Australia’s northern and eastern coastlines are divided into two 50 km-wide cyclone-prone strips—Region C (spanning the Northern Territory, most of Queensland and northern Western Australia) and Region D (from Eight Mile Beach down to Coral Bay). Within these zones, buildings receive a wind classification (C1 through C4) based on:
Local terrain: Open plains, coastal dunes or urban obstruction
Site exposure: Hillside locations versus sheltered valleys
Vegetation density: Sparse scrubland versus dense forest
Higher ratings (e.g. C4) correlate to more extreme peak gusts and demand robust reinforcement, whereas C1/C2 applications cover moderate cyclone-risk neighbourhoods.