In partnership with Western Sydney University, Blacktown City Council completed a summer heat study across our city. The project - Benchmarking Summer Heat Across Blacktown’s Diverse Urban Landscapes was conducted over the summer of 2023/24, measuring near-surface air temperatures at 198 locations across the City. This research is a critical step toward understanding how temperatures vary across our suburbs, so we can better plan for a cooler, more climate-resilient Blacktown City.

Published in April 2025, the study collected over 2.5 million temperature readings across our City, showing big differences in how heat is experienced between suburbs. On typical summer days temperatures could vary by up to 5°C, and during heatwaves the difference was sometimes more than 15°C. Marsden Park and Arndell Park were among the hottest suburbs while Shanes Park was the coolest. Eastern Creek and Schofields recorded 27 days over 35°C, compared to just 6 days in Minchinbury.

Western Sydney, particularly Blacktown City, is experiencing increasingly hotter summers due to global climate change and the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE), exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and high population density. Research shows a strong link between elevated temperatures and areas with low tree canopy cover and high levels of grey infrastructure, highlighting the health risks associated with long-term heat exposure.

The insights will inform urban planning, development controls, and heat mitigation strategies, with case studies guiding future resilience efforts.

The report can be viewed using the link above