Microclimates of Brookvale: Taking the Pulse of the Northern Beaches Industrial Heartland

The suburb of Brookvale in Sydney's east is industrial centre of the Northern Beaches Local Government Area (LGA). The area is gaining increased recognition for its growing micro-brewery industry, emerging arts scene, and innovative small businesses. Also, the local population is growing rapidly. The proximity of Brookvale to the Pacific Ocean means that summer temperatures are relatively mild compared to those experienced further west in the Sydney Basin. However, summer air temperatures can rise above 40°C, which presents health risks for local communities. Low canopy cover across the industrial part of Brookvale means little shade and transpiration cooling is provided when it is needed the most. Future development across the precinct will be informed by the Brookvale Structure Plan, which outlines priorities for the next 15 years starting in 2023. Development decisions on where and how issues related to urban heat should be addressed requires a sound understanding of the microclimatic variation across the suburb. This report provides such knowledge. It is the most detailed analysis of urban microclimates across the precinct to date. Near-surface air temperatures (3 m above ground) were recorded at 30 locations including streets dominated by commercial or residential buildings and car parks. Almost 300,000 individual measurements were collected in the summer of 2024/25 (1 December 2024 to 15 February 2025). The report details the results of the temperature analyses and based on the findings, it provides practical recommendations that aim at improving the summer microclimates of Brookvale.