Natural Hazard Publications
Community Risk Reports
Other Reports
Natural Hazards in Australia
Identifying Risk Analysis Requirements
No State or Territory in Australia is immune to the impact of natural disasters. As well as having an enormous economic cost, natural disasters inflict a massive social cost on the community. Although disaster response, recovery and mitigation are reasonably developed in Australia, risk analysis, which provides the foundation for risk reduction, has received less attention.
As Australia's population and density of living continue to grow, so does the potential impact of a natural disaster on the Australian community. Increasing numbers of people, buildings and infrastructure assets are being exposed to natural hazards as the pressures for urban development extend into areas of higher risk.
This report provides an overview of the rapid onset of natural hazards which impact on Australian communities, including tropical cyclone, flood, severe storm, bushfire, landslide, earthquake and tsunami events. Emphasis is placed on identifying risk analysis requirements for these hazards and the phenomena that they cause, with a particular focus on likelihood and consequence.
Bibliographic reference: Middelmann, M. H. (Editor) (2007) Natural Hazards in Australia: Identifying Risk Analysis Requirements. Geoscience Australia, Canberra.
Community Risk Reports
Geoscience Australia's Cities Project adopted a series of case studies in Australian urban areas to develop and test the science behind the project and its techniques.
Earthquakes in Canberra Region
The Canberra region has experienced an average of one earthquake per year for the past 50 years; and for most residents this information would come as a surprise. The report contains a complete history of seismic activity in and around the nation's capital, using records that date back from as early as 1841. This updated version of the 1996 publication draws upon new seismic data from the past 11 years, in conjunction with felt reports from local residents. Included in the 32 page booklet is an earthquake action guide explaining what to do during and after an earthquake and possible warning signs.
- Earthquakes in Canberra Region [PDF 2.5MB]
Cities Project Perth Report – 2005
This report is a major risk assessment project based on metropolitan Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. Completed in June 2005, the report is the final publication in Geoscience Australia's Cities Project. Approximately 72% of Western Australia's population of around 1.3 million live in the Perth metropolitan area. Significant areas of Perth are situated along the banks of the flood prone Swan River and close to Australia's most active earthquake zone. There are several limestone belts to the north and south of Perth where karst systems have been discovered and the city's coastline suffers from coastal erosion as a result of high winds and fierce storms.
Earthquake Risk in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie – 2002
This study represents the most comprehensive and advanced earthquake risk assessment ever undertaken for any Australian city. It is focused on the economic losses caused by damage to buildings from earthquake ground shaking, but does not include the impacts from other, secondary hazards such as soil liquefaction and surface faulting. The study has adopted a probability approach which makes allowances for the inherent variability in natural processes as well as the uncertainty surrounding some knowledge about the event.
The results from this project will assist decision-makers involved in State and local government, policy development and the insurance, building and finance industries as well as engineers and architects to manage potential damage and loss of life from earthquakes in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. The results also have implications for the earthquake risk facing larger Australian cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. This is largely because of similarities between the earthquake hazard in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas and other parts of Australia and between the respective urban environments, particularly in relation to the composition of buildings.
Natural Hazards and the Risks They Pose to South East Queensland – 2001
This report considers heat waves, bushfires and earthquakes as well as risks indicative to tropical cyclones such as severe wind and storm tides, east coast lows, thunderstorms, landslides and floods. The vulnerability of south east Queensland to the effects of natural hazards is increasing as a result of population growth and expansion of urban development. Risk modelling defines the threat of natural hazards by using natural hazard research and the vulnerability of the community, buildings and infrastructure.
Community Risk in Gladstone. A Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment – 2001
The report is the fourth in a series of multi-hazard case studies by the Geoscience Australia Cities Project. It is a summary report which considers tropical cyclones, including severe winds and storm tides. It also provides an overview of the risks posed by severe thunderstorms, floods, landslides, heatwaves, bushfires and earthquakes.
Community Risk in Mackay. A Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment – 2000
Mackay, in Central Queensland, lies about mid way between Brisbane and Cairns and is one of the State's larger regional cities with a resident population around 71,400. The Mackay urban area, which is the focus of this study, is home to around 59,000.
This study makes extensive use of Geoscience Australia's Risk-GIS method, which is a fusion of the decision support capabilities of geographical information systems, or GIS, and the philosophy of risk management. The analysis of risk involves assessing the levels of hazard at Mackay, developing an understanding of the vulnerability of the elements which are at risk within the community and synthesising a range of event scenarios. A comprehensive building database is used to generate damage assessments for the various scenarios with each suburb ranked for its contribution to overall community vulnerability and for exposure to the various hazards. These two rankings determine total risk for each suburb by hazard, which allows the overall community risk from the various hazards to be compared.
Community Risk in Cairns – 1999
Because this was the first Cities Project case study to be finalised, considerable emphasis has been placed on describing and explaining the methodologies which were developed. Cairns is the most northerly of Queensland's cities and has one of the fastest growing communities in Australia. Although it has a resident population of around 120,000, this number can exceed 150,000 at the height of the tourist season between May and October.
Other Publications
Development of the Australian National Regolith Site Classification Map – 2007
In implementing the recommendations from the Council of Australian Governments review into natural disaster management arrangements in Australia (Council of Australian Governments, 2004) the Risk Research Group at Geoscience Australia initiated several projects which will contribute to a national program of systematic and rigorous disaster risk assessments. Geoscience Australia's Earthquake Risk Model (EQRM) (Robinson et al., 2005) is fundamental to these projects. The model is underpinned by a number of key input datasets, including the National Regolith Site Classification Map which represents a significant complementary dataset to the Australian National Earthquake Hazard Map, which is currently under revision.
Review of Karst Hazards in the Wanneroo Area, Perth, Western Australia – 2003
Within the Perth region, a karst belt lies five kilometres inland from the coast and stretches approximately 24 kilometres in a north-west to south-east direction. This area is made up of one main geological unit, the Tamala Limestone, which is surrounded by residual sands formed from the erosion of the limestone.
A Statistical Model of Severe Winds
The modelling of severe winds is a fundamental part of any wind hazard assessment. Statistical modelling approaches are used to assess the probability of severe wind occurrences.
- A Statistical Model of Severe Winds [PDF 590K]
Coastal Erosion Hazards – Perth
The south west coast of Western Australia is made up of a series of exposed limestone headlands which are prone to the development of cliff lines and overhangs. Coastal processes such as wind and water erosion in conjunction with salt crystallisation and carbonate dissolution make these cliffs highly susceptible to collapse. The damaging impact these unstable cliffs can have on the community was demonstrated on 27 September 1996, when four adults and five children died as a result of a rockfall at Huzzas Beach near Gracetown.
AusGeo News – Natural Hazard Editions
March 2008 – Natural Hazards in Australia Report: Creating safer communities
March 2008 – Tsunami: Graduate project strengthens community ties
March 2008 – Tsunami: Spatial Excellence Award for tsunami modelling
March 2008 – Natural hazard information online
September 2004 – The Rates of Wrath
A review commissioned by the Council of Australian Governments titled Natural Disaster Relief and Mitigation Arrangements in Australia highlighted a pressing need to improve disaster mitigation in Australia. The review provided a clearly defined role for Geoscience Australia in helping the Australian Government develop and implement a five-year national program of disaster risk assessments.
June 2003 – Natural Hazards Risk
The article observes that natural hazards cannot be averted, but says governments can reduce the effects by knowing the potential risk, identifying the areas which are most vulnerable and recommending precautions or mitigation measures. Effective mitigation can include improved building codes and land-use planning as well as education and community awareness.