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Dubbo, New South Wales

Heating and cooling in DubboHot and dry in summer, frosty in winter.

An installer for Dubbo

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Dubbo's summers are hot and dry: January averages 33.6 degrees at the airport, summer days often top 40, and January afternoon humidity is just 32%. That dry heat is where evaporative cooling does well, but winter brings frosty mornings, so the real decision is how you'll cover both seasons.

What's different about Dubbo

Dry heat

At Dubbo Regional Airport AWS (1993 to 2026, 284 m above sea level), January's mean daily maximum is 33.6 degrees. Average afternoon relative humidity there is just 32% in January and 41% across the year.

Plenty of very hot days

AdaptNSW says areas around Forbes, Parkes and Dubbo average 20 to 30 days a year above 35 degrees. Summer temperatures often peak above 40, and the airport's record is 46.1 degrees.

Sun and evaporation

Evaporation in the Dubbo area averages around 1,880 mm a year, and Dubbo gets 148.6 clear days a year, compared with Sydney's 104.

Frosty winter mornings

July's mean daily minimum at the airport is 3.1 degrees, winters bring some early morning frost, and the record low is minus 6.0. The building code lists Dubbo as climate zone 4: hot dry summer, cool winter.

Brick bungalows near the centre

Dubbo's older residential areas near the city centre include numerous red brick California Bungalows from the early 20th century. Across the council area, 85.3% of occupied dwellings were separate houses at the 2021 Census.

Evaporative or reverse cycle in Dubbo?

Evaporative coolerReverse cycle (split or ducted)
How it coolsOutside air pulled through water-soaked pads, then pushed through the house (Seeley)Refrigerated air, recirculated with the house closed up
WindowsSome must stay open for the air to escapeKept shut while it runs (Seeley)
In Dubbo's dry heatWhere Seeley says evaporative performs bestWorks in any humidity
WinterDoesn't heatHeats as well as cools
Other needsA water supply connectionA dedicated power circuit (Mitsubishi Electric)

Why the dry air matters

Evaporative cooling works by evaporating water into the air, and that only happens well when the air is dry. Seeley says it performs best in hot, dry climates, and Dubbo's January afternoons average 32% humidity. On the occasional humid day it loses ground: the ACT Government says evaporative systems are less effective then.

To work properly, it needs somewhere for the air to go. Seeley says the open window or door area should be at least twice the size of the vent, opening the ones furthest from the vents. An evaporative cooling specialist will check that your layout allows it before quoting.

Covering the winter too

An evaporative cooler only cools, so a Dubbo home that uses one still needs heating for frosty mornings. That usually means pairing it with a gas or electric heater. The alternative is one reverse cycle system for both seasons, which the ACT Government says turns each unit of electricity into 3 to 6 units of heat.

There's no ESS help for gas space heaters installed from 1 July 2026. Dubbo households may be eligible for the NSW Energy Savings Scheme discount on an energy efficient air conditioner, subject to installers in the area offering it. It's arranged through an Accredited Certificate Provider, and the nomination form is signed before installation. Don't count on it for an evaporative cooler: the scheme's activity is for high efficiency air conditioners.

Older brick homes

The red brick bungalows near the centre date from the early 20th century, so expect the installer to look closely at the switchboard. Mitsubishi Electric says an air conditioner needs a dedicated power supply, and on older wiring a new circuit may be part of the job. See electrical work for air conditioning.

If you're going ducted, ask how the ducts will run and how they'll be insulated. The ACT Government's guide recommends at least R1.5 insulation on ducting, and says suppliers may not provide it by default.

What we'd do

Where we'd start in Dubbo

If you already heat with something you like, an evaporative cooler is a sensible match for Dubbo's dry summers, provided the house can be opened up for airflow. If you're starting from scratch, we'd look hard at one reverse cycle system for both seasons, sized for a 40 degree afternoon and a frosty morning. Send us the job and licence-checked local installers who specialise in that kind of system will see it, where we have them. Should nobody around Dubbo take it in 48 hours, installers elsewhere in New South Wales may see it as well. Your contact details go only to the installer who takes it.

What this work looks like

Photos from real jobs in Melbourne, to show what the work looks like. They aren't from an installer near you.

An evaporative cooler on a tiled roof, with its conduit run down the roof
An evaporative cooler on a tiled roof, with its conduit run down the roof. Jul 2023. A job in Melbourne.
A linear slot diffuser in a ceiling, for ducted air
A linear slot diffuser in a ceiling, for ducted air. Oct 2023. A job in Melbourne.
A ducted outdoor unit on wall brackets under a window
A ducted outdoor unit on wall brackets under a window. Sep 2019. A job in Melbourne.

More job photos

Heating and cooling jobs in Dubbo

Questions people ask

Is evaporative cooling worth it in Dubbo?
It suits Dubbo's dry heat. Seeley says evaporative performs best in hot, dry climates, and January afternoon humidity at the airport averages just 32%. It needs windows open and doesn't heat.
Can an evaporative cooler heat my house in winter?
No. Seeley presents evaporative as a cooling-only choice, so you'd need a separate heater, or a reverse cycle system that does both.
Will a split keep up on a 40 degree day in Dubbo?
If it's sized properly. ActronAir says a system loses cooling capacity above 35 degrees, so ask the installer what the unit delivers in extreme heat, not just its rated kW.
Can I get an ESS discount on an evaporative cooler?
Don't count on it. The scheme's air conditioner activity is for high efficiency air conditioners, and gas space heaters installed from 1 July 2026 are excluded. Ask the installer what their certificate provider covers.
When should I service my aircon in Dubbo?
In spring, before the heat. Our Dubbo service page covers what to ask for.

Ready for the right installer to take a look in Dubbo?

Your postcode and three quick questions. Licence-checked local installers who specialise in your kind of job see it, and the one who takes it gets in touch to quote.

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Read next

  1. 01Air conditioning service in DubboWhat a pre-summer aircon service in Dubbo should cover, plus evaporative cooler servicing.
  2. 02Evaporative coolingHow evaporative cooling works, where it suits, and what a good install involves.
  3. 03Evaporative or refrigerated cooling?How each kind of cooling works, why humidity matters, and what each one needs from your home.
  4. 04Reverse cycle air conditioningHow reverse cycle heats and cools, which type suits your home, and what to check for winter.
  5. 05The electrical side of an installCircuits, isolators, switchboard upgrades and three phase, and who's licensed to do them.
  6. 06NSW Energy Savings SchemeHow the ESS discount works on a new or replacement air conditioner, and what's left out.

Where this information comes from

We don't publish prices. Every home is different, so an installer's written quote is the only real number. How we write and check these pages.

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