Latest news with #GraniteBelt
ABC News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
'Sunny, benign' school holiday weather after morning showers in parts of Queensland
After a windy and rainy start to the school holidays for parts of the state, Queensland is in for a week of mostly "settled and sunny weather". Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said that although there might be a few spots of rainfall in parts of the south east this morning, it should clear by this afternoon. "The outlook for the week ahead is more settled and sunny … so a good time to get out and about to burn a bit of energy [and] get the outdoor chores done," Mr Hines said. Mr Hines said some patchy rain could be expected in most central and eastern areas on Wednesday night and Thursday, but it would likely clear by Friday. "[The rain] is very hit and miss. There's no guarantee of seeing any wet weather there, and even if you do, probably just 2 or 3 millimetres and then it's all done and dusted for the day. "Outside of those two windows … we're looking at lots of clear weather in the week ahead and a few cold mornings." According to Mr Hines, the clear skies and settled conditions, with light winds overnight, could lead to some low single-digit minimums in parts, approaching 0 degrees Celsius. Parts of the inland south east, up across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, as well as the south and central west areas, would likely see frost over the next couple of days. Mr Hines said those areas could see temperatures that were 1 to 3C below average. "But it's typical of what we would call a 'clear winter week', to see these temperatures through the mornings," Mr Hines said. Maximum temperatures for the week range in the southern inland areas from the high teens to the low 20s. While coastal parts of the state can expect maximum temperatures in the low to mid 20s for the next few days, northern inland areas will see top temperatures range from the high 20s to the low 30s. "[As for the minimums] down on the coastline … we're still talking single digits, but more like between 5 and 10 [degrees], as opposed to 0 to 5 [degrees]," Mr Hines said. Mr Hines said this morning on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, swells might reach 1 to 1.5 metres, but they would ease by this afternoon. However, he said the swell would pick up again towards Friday, across almost the entire east coast.
ABC News
01-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Fallout of 'bomb cyclone' sees strong winds batter parts of Queensland
Severe winds have hit parts of south-east Queensland as part of the same system that has delivered a "bomb cyclone" and flash flooding to parts of New South Wales. While the Sunshine State has been spared the worst of the deep coastal low, powerful winds whipped up along the Main Range, Granite Belt and Scenic Rim overnight and could persist until Thursday. Daniel Hayes from the Bureau of Meteorology said while conditions were very different in Queensland compared to what was happening further south, it was all part of the same weather phenomenon. "It's the same rapidly intensifying low-pressure system," he said. Mr Hayes said the combination of the low over New South Wales and a high-pressure ridge over Queensland and central Australia was to blame. "The pressure gradient is getting quite tight between that deepening low-pressure system and the high-pressure system that's strengthening over Queensland," he said. "So, it's the interaction between those two systems that's driving this quite strong west to south-westerly flow." Unlike in New South Wales, it is bringing cold but dry conditions to much of the state. "[The low-pressure system] has pulled away a lot of the moisture that was through south-east Queensland until Monday evening. The BOM said areas around Stanthorpe, Springbrook and Crows Nest were likely to see the worst of the winds and was able to give residents advanced warning of what was to come. Ava Phillips, who works in Springbrook, inland of the Gold Coast, said while the mountain village was well accustomed to severe weather, time to prepare was very welcome. "Whenever we get these huge storms, it can take out power to the shop and then if we don't have enough fuel for the generator, we can lose product, on top of having to close and not having customers come in. "It's making sure you have fuel for your generators, making sure you have long-life food and making sure you have a way to contact neighbours when the phone lines go down, to make contact and make people feel safe." Brisbane Airport said while conditions over the airport had remained fine for flying, seven flights between Sydney and Brisbane and five between Melbourne and Brisbane were cancelled on Tuesday due to the severe weather over New South Wales. Travellers are advised to stay alert for updates from their airlines this morning as the severe weather persists. Mr Hayes said it would remain windy across large parts of south-east Queensland until the low-pressure system moved away from the New South Wales coast and out to sea, which could take until Thursday. He said damaging winds of between 55 and 65kph were possible until that time. "Unnecessary travel — it's probably a good thing to avoid if you can."
