Sue lives in Penrith, one of the hottest suburbs in Australia. As someone who enjoys outdoor hobbies and requires plenty of exercise to manage her chronic illness, Sue worries about the health and wellbeing implications of extreme heat
Sue spoke to Sweltering Cities a week following a major heat wave that hit NSW in early December. Penrith in western Sydney, where Sue has lived since 2018, endured the state’s highest temperature, reaching 43.6°C. In January 2020, Penrith experienced a scorching 48.9°C day, making it the hottest place on Earth
Suburbs in Western Sydney face a heightened risk of heat waves due to the urban heat island effect, with natural cooling features, such as trees, being replaced by heat-absorbing buildings and pavements. This is something that Sue is all-too-familiar with.
“We have recently lost many mature trees in our area to housing development and road expansion”, she shares. Penrith Council has attempted to reduce urban heat through tree planting but this is primarily concentrated in recreational areas, rather than near housing. These newly planted “trees are too small to provide any shade” and residents in newly developed areas are left without adequate shade to mitigate extreme heat. As an avid bird watcher, Sue is also worried about the destruction of the natural habitat of various bird species that used to inhabit the mature trees.
In addition to more tree canopy, Sue wants to see practical heat resilient measures in Penrith’s public spaces. “The sporting facilities at Jamison Park have virtually no shade for participants or spectators. Most bus stops in my vicinity don’t have any cover. There is also a lack of access to water and bathrooms. Many parks have shade sails but no taps or bubblers.”
“I need to get plenty of exercise to manage my diabetes”, Sue tells us. “When I exercise in the heat, it leaves me very tired and lacking energy to do anything else”. When asked about her worries for this upcoming summer, Sue shares that a major concern is “isolation” as her mental wellbeing suffers when she is at home all day. As a retiree, hot days inhibit Sue from pursuing her outdoor hobbies and limit her social interactions. Sue’s experience of extreme heat in Penrith is a pressing reminder that cooling measures are desperately needed in hot suburbs to safeguard the wellbeing of residents.
Thank you Sue for sharing your Summer Story with us! If you’d like to join the conversation and share how you are experiencing this summer, please complete our Summer Survey!
