The Worst Places to Live with Allergies

Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest hay fever rates in the world, making them two of the worst places to live with allergies. Find out the worst places to live with allergies in Australia and New Zealand and the best places to live for allergy sufferers…

Location plays a significant role in hay fever, which is why some people can be unaffected their whole life until they move. This is because trees and grasses grow in different areas, and pollinate at different times of the year and in different volumes, depending on the area.

Australia is very large, with each state having a different climate, and New Zealand’s climate varies too. This can contribute to varying hay fever rates between the states and countries.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Australia’s capital comes in at first place, where approximately 26% of people report hay fever symptoms. This makes it one of the worst places to live with allergies in Australia. This is thought to be due to a large number of exotic plant and tree species planted by the city council, which release more pollen than native species.

Tasmania

Just missing out on the top spot, Tasmania still reports relatively high rates of hay fever at 23%. This is though to be due to northern winds which carry pollen to southern regions.

Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia

Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia have a similar incidence of hay fever in Australia at about 21%.

This is due in large part to the White Cypress flower in Western Australia, which blooms between July and August and airborne grasses which get picked up by dry and coastal winds.

The pollen carried by the wind from the northern grasslands contributes to high rates in Victoria.

In South Australia, the concentration of pollen is said to vary according to prevailing winds.

New Zealand

New Zealand sits around middle with around 20% of the population reporting symptoms. This is mainly due to a number of plants that have been introduced to the region including:

Perennial ryegrass – a wind-borne pollen that commonly sparks hay fever symptoms, especially during spring time
English plantain – a ubiquitous weed often found in lawns, parks and along the roadside
Birch, cedar and pine trees – some of the worst offenders, which release troublesome pollen between June and August

New South Wales and Queensland

New South Wales reports a lower incidence of hay fever in Australia at 18.6%. In NSW, pollen counts usually peak in October and November. However, sufferers can also be affected during other times of the year depending on when various grasses and weeds release their pollen.

The sunny state comes in at almost last on the list at 16.8%, despite the fact that QLD reports some of the longest pollination seasons across the nation – interesting, huh?

The Great Dividing Range is also though to protect the east coast from the westerly winds which bring in pollen.

Northern Territory

Coming in at last place, making it one of the the best places to live for allergy sufferers in Australia is the Northern Territory! With rates of almost half of the other states, at 11.8%, the Northern Territory is a haven for hay fever sufferers.

Natural Treatment for Hay Fever

At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland, our Naturopaths perform a natural treatment for hay fever called Positive Association Technique (PAT). We have clinics located in most major cities of Australia and in Auckland, New Zealand.

PAT is a non-invasive, natural allergy treatment which:

performed by qualified Naturopaths
draws on kinesiology and acupressure techniques
aims to re-train your body to minimise your reactions to substances like pollen and other hay fever triggers