ABC News
08-06-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Queensland braces for cold snap with below-average temperatures and frost
Queensland is set for a cold snap as temperatures are forecast to drop below average this week in a wintry blast. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a sunny and cool day across most of the state today, with patchy morning frost in the central interior and Granite Belt. However, senior forecaster Harry Clark said the public should brace for a chilly week. "So, quite a cold blast to come for most of Queensland. The only area to really escape that will be the far north, so Cairns and the peninsula," he said. "For the rest of Queensland, it'll be a proper wintry week." Mr Clark said today temperatures could be as low as 11 degrees in Brisbane, 7 degrees through the southern interior in places like Stanthorpe and about 4 degrees in the central interior. "Up the east coast, probably still in the teens [temperature-wise] for most places in central and northern Queensland, but certainly as we get to Tuesday, when that cold air mass becomes properly established, it will become pretty chilly and cold," he said. The bureau has forecast frost this morning in isolated areas around the Carnarvon Ranges and potentially the Granite Belt. Mr Clark said frost was expected to become more widespread from tomorrow onwards, across the Darling Downs, Maranoa, Warrego, and into the central-west and Central Highlands. "We're expecting those cold temperatures to really hang around and persist through southern and central Queensland, even potentially sending a little further into northern and far-northern Queensland." Mr Clark said people in the south-east could expect to feel even colder because of westerly winds accompanying the chilly weather. "Although it will be sunny, it might feel a few degrees colder than the actual temperature suggests," he said.
ABC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Consortium commits to saving Queensland College of Wine Tourism
Southern Queensland business leaders are rallying to ensure the unique Queensland College of Wine Tourism continues to operate after months of uncertainty. A consortium led by the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce has been selected to run the college, with the state government giving it two years to turn things around. The announcement came after the University of Southern Queensland withdrew its support from the $8.5 million college last year, leaving its future in limbo. Located on the Stanthorpe State High School campus, the one-of-a-kind Australian education and training facility provides an opportunity for Queensland's future wine makers and grape growers, tourism and hospitality workers to hone their craft. The college, which has been operating since 2007, will also receive non-financial support from Southern Downs Regional Council, the Granite Belt Grower's Association, Granite Belt Wine and Tourism, Queensland Country Tourism and Queensland Wine Industry Association. The consortium has developed a four-year plan to deliver hands-on training in viticulture, agribusiness, tourism, hospitality, and business management at the campus, which will be known as The Precinct. Chamber president Michelle Feenen said providing support for the college was a chance to safeguard its future and protect a "jewel in the region". "We felt that here in the region we had the skill set and we had the knowledge, and we know this region very, very well and we know these industries that are represented through what happens here at the wine college," Ms Feenen said. "What we didn't want was to have potentially worst case scenario, a private operator that might come in with a lot of our aspirations, but then find that they fall on their on their face really quickly and then it becomes another scenario of what to do with this facility. "We wanted to guard against that." Queensland College of Wine Tourism acting manager Kim Gallaway said it was a relief for more than 20 staff to know their jobs would be secure after an "uneasy" few months. "It's a positive outcome after all the uncertainty we've had and it'll bring a good vibe I believe back into the workplace with employment opportunities to continue into the future with the new consortium," she said. "We're in a rural area, there's not that many positions available to our industry staff here that we have, the professionals that we have. "So for them to be able to stay here at the college into the future I think is an absolute positive outcome today." Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates said the consortium would provide a sustainable future for the college as well as the wine and tourism industry. "This is a massive win for the Southern Downs region, including the people employed at the college, and will help address the evolving needs of Queensland's food, wine, agribusiness and tourism sectors," Ms Bates said.
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Winter arrives with cold rainy weather in Queensland
Queenslanders are waking up to wintry conditions as temperatures in parts of the Granite Belt in the state's south-west drop below 10 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Applethorpe went as low as 6C overnight and the mercury dipped below 10C in Goondiwindi, Oakey and Toowoomba. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said there would be scattered showers across the state that would ease at the start of next week. "A cloud band has been travelling across Central Australia and is now pushing into western Queensland," meteorologist Shane Kennedy said. "It's likely to bring scattered to widespread showers and periods of rain through parts of central [and] western Queensland. "Looking further ahead, it will expand to parts of northern and southern Queensland." The BOM said the most significant rainfall total would be in central Queensland and surrounding areas. "We may see some moderate rainfall between Charters Towers to Emerald and then on Friday between Bowen and Bundaberg, and then on Saturday rainfall should shift a bit closer to the east coast," Mr Kennedy said. "Friday will be the wettest day particularity around the Rockhampton area where we're more likely to see that rainfall pushing into 50, even up to 100 millimetres." After a slight reprieve, cooler temperatures are expected to return to the south-east in the coming days. "Lots of cool, dry air is pushing across southern Queensland at the moment and pushing up into central Queensland," Mr Kennedy said. "We'll get quite cool temperatures through much of western and central Queensland." Mr Kennedy said while the lower temperatures would not break any records, they could be up to 4–10C below average for inland Queensland. "That'll be roughly south of about Charters Towers to Birdsville and Taroom where it will be particularly cold and rainy," he said. Mr Kennedy said high tides would also peak on the state's south-east coast in the coming days. "In the south-east, high tides will be fairly close to their highest astronomical tide level for the next few days," he said. "So we may see some minor inundation of some of those low-lying areas."
