NSW storm hotspots move every year: what Belmont, Rutherford and Gwandalan mean for your fence

In AAMI's NSW home-claims data the number-one hotspot was a different suburb in each of five years, and three of those were in the Hunter or on the Central Coast, so the sensible plan is to check your fence and gates before the wet months wherever you live.

Five years, five different suburbs at the top of the NSW list

NSW number-one home-claims hotspot by financial year, AAMI data, FY22 to FY26

Source: The Southern Wire

Five financial years produced five different number-one suburbs. In the NSW home-claims data from AAMI, part of the Suncorp Group, the top hotspot went from Lismore (2021-22), Belmont in the Hunter (2022-23), Rutherford (2023-24), Banora Point (2024-25) to Gwandalan on the Central Coast (2025-26).

Count them. No name appears twice. Three of the five, Belmont, Rutherford and Gwandalan, sit in the Hunter or on the Central Coast. That's the point of this article: the top spot keeps moving, and it keeps landing close to home.

A list like this isn't a permanent league table: the insurer's own framing is that "severe storms don't have a permanent postcode".

So the useful question for your property isn't whether your suburb made the list. It's whether your posts, gates and mesh are ready for whichever street the next storm picks.

The Central Coast also shows up beyond its single year at the top. Erina and Bateau Bay appeared repeatedly among the leading hotspots, and Suncorp says Central Coast communities "faced significant impacts".

What the claims count measures, and what it doesn't

AAMI's analysis covers 97,378 NSW natural-hazard home insurance claims from FY22 to FY26, across storm, hail, flood, lightning, rain, cyclone and wind damage.

These are one insurer's home claims, counted by suburb. They show where that insurer's customers lodged the most claims in a given year. They're not a tally of every storm-damaged property in NSW. Because they cover the whole home, they tell you nothing on their own about how many fences or gates came down.

The worst single year came early. Lismore topped FY22, which Suncorp calls the worst of the five years, after the floods. In the latest results, Grafton and Kingswood featured prominently, which is another sign the map shifts from year to year.

Why being off this year's list is no comfort

“no New South Wales community should assume it is immune from severe storm impacts”

Anna Cartwright, Executive GM Home Insurance, Suncorp

Suncorp's Anna Cartwright put it plainly: "no New South Wales community should assume it is immune from severe storm impacts".

This year gave the Hunter a reminder. In January 2026, the Newcastle Herald reported storms at Belmont, with warnings moving to Lake Macquarie and Morisset, and the SES superintendent said the Central Coast and southern Lake Macquarie were the focus. Across that weekend the NSW SES had more than 2,300 incidents, and its crews were dealing with fallen trees, damaged roofs and water inundation.

The year before brought wind of a different order. ABC Emergency notes that June 2025 NSW storms had peak winds similar to a category one tropical cyclone. June sits outside the usual season, which is exactly why the season is a guide rather than a guarantee.

When storm risk runs on the Hunter and Central Coast

Source: NSW SES, NSW Government, Bureau of Meteorology

The NSW SES says storm season falls between September and April, "although major storms can happen at any time of the year". The NSW Government's storm page says the risk of strong winds and heavy rain is increased between October and March.

This summer's outlook leans wet. The Bureau of Meteorology's outlook issued in late October says November to January rainfall is likely (60% to over 80% chance) to be above average across north-eastern NSW, and the wet signal strengthens in the east during December.

Don't let the El Niño headlines talk you out of a check. A strong El Niño is underway, but the Bureau warns it "does not necessarily mean strong impacts" on rainfall and temperature. The same outlook says waters around south-east Australia are up to 3°C above average, which can fuel storms and high-intensity rain.

Suncorp's forecaster Justin Noonan said a less active spring storm season is predicted, but damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain remain possible. Our reading at Chainwire Fencing Specialist: a quieter spring is the best time to get a fence and gate check done, before December's wet signal arrives.

What to check on a fence and gate line before December

From the storm-prep guidance

Check fences, roofs and gutters, and make any repairs that are needed (ABC Emergency)
Trim trees and branches that could fall on your property (NSW SES)
Clean gutters and downpipes (NSW SES)
Secure or put away items that could blow around (NSW SES)
Make sure your insurance is current and covers what you need (NSW SES)

General fencing practice

Gate latch catches and holds when the gate is pushed
Drop bolt sits fully in its keeper
Hinges tight, gate not sagging onto the ground
Posts upright and firm at the base
Mesh ties and line wires intact, mesh not bagging
Mesh clear of built-up leaves and litter

The short version: gates latched, posts firm, mesh tied and taut, branches trimmed back and loose items put away. Our wind check for temporary fencing and gates has the full 10-minute walk-round, and our Storm Season Fence Check covers trees and pool barriers.

A backyard fence line before a storm.

If a storm damages a boundary fence

A storm-damaged boundary fence the morning after.

Stay safe first, then sort out the fence. Our page on fence repairs after storm damage walks through the steps. Legal Aid NSW says urgent fencing work can be done without an order and half the cost claimed, and who pays is covered in our Storm Season Fence Check above. For the wider rules, see our guide to legal rules for fencing in NSW.

The storm-season figures in one place

Source: The Southern Wire, NSW SES, Bureau of Meteorology

Five years of claims data, one season and one outlook point the same way. The NSW top spot moved every year from Lismore to Belmont, Rutherford, Banora Point and Gwandalan, across 97,378 claims. Storm season runs September to April, although major storms can happen at any time of the year. The Bureau gives a 60% to over 80% chance of above-average November to January rain across north-eastern NSW.

Book a fence and gate check before the wet months

If your fence has a leaning post, a gate that won't latch cleanly or mesh that has gone slack, now is the time to deal with it, while the spring is quiet and before the December wet signal.

Chainwire Fencing Specialist has worked on chainwire, steel, aluminium and rural fencing and gates across Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and the Central Coast since 2004. Tell us what you're seeing on your fence line through our fencing quote page, or call 02 4023 5416, and we'll talk you through the next step.

Sources

Pictures in this guide are illustrations, not photos of our jobs.