Remember This? SS South Steyne in big swells (1971)

I would regard this photo as one of the best weather themed photos taken in Sydney, but also on our ferry network as well.

Below is a photo that was published.in The Daily Telegraph on February 1971.  The photographer's identity is unknown.  

The photo was taken on the lower deck of the Manly Ferry South Steyne as it navigated its way through Sydney's heads in high seas. Apart from the photographer, there is a deckhand on the outside deck, presumably trying to keep his balance. At right is the sea and has the appearance its about to go right over. I think the ferry was heaving down amongst the swell as the image was taken. It would have been a very rough and stomach churning ride for commuters. 

The old steamers had a very good reputation for being very good at managing the swells, even with more than a thousand onboard. The Freshwater Class could not manage that same reputation, though the Freshwater Ferries in rough seas could keep everyone inside dry. 

Remember this? North Shore "snow" event (1965)

Snow events in Sydney are rare. On June 28 1836, it was reported that one inch of snow (2.5cm) fell in some parts of the city. The minimum temperature recorded on that date was 38 degrees Fahrenheit or three degrees Celsius. 

However some doubt given Sydney's climate that the snow could have been mistaken for hail. 

In Sydney's history, reports of snow have emerged especially in suburbs at higher elevations e.g. North Shore or suburbs in the Sutherland Shire such as Engadine or Heathcote. Many of these have been dismissed as meteorologists determined that the precipitation was hail. Graupel is light hail and is often confused with snow.

One such "snow" event was on July 18 1965 when heavy snow was reported to have fallen on the North Shore. Sydney's minimum temperature was reported at forty degrees farenheit (4.5 degrees), before peaking at 54 degrees farenheit (12 degrees celsius). The Daily Telegraph reported that one inch (2.5cm) of snow fell at Killara. Below is the newspaper feature that also reported on the snowfall plus the wild weather that affected the rest of the Sydney region dating from July 19 1965.