CYCLONES - Every summer (or from November to April) Cyclones attack the North of Australia. Giant tropical storms with roaring winds, horizontal rain and several 
annoying breakfast show weathermen attack communities from Mackay to Broome. The most famous of these was Cyclone Tracy that struck Darwin on Christmas Eve Night 1974 and wiped out much of the town. More recently, Cyclone Larry wiped out Innisvale in Northern Queensland and sent banana prices skyrocketing.
DROUGHTS - Despite all rain, Australia is quite dry and much of the country is in drought. This is represented by images of cracked mud, anorexic cattle and men in flannel shirts looking depressed. Sure, Australia was built on the sheep's back, but that sheep is now so thirsty it can barely feed its offspring, let alone a dozen or so people on a Sunday night. Still, you would think that before they (whoever they are) decided to put farms all over the country they would have realised that the weather isn't really that great for growing things on the land. Although the drough hasn't been the good for fresh produce prices and the farmers, the country music industry has got several depressing albums out of it.
HEATWAVE - Every summer heatwaves strike the towns and cities of Australia. I don't really understand how you Poms classify a heatwave, but in Australia a heatwave is anything over 35 degrees that runs for 3 or more days. Heatwaves are big news stories and the moment that an old person dies from not putting their air conditioner on the media goes into a frenzy. Of course, most people just go to shopping centres or drive around in their air conditioned cars for as long as possible. You know a heatwave has gone on too long when your freezer can no long freeze ice cubes faster than you're sucking them.
