The Bureau of Meteorology has used the excess heat factor (EHF) metric of heatwave intensity over three warm seasons (November to March in years 2013-16) for the preparation of its heatwave severity forecasts. The EHF is a relatively recent metric, derived from two excess heat indices (EHIs). The first EHI (significance) characterises whether the three-day period under consideration is hot with respect to the historical record. The second EHI (acclimatisation) characterises whether the three-day period is warm with respect to the immediate past, specifically the preceding 30 days. Both aspects contribute to heat-health impacts on the population. This paper describes the performance of the Bureau of Meteorology's heatwave forecasting service. A heatwave climatology for Queensland in terms of the EHF is presented across a 1958-2011 year-base period that was used in the construction of the EHF dataset. This climatology is compared with a recent period, 19862015, revealing higher rates of heatwave occurrence and severity in the later period. This shift in heatwave climatology correlates with an increase in demand for heatwave services over the last decade. This has culminated in the release of the Heatwave Response Plan by Queensland Health that uses the Bureau of Meteorology Heatwave Service.