Australian MF/HF-SSB & VHF Frequencies

VHF Marine

Australia makes use of the International Frequency Plan meaning there are approximately 59 VHF channels which includes (2) channels dedicated to AIS, the Automatic Identification System, available.

Australian VHF Frequencies and Usage

The above list can be downloaded for your personal, private, and non-commercial use. This file is in zipped PDF format Australian VHF Frequency Chart

Weather and Marine Safety Information (MSI)

Marine weather and Safety information is available through a number of different sources in Australia. Including:

• The Internet;
• VHF from Bureau of Meteorology Offices and State & Local Organizations;
• HF-SSB Voice and Fax;
• Inmarsat Satellite Broadcasts;
• Telephone and;
• Landline Fax.

Below we have listed weather and MSI resources available in Australia and have broken them down by state. Our list concentrates on the Internet, Marine VHF, and HF-SSB Voice & Facsimile.

Internet Resources

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) offers detailed internet weather services for all of Australia. Services offered include: Coastal Weather Forecasts, Current Weather Observations, and Radar Imagery. This source is highly regarded for pre-trip planning.

Marine VHF

VHF Marine weather and safety (MSI) broadcasts are, to be honest, a little lacking; especially when compared to some other countries that provide 24/7 continuous weather broadcasts on dedicated VHF channels. That being said, the products provided by Australia’s BOM are excellent and have resulted in increased safety for the mariner.

VHF marine weather forecasts are transmitted by the Bureau of Meteorology dedicated radio transmitters providing limited coverage to areas of QLD and WA.

To fill in the gaps, many volunteer marine safety organizations, throughout Australia, also broadcast these weather forecasts during their normal operating hours.

HF Voice and Fax

The Bureau of Meteorology provides ongoing marine weather forecasts by both voice and fax. They are broadcast through Australia’s (2) major HF radio sites, Charleville (VMC) and its sister station at Wiluna (VMW). Between these (2) stations they provide marine weather forecasts for all of Australia’s coastal waters and high seas areas.

Queensland

Internet

QLD Internet Marine Weather Resources.

VHF Marine

VHF Marine Weather is broadcast to some areas in QLD by the Bureau of Meteorology. VHF weather announcement alerts are made on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) with the actual forecast being broadcast on channel 80 (157.025/161.625 MHz) at 0715Z and 2215Z Daily. The BOM forecasts originate from Townsville and are transmitted from antennas located near Home Hill.

Weather forecasts are also provided by many Volunteer Rescue Organizations in QLD. The forecast alerts are also made on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) with the forecast being broadcast on channel 67 (156.375 MHz) to all vessels within VHF range. These forecasts are typically NOT provided 24 hours a day.

HF-SSB

Voice

Coastal WX Forecasts (Voice) for QLD are available through VMC (Charleville) HF Radio.

Radio Facsimile

Coastal and High Seas HF-SSB WX (Fax) Forecasts for Australia are also available through VMC (Charleville) and VMW (Wiluna) Radio.

New South Wales

Internet

NSW Internet Marine Weather Resources.

VHF Marine

Weather forecasts are provided by many Volunteer Rescue Organizations in New South Wales. In the Newcastle, Sydney and Port Kembla areas weather forecast alerts are broadcast on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) and the forecast themselves are broadcast on channel 67 (156.375 MHz). These forecasts are typically NOT provided 24 hours a day.

HF-SSB

Voice

Coastal WX forecasts for NSW are also available through VMC (Charleville).

Radio Facsimile

Coastal and High Seas HF-SSB WX (Fax) Forecasts for Australia are also available through VMC (Charleville) and VMW (Wiluna) Radio.

Victoria

Internet Marine Weather

VIC Internet Marine Weather Resources.

Marine VHF

In Victoria, all weather warnings and forecasts are broadcast on VHF Marine channel 67 (156.375 MHz).

Volunteer Rescue Organizations play a large role in the dissemination of marine weather information throughout VIC.

They broadcast initial weather warnings as soon as possible after receipt from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

Current weather warnings are then broadcast at 0048, 0248, 0448, 0648, 0848, 1048, 1248, 1448, 1648, 1848, 2048, 2248 AEST on VHF channel 67 until notice of cancellation is received by the BOM.

Additional coastal waters forecasts for the Bass Strait, Port Phillip, and Western Port (on VHF channel 67) occur at 06:48 and 18:48 AEST.

Cancellations of weather warnings are made as soon as possible after its receipt from BOM and again at the next scheduled Victorian coastal weather forecast broadcast.

All WX broadcasts and cancellations of weather warnings will be preceded by an announcement on VHF channel 16 (156.800 MHz).

HF-SSB Weather

Voice

Coastal WX forecasts for VIC are also available through VMC (Charleville).

Radio Facsimile

Coastal and High Seas HF-SSB WX (Fax) Forecasts for Australia are also available through VMC (Charleville) and VMW (Wiluna) Radio.

Tasmania

Internet Marine Weather Information

TAS Internet Marine Weather Resources.

Marine VHF

The elephant in the room here is “TAS Maritime Radio” with the simultaneous broadcast of weather and MSI (3) times each day at 0745, 1345, and 1733. All times are local.

After the announcement on VHF channel 16 (156.800) the announcements are made as follows:

HF-SSB Weather

Voice

Bureau of Meteorology

Coastal WX forecasts for TAS are available through VMC (Charleville).

Tas Maritime Radio

TAS Maritime Radio broadcasts coastal weather forecasts for all coastal waters (3) times daily.

Radio Facsimile

Coastal and High Seas HF-SSB WX (Fax) Forecasts for Australia are also available through VMC (Charleville) and VMW (Wiluna) Radio.

South Australia

Internet Marine Weather

SA Internet Marine Weather Resources.

Marine VHF

In South Australia, there is little to no VHF marine weather available except by the occasional volunteer marine rescue organizations.

HF-SSB Weather

Voice

Coastal WX forecasts for SA are also available through VMW (Wiluna).

Radio Facsimile

Coastal and High Seas HF-SSB WX (Fax) Forecasts for Australia are also available through VMC (Charleville) and VMW (Wiluna) Radio.

Western Australia

WA Internet Marine Weather Forecasts.

Northern Territory

NT Internet Marine Weather Forecasts.

Coast Radio Darwin broadcasts weather information for the areas from Daly River to Cape Don over VHF channel 67 at 0803 and 1803 Local.

Weather and navigation safety information is broadcast on channels 23, 84, and 86. Broadcasts are made every 3 hours beginning at 0710 Local, with an announcement made on channel 16 prior to the broadcast. Strong Wind Warnings are issued on receipt from the Meteorological Office if the wind in an inshore forecast area is expected to exceed force 6 and it was not forecast in the previous Inshore Forecast. MSI is also broadcast on channels 10 and 73.

Weather broadcasts are made by Australia's Bureau of Meteorology on channels 21, 72, 73, 80, 81 and 82. Additionally, many marine weather forecasts are broadcast on channel 67 by volunteer organizations. Broadcast announcements of pending weather traffic are made on channel 16.

HF-SSB Weather Fax

Weather fax transmissions are made by VMC Charleville and VMW Wiluna.

Australia Weather East (VMC Charleville) and Australia Weather West (VMW Wiluna)

All times are (Zulu) and are the same for both VMC and VMW.

* The indicated charts above are repeat broadcasts on 11030.0 kHz via a directional aerial pointing from Charleville (VMC) towards Tasmania.

0000 - Indian Ocean Mean Sea Level Pressure Analysis
0345 - Australian Mean Sea Level Pressure Analysis
0500 - Australian Mean Sea Level Pressure 4-day forecast