Worldwide Webcams

- Oceania -

Oceania is a vast region of the world that includes Australia, New Guinea and the many islands spread across the vast South Pacific Ocean.

Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Australia is regarded as an island or a continental landmass contained inside of the larger continent of Oceania. Spanning the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, at the center of the water hemisphere, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of about 9,000,000 square kilometers (3,500,000 sq. miles) and a population of around 44.4 million as of 2022. When compared to the continents, Oceania is the smallest in land area and the second-least populated after Antarctica. 

Islands at the geographic extremes of Oceania are generally considered to be the Bonin Islands, a part of Japan; the state of Hawaii, of the United States; Clipperton Island, which is a possession of France; the Juan Fernández Islands, belonging to Chile; and Macquarie Island, belonging to Australia. However, according to United Nations (UN), they look differently at what is a part of Oceania, and the UN excludes the Bonin Islands, Hawaii, Clipperton Island and the Juan Fernández Islands, along with the Easter Island. The UN claim that there are 14 countries in Oceania today. Here is the UN's full list, including current population totals: Australia 26,439,111; Papua New Guinea 10,329,931; New Zealand 5,228,100; Fiji 936,375; Solomon Islands 740,424; Micronesia 544,321; Vanuatu 334,506; Samoa 225,681; Kiribati 133,515; Tonga 107,773; Marshall Islands 41,996; Palau 18,058; Nauru 12,780; Tuvalu 11,396.  

Climate wise, the Pacific Islands are ruled by a tropical rainforest and tropical savanna climate. In the tropical and subtropical Pacific, the El Niño Southern Oscillation affects weather conditions. In the tropical western Pacific, the monsoon and the related wet season during the summer months contrast with dry winds in the winter which blow over the ocean from the Asian landmass. November is the only month in which all the tropical cyclone basins are active. To the southwest of the region, is the Australian landmass, and I'll write about its and New Zealand's climate down below, while Hawaii's climate shows up on the U.S. cam page. The highest recorded temperature in Oceania occurred in Oodnadatta, South Australia (2 January 1960), where the temperature reached 50.7°C (123.3°F). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Oceania was −25.6°C (−14.1°F), at Ranfurly in Otago in 1903, with a more recent temperature of −21.6 °C (−6.9 °F) recorded in 1995 in nearby Ophir, New Zealand.

We currently have 4 webcams on this page, the first cam comes from Australia:

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Sydney, Australia
(From Sydney Live Camera)

This cam shows views of: Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and the treetops of the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain Tunnel and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Sydney, located on Australia’s southeastern coast, is the capital of New South Wales and is one of Australia's largest cities, best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and the Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower’s outdoor platform, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and suburbs.

The first sight of Sydney, whether from the sea or the air, is always spectacular. Built on low hills surrounding a huge harbor with innumerable bays and inlets, the city is dominated by the bulk of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the longest steel-arch bridges in the world, and the Opera House, with its glittering white shell-shaped roofs that seem to echo the sails of the many yachts in the adjacent harbor. The intricate confusion of water and buildings makes a striking impression either by day or by night.

Sydney enjoys a sunny climate with mild winters and warm summers. During summer (December thru February), average temperatures range from 18.6 - 25.8°C (65.5 - 78.4°F), and average humidity spikes to 65%. At Sydney’s beaches in summer, they see their water temperatures rise to 21.9 - 23.7°C (71.4 - 74.7°F). Sydney’s winter months are June to August, when average temperatures drop to between 8.8 - 17°C (47.8 - 62.6°F). Sydney’s rainfall is generally highest in June, with an average of 132 mm (5.2 inches), while July is the coolest month of the year, when average daytime temperatures reach about 17°C (62.6°F).

The current metro area population of Sydney in 2024 was 5,185,000, a 1.25% increase from 2023. The metro area population of Sydney in 2023 was 5,121,000, a 1.27% increase from 2022. The metro area population of Sydney in 2022 was 5,057,000, a 1.3% increase from 2021, this made Sydney the most populated city in Australia, ahead of Melbourne, which has a population of 4,246,375.

The Next 3 cams come from New Zealand:

Castlepoint Lighthouse, North Island of New Zealand
(From Castlepoint Scenic Reserve)

Castle Point lighthouse is situated on the Wairarapa Coast, about 70 kilometers east of Masterton. Close to the Castle Point Township, it was known as the “holiday light”. The Castle Point light was one of the last manned lights to be established in New Zealand. The tower was constructed of cast iron. North Island's tallest lighthouse, it stands 52 meters/171 feet above sea level and is one of only two left in New Zealand still lit by an original rotating fresnel lens. It is owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand. It's light configuration is: 2nd order Fresnel lens, illuminated by a 1,000 watt incandescent bulb; Light flash character: white light flashing 3 times every 30 seconds Power source: electricity; was originally fueled by oil, the oil lamp was replaced with an electric incandescent lamp powered by a local diesel generator. This was subsequently replaced by a connection to the main power grid in 1961. Range: 19 nautical miles (35 kilometers/22 miles); Date light first lit: 12 January 1913; Automated and demanded in: 1988.

North Island covers an area of 113,729 km2 (43,911 sq. mi), making it is the world's 14th-largest island, constituting 43% of New Zealand's land area. It has a population of 3,997,300 (as of June 2023), which is 77% of New Zealand's residents, making it the most populous island in Polynesia and the 28th-most-populous island in the world.

Royal Albatross Cam, New Zealand Dept. of Conservation, New Zealand
(From  New Zealand Dept. of Conservation/Cornell Lab Bird Cams)

Royal Cam is a 24-hour live stream of a Northern Royal Albatross nest during the breeding season at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on the southeast tip of New Zealand's South Island.

Most albatross stay with the same breeding partner for life. Each year adults return during mating season to Taiaroa Head to reunite with a mate or to find one. Young albatross return after at least 4 years at sea to find a mate. They socialize in groups of potential mates called gams, to learn the language of courtship and try to impress with their displays, which start as what seems like a dance. Then eventually this becomes a simplified but unique language between one pair which they use to find each other each season.

Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand
(From Hauraki Gulf Weather)

Located on the south west corner of the Hauraki Gulf at the entrance of the Waitemata harbor. The Hauraki Gulf (Hauraki is Māori for north wind) is off of the North Island of New Zealand. The gulf is part of the Pacific Ocean, which it joins to the north and east. Most of the gulf is part of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

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