benchmark, even after almost two decades of awareness. The National Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, which governs home energy star ratings for new dwellings, assumes living room heaters are switched off between midnight and 7am. The problem is that this warmth dissipates quickly in most Aussie homes because of the poor insulation, resulting in cold living areas. The scheme also assumes a heating thermostat setting in bedrooms of 15 degrees between midnight and 7am – lower than the 18 degrees recommended by the World Health Organisation. '(These) assumptions suggest that being cold at 7am, when most of us are getting ready for work and school, is acceptable,' Dr Willand said. 'By contrast, energy efficiency ratings in other countries will assume heating in all rooms and at all hours of the day and night.' Poor thermal design is only part of the problem. Many Aussies remain unaware of the health risks of cold indoor air, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular stress, and the spread of mould. Retrofits – including proper ceiling insulation, draught sealing, window upgrades, and thermal assessments – are now being recommended. Many states offer rebates to help with the cost, but take-up remains modest.
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Icy homes: Why most Aussies are using their heaters the wrong way
Icy mornings across much of the country in recent days have delivered a reminder to many Aussies that no matter how much they blast their heaters, warmth never seems to stay for long. Housing experts have revealed that this chill isn't just down to the weather — it's a design flaw baked into the way Australian homes have been built for decades. And it means that most households are using heaters in an inefficient way that's sending their power bills through the roof – without doing an adequate job of keeping the interior warm. A common problem is that heaters are being used in rooms that lack insulation and are too open and too large for the heater to deliver any meaningful feeling of extra warmth. Dr Sarah Robertson, research fellow at the RMIT University Centre for Urban Research said most Australian homes were simply never designed with winter comfort in mind. 'We have work to do to improve the energy efficiency of our housing stock,' she said. Previous energy prices had played a part in promoting a housing climate where poor insulation was common, Dr Robertson added. 'We didn't have the pressure of high energy prices for a long time, until more recently when the costs went up markedly. 'There wasn't that pressure to look at energy efficiency because energy was more affordable.' She added that a key factor in why Aussie homes were often colder than those in chillier countries was that energy efficiency has never been a top priority in residential building standards. 'Our homes tend to lose warm air through poorly sealed windows and doors, and lack the basic insulation needed to retain heat,' Dr Robertson said. 'That makes heating expensive and inefficient.' Even newer homes — some equipped with modern heating systems — struggle to perform. Large open-plan designs and limited zoning controls often mean residents are forced to heat the entire house rather than a single room, driving up costs while also minimising heater effectiveness. Australian energy regulations have improved over time, but housing researchers claim the standards are still far behind comparable nations. Dr Nicola Willand of the RMIT University School of Property, Construction and Project Management has previously noted that Aussie regulatory standards reinforced heating levels that were below par. Homes in North America and Europe — even in comparable climates — are more than 50 per cent more efficient when it comes to heating and cooling. The average overseas home exceeds a seven-star energy rating, while most Australian homes still lag well behind that benchmark, even after almost two decades of awareness. The National Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, which governs home energy star ratings for new dwellings, assumes living room heaters are switched off between midnight and 7am. The problem is that this warmth dissipates quickly in most Aussie homes because of the poor insulation, resulting in cold living areas. The scheme also assumes a heating thermostat setting in bedrooms of 15 degrees between midnight and 7am – lower than the 18 degrees recommended by the World Health Organisation. '(These) assumptions suggest that being cold at 7am, when most of us are getting ready for work and school, is acceptable,' Dr Willand said. 'By contrast, energy efficiency ratings in other countries will assume heating in all rooms and at all hours of the day and night.' Poor thermal design is only part of the problem. Many Aussies remain unaware of the health risks of cold indoor air, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular stress, and the spread of mould. Retrofits – including proper ceiling insulation, draught sealing, window upgrades, and thermal assessments – are now being recommended. Many states offer rebates to help with the cost, but take-up remains modest.
