area profileclimate

Climate

The Southern Highlands has four distinct seasons and boasts a more European climate than lower-lying areas. This is emphasized by the many European-style gardens for which the area is renowned. Each passing season gives rise to a new floral emphasis - bulbs and flowering shrubs in spring, bright annuals in summer, golden leaves in autumn and maybe even a frosting of snow on the trees in winter.

Micro-climates

The Highlands has a land area almost as big as the city of Sydney, so it is not surprising it contains many micro-climates. The local weather station is at Moss Vale and conditions there can often be different to the prevailing winds, rainfall and temperature just 5 to 10 kilometres away. However, it gives a general overview of local conditions. Precipitation (rainfall and fogs) is always heavier north of Mittagong and to the east around Robertson and Fitzroy Falls. The air temperature and wind chill factor can vary throughout the Highlands on any given day.

Rainfall

Although the Highlands give the impression of verdant bounty, and although the average rainfall (700 mill/p.a.) is certainly higher than further inland, the region has always suffered from the extremes of the harsh Australian environment.

Catchment Area

Although there seem to be more rivers and creeks than other parts of the countryside, these do not always run (dams or no dams). Most water is in fact subterranean - like much of Australia. That is why creeks sometimes seem to rise out of nowhere, and water seems to flow from out of the escarpments even when there is no rain. The many dams on farms indicate the need for conserving water. Being on the Great Dividing Range the Highlands receives heavier precipitation on the escarpments - those to the east contain sub-tropical rainforests - and the run-off to the Wollondilly River in the west, the Nepean to the north, and the Shoalhaven to the south feeds into the water supplies for Sydney and the South Coast.