The most detailed analysis of urban heat ever carried out covering Sydney and surrounding areas found suburbs near the harbour are up to 15 degrees cooler than those in the south during extreme heat.
The City of Sydney partnered with urban heat experts from Western Sydney University to map the city’s microclimates.
Between December 2023 and March 2024, one and a half million measurements were taken using bespoke temperature gauges placed in parks, streets, the foreshore and industrial areas.
The hottest day was 9 December where St Peters (7km south of Sydney) saw a high of 45.3 degrees, while at the same time temperatures in the Royal Botanic Garden (located in the heart of city) were 30 degrees.
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, said Sydneysiders are experiencing the impacts of climate change.
“By 2050, urban heating is predicted to increase temperatures between 1.5 and 3 degrees, so it’s vital we plan, invest and adapt,” Moore said.
“This study has given us remarkable insights into Sydney’s microclimates and will help us to better target strategies that maintain the liveability of our area, even with the climate changing around us.
“We’re increasing tree canopy particularly in areas we know need attention. This will continue to create a cooler, well-shaded city and help reach our ambitious goal of 40 per cent coverage by 2050. And our work with St Vincent’s Hospital ensures vulnerable members of our community can access cooling shelters when the mercury soars.”
Areas near green spaces such as Moore Park and Sydney Park had lower mean night-time temperatures. Among the warmest was Central station at Haymarket.
Western Sydney University’s Professor Sebastian Pfautsch, from the Urban Transformations Research Centre and School of Social Sciences, said the results will help the City of Sydney cool suburbs and build resilience.
“With summers getting hotter it is vital that governments at all levels work to both mitigate the worst impacts of heat but also adapt and prepare for summers that are trending hotter,” Pfautsch said.
“Replacing hard surfaces with plants in southern, central and western areas is crucial. We must focus on innovative ways to bring nature back into an urban environment that is dominated by buildings, roads and other materials that only make summers hotter.”
Zetland, which is 4km south of Sydney has undergone significant development in recent years but mature urban tree cover kept temperatures down showing the advantages of deliberate urban planning.
Areas along Parramatta Road (major artery of western Sydney) experience high temperatures, strengthening the City of Sydney’s advocacy to make Broadway a cool, green boulevard complete with trees, a cycleway, light rail and more space for people walking.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the City of Sydney added more than 1,100 trees and nearly 80,000 plants in streets and parks.
“We see trees and green spaces as essential infrastructure, as effective and extensive canopy cover can help reduce temperatures on the ground by up to 10 degrees,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We have planted over 17,000 street trees and are the only Australian city to increase canopy cover over the last decade.
“We’re greening roofs, walls and our extensive network of laneways and narrow streets, and we have introduced planning tools to ensure we’re greening equitably across the city.”