When you think of the island state of Tasmania in Australia, the wild and beautiful landscapes of New Zealand may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
However, Weather Watch CEO Phil Duncan told REX host Dominic George about the intriguing links between the two regions, which are just one example of the constantly evolving nature of our planet.
Duncan, an expert on all things weather-related, revealed that Tasmania often serves as an early warning system for New Zealand's meteorological shifts.
"If you take a closer look at what comes our way, Tasmania and what happens at Bass Strait and that southern part of Victoria is often what we get in New Zealand," he explained.
Intriguingly, Duncan also pointed out the fascinating fact that just 5,000 years ago, it was possible to walk from Tasmania to Victoria, demonstrating the rapid pace of geographical changes.
"Look at Google Earth and take a look at the underwater terrain," he encouraged.
"It's really interesting around Tasmania that just drops off into the Southern Ocean and the Tasman Sea, one of the deepest parts of the world."
He then delved into the dynamic nature of New Zealand, a country that frequently experiences natural disasters, from earthquakes and tsunamis to storms. In stark contrast, cities like Toronto, despite having a population size equivalent to New Zealand, rarely experience such dramatic natural events.
Despite the geographical challenges and extreme weather conditions, Duncan praised New Zealand's resilience.
"We live in a country that's pretty tough to live in. You know, we've got earthquakes and tsunamis and we get storms and we get all sorts of stuff thrown at us all the time from Mother Nature," he said.
"But we do live in a beautiful country, and we've got a good infrastructure too."
Listen to the full chat between Weather Watch CEO Phil Duncan and Dominic George above.
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