Council
14 October, 2026
Wingecarribee missing from NSW's worst storm damage hotspots
Wingecarribee Shire Council has claimed the Southern Highlands experienced the highest number of natural disaster declarations in New South Wales, but a new five-year analysis of more than 97,000 home insurance claims has failed to identify the region among the state's leading severe weather hotspots.
Wingecarribee Shire Council has claimed the Southern Highlands experienced the highest number of natural disaster declarations in New South Wales, but a new five-year analysis of more than 97,000 home insurance claims has failed to identify the region among the state's leading severe weather hotspots.
The findings, released by insurer AAMI, identify the Northern Rivers, Hunter and Central Coast as major storm damage hotspots between the 2021 and 2026.
Despite Wingecarribee Shire Council repeatedly highlighting the impact of natural disasters on its roads, infrastructure and finances, the Southern Highlands does not feature among the locations highlighted in the insurer's report.
In a media release issued on 14 May 2024, General Manager Lisa Miscamble declared:
“Recent data shows we have experienced the highest number of natural disaster declarations in the State over the past four and a half years.”
Council said the repeated disasters had caused extraordinary damage to its infrastructure, particularly local roads.
The claims have continued, with Council reporting in April 2025 that the Shire had experienced 16 declared natural disasters since 2019, resulting in more than $43 million in damage to its road network.
However, AAMI's latest analysis of 97,378 natural hazard home insurance claims across NSW identifies a different collection of communities experiencing the greatest concentrations of insured residential damage.
Lismore topped the list in 2021-22 following the devastating Northern Rivers floods, while Belmont in the Hunter was the leading hotspot in 2022-23.
Rutherford took the top position in 2023-24, followed by Banora Point in 2024-25 and Gwandalan on the Central Coast in 2025-26.
Other communities, including Erina and Bateau Bay, appeared repeatedly among the leading hotspots, while Grafton and Kingswood also featured prominently in the latest results.
No Southern Highlands town was identified among the leading locations highlighted in AAMI's findings.
The insurer's analysis covers storm, hail, flood, lightning, rain, cyclone and wind damage to insured homes.
Suncorp Insurance Executive General Manager Home Insurance Anna Cartwright, however, warned the research demonstrated that severe weather could strike anywhere.
“Five years of claims data tells us one thing very clearly: no New South Wales community should assume it is immune from severe storm impacts," Ms Cartwright said.
"Over the past five years, New South Wales residents have experienced some of the country's most significant weather events, from the devastating 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers to severe thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds impacting homes right across the state."
Suncorp Severe Weather Forecaster Justin Noonan warned that despite predictions of a less active spring storm season, NSW residents should remain prepared for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall.
NSW SES Acting Commissioner Daniel Austin has also urged residents to prepare before severe weather warnings are issued. Residents can access information to help them prepare here. https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/stormseason
The latest AAMI findings come as Wingecarribee Shire Council continues to grapple with the financial consequences of its declared natural disasters, including millions of dollars in outstanding road repairs and disaster recovery claims.
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