Other Sources of VHF marine weather broadcasts

New South Wales

In the Newcastle, Sydney and Port Kembla areas weather information is scheduled for broadcast on VHF Channel 67. For more information visit the NSW Maritime Authority web site and look under ‘Recreational Boating’. Weather broadcasts are also available through Volunteer Coast Radio Stations including the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, the Australian Volunteer Coastguard as well as other Volunteer Marine Rescue units.

Weather forecasts are announced on channel 16 and broadcast on channel 67 by volunteers. During operating hours, Volunteer Rescue stations provide regular weather information for all craft within VHF range. For more information visit the Volunteer Marine Rescue in Queensland and Australian Volunteer Coastguard web sites. Forecasts are not provided 24 hours a day. Visit the Maritime Safety Queensland web site for contact details of volunteer marine rescue and coast guard groups and look under ‘ Safety – Marine Radios’.

The Bureau of Meteorology also provides a limited VHF weather service in Qld. For details see www.bom.gov.au/marine/new_arrangements.shtml

For information on marine radio in South Australia, visit the South Australia Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure web site and look under ‘Safety’ or ‘VHF Radio Marine Weather Services’. You can also find broadcast times and channels used by local volunteer marine rescue organisations at this site or by clicking on this link (pdf). Weather information is also available through Volunteer Coast Radio Stations. For more information visit the Australian Volunteer Coastguard web site.

Weather information is broadcast for vessels in and around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays on VHF Channel 67. For more information see the Marine Safety Victoria web site and look under ‘Marine Safety Radio’.
Weather information is also available through Volunteer Coast Radio Stations. For more information visit the Australian Volunteer Coastguard web site.

Western Australia

Weather and navigation warning broadcasts covering Perth metropolitan waters within 20 nautical miles are provided on VHF Channels 16 and 67 by the WA Water Police. Volunteer Sea Rescue Groups are based in most coastal population centres and operate within normal recreational boating hours. For contact details of volunteer marine rescue groups visit the Fire & Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia web site and look under FESA approved volunteer marine rescue groups. For more details on marine safety, visit the Western Australia Department of Planning and Infrastructure web site and look under ‘Marine Information’.

The Bureau of Meteorology also provides a limited VHF weather service in WA. For details visit: www.bom.gov.au/marine/new_arrangements.shtml

Coast Radio Darwin broadcasts weather information over VHF channel 67. This consists of the forecast for Darwin Harbour and surrounding areas plus the Coastal Waters Forecast for Daly River Mouth to Cape Don. For more information and schedules visit the Northern Territory Department of Planning and Infrastructure web site and look under ‘Marine Safety’.

Volunteer stations broadcast weather forecasts and warnings on 27 MHz, VHF and HF radio.

Tasmania has an extensive VHF radio repeater network that is also used by volunteer radio stations to provide weather services. For full details of stations, times and frequencies of weather services around the Tasmanian coast line visit the Marine and Safety Tasmania website and look under ‘Marine Communications’. More Information is also available from the Australian Volunteer Coastguard web site.

Marine Weather Information from the Bureau of Meteorology

Mariners are reminded that the Bureau disseminates marine weather information through various media. See below for an update on the services available:

Internet

Marine forecasts and warning services are available on the Bureau’s web site at www.bom.gov.au/marine . The site publishes the latest satellite images, weather maps, marine forecasts and warnings, latest coastal observations and a range of educational pages.

HF Voice and Fax

The Bureau broadcasts its HF radio marine weather services for high seas and Australian coastal areas from transmitters at Charleville in Queensland and Wiluna in Western Australia. Identifiers are VMC (for services from Charleville) and VMW (for services from Wiluna). For more information and broadcast schedules see www.bom.gov.au/marine/marine_weather_radio.shtml .

VHF from Bureau offices

The Bureau offers limited VHF services from a number of field meteorological offices in Queensland and Western Australia. For more information and broadcast schedules see www.bom.gov.au/marine/new_arrangements.shtml .

Inmarsat satellite broadcasts

The Bureau provides a limited range of forecasts and warnings via the Inmarsat system. Services are provided for Bass Strait, Western Australian and Northern Territory coastal waters and for the Australian high seas areas. For more information and broadcast schedules see www.bom.gov.au/marine/bureau_inmarsat.shtml .

Telephone Weather

The Bureau provides recorded forecasts, warnings and coastal weather observations for mariners. Dial 1900 926 113 for a list of your local numbers (note call costs apply). For more information see www.bom.gov.au/other/voice.shtml .

Weather by Fax

The Bureau operates a polling fax service providing weather charts, satellite images, coastal waters forecasts and tropical cyclone threat maps (note call costs apply). For more information see www.bom.gov.au/other/wbf/wbf.shtml .

Public Radio and Television Broadcasts

The Bureau distributes coastal waters forecasts and warnings to radio and television networks. Broadcasting of these varies between stations.