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Why the price of blueberries could continue to rise in the coming months
Around 25 per cent of Australia's blueberry crop has been destroyed by recent floods, which could lead to price increases later this year. Blueberries have surged to almost $10 a punnet but Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie told ACM the price right now on the supermarket shelf was consistent for non-seasonal produce. Reduced availability of crops due to flood damage might lead to higher prices than last year in the coming peak season, which is between October and February, Ms Mackenzie said. Coffs Harbour produces more than 80 per cent of Australia's blueberries. Along with other areas in the Hunter and mid north coast, the region was devastated by the recent, record-breaking floods in May, wreaking havoc on the agriculture sector. Ms Mackenzie noted there was more blueberry supply on the horizon from Western Australia in the coming weeks, which may buffer against higher prices. READ MORE: Record-breaking floods are an insurance 'catastrophe' Oysters, cattle, bees, and horticulture are some of the industries affected by recent crises. NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said while the exact figures were unknown, the damage bill would run in the "hundreds of millions of dollars". "It's going to be a long road ahead to recovery, and our farmers must not walk this alone," he said. NSW Farmers dairy committee chair Mal Holm said the devastation to dairy farmers, particularly in the Manning region, was substantial. "There are a lot of very stressed dairy farmers," he said. "They are not only worried about their future but also about the impact on their animals." Some farmers, he said, won't return to farming. Camden Haven oyster farm's Brandon Armstrong said the lingering impacts of Cyclone Alfred in February were still felt across the regional agriculture sector. "Oysters have been under a lot of stress since Cyclone Alfred two months ago," he said. "A lot of water coming through is low salinity in the estuary, and the latest flood is a whole lot of dirty water on top of that. "People shouldn't be concerned about pricing; other products can fill the gap. They should be more concerned about accessing stock from local estuaries." Around 25 per cent of Australia's blueberry crop has been destroyed by recent floods, which could lead to price increases later this year. Blueberries have surged to almost $10 a punnet but Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie told ACM the price right now on the supermarket shelf was consistent for non-seasonal produce. Reduced availability of crops due to flood damage might lead to higher prices than last year in the coming peak season, which is between October and February, Ms Mackenzie said. Coffs Harbour produces more than 80 per cent of Australia's blueberries. Along with other areas in the Hunter and mid north coast, the region was devastated by the recent, record-breaking floods in May, wreaking havoc on the agriculture sector. Ms Mackenzie noted there was more blueberry supply on the horizon from Western Australia in the coming weeks, which may buffer against higher prices. READ MORE: Record-breaking floods are an insurance 'catastrophe' Oysters, cattle, bees, and horticulture are some of the industries affected by recent crises. NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said while the exact figures were unknown, the damage bill would run in the "hundreds of millions of dollars". "It's going to be a long road ahead to recovery, and our farmers must not walk this alone," he said. NSW Farmers dairy committee chair Mal Holm said the devastation to dairy farmers, particularly in the Manning region, was substantial. "There are a lot of very stressed dairy farmers," he said. "They are not only worried about their future but also about the impact on their animals." Some farmers, he said, won't return to farming. Camden Haven oyster farm's Brandon Armstrong said the lingering impacts of Cyclone Alfred in February were still felt across the regional agriculture sector. "Oysters have been under a lot of stress since Cyclone Alfred two months ago," he said. "A lot of water coming through is low salinity in the estuary, and the latest flood is a whole lot of dirty water on top of that. "People shouldn't be concerned about pricing; other products can fill the gap. They should be more concerned about accessing stock from local estuaries." Around 25 per cent of Australia's blueberry crop has been destroyed by recent floods, which could lead to price increases later this year. Blueberries have surged to almost $10 a punnet but Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie told ACM the price right now on the supermarket shelf was consistent for non-seasonal produce. Reduced availability of crops due to flood damage might lead to higher prices than last year in the coming peak season, which is between October and February, Ms Mackenzie said. Coffs Harbour produces more than 80 per cent of Australia's blueberries. Along with other areas in the Hunter and mid north coast, the region was devastated by the recent, record-breaking floods in May, wreaking havoc on the agriculture sector. Ms Mackenzie noted there was more blueberry supply on the horizon from Western Australia in the coming weeks, which may buffer against higher prices. READ MORE: Record-breaking floods are an insurance 'catastrophe' Oysters, cattle, bees, and horticulture are some of the industries affected by recent crises. NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said while the exact figures were unknown, the damage bill would run in the "hundreds of millions of dollars". "It's going to be a long road ahead to recovery, and our farmers must not walk this alone," he said. NSW Farmers dairy committee chair Mal Holm said the devastation to dairy farmers, particularly in the Manning region, was substantial. "There are a lot of very stressed dairy farmers," he said. "They are not only worried about their future but also about the impact on their animals." Some farmers, he said, won't return to farming. Camden Haven oyster farm's Brandon Armstrong said the lingering impacts of Cyclone Alfred in February were still felt across the regional agriculture sector. "Oysters have been under a lot of stress since Cyclone Alfred two months ago," he said. "A lot of water coming through is low salinity in the estuary, and the latest flood is a whole lot of dirty water on top of that. "People shouldn't be concerned about pricing; other products can fill the gap. They should be more concerned about accessing stock from local estuaries." Around 25 per cent of Australia's blueberry crop has been destroyed by recent floods, which could lead to price increases later this year. Blueberries have surged to almost $10 a punnet but Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie told ACM the price right now on the supermarket shelf was consistent for non-seasonal produce. Reduced availability of crops due to flood damage might lead to higher prices than last year in the coming peak season, which is between October and February, Ms Mackenzie said. Coffs Harbour produces more than 80 per cent of Australia's blueberries. Along with other areas in the Hunter and mid north coast, the region was devastated by the recent, record-breaking floods in May, wreaking havoc on the agriculture sector. Ms Mackenzie noted there was more blueberry supply on the horizon from Western Australia in the coming weeks, which may buffer against higher prices. READ MORE: Record-breaking floods are an insurance 'catastrophe' Oysters, cattle, bees, and horticulture are some of the industries affected by recent crises. NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said while the exact figures were unknown, the damage bill would run in the "hundreds of millions of dollars". "It's going to be a long road ahead to recovery, and our farmers must not walk this alone," he said. NSW Farmers dairy committee chair Mal Holm said the devastation to dairy farmers, particularly in the Manning region, was substantial. "There are a lot of very stressed dairy farmers," he said. "They are not only worried about their future but also about the impact on their animals." Some farmers, he said, won't return to farming. Camden Haven oyster farm's Brandon Armstrong said the lingering impacts of Cyclone Alfred in February were still felt across the regional agriculture sector. "Oysters have been under a lot of stress since Cyclone Alfred two months ago," he said. "A lot of water coming through is low salinity in the estuary, and the latest flood is a whole lot of dirty water on top of that. "People shouldn't be concerned about pricing; other products can fill the gap. They should be more concerned about accessing stock from local estuaries."
