Weather forecasts and warnings produced by the Bureau of Meteorology are available on all media. It is vitally important to be aware of the current weather conditions in the area you plan to boat in, and also how conditions will develop over the course of your trip – and a bit longer, just in case.

Internet

Visit bom.gov.au/marine for the latest weather charts, satellite and radar images as well as warnings and forecasts for the next four days. This site also provides links to tidal information, sunset and sunrise times as well as full schedules for all radio and phone services. Before heading out, run through the five vital weather safety checks to be prepared.

MetEye

MetEye shows the official forecasts produced by the Bureau of Meteorology in an interactive map. Forecasts are available for wind, waves, weather and much more in three hourly increments for up to seven days ahead.

Marine Lite

For boaters in areas of marginal mobile phone coverage, or whose offshore access is limited to satellite internet communication channels, text only webpages of the Bureau’s Marine forecasts and warnings are provided at bom.gov.au/marine/lite

VHF Radio weather services

Marine Radio Victoria (MRV) provides twice daily local weather forecasts on VHF radio, with instructions and broadcast times announced regularly on Channel 16. MRV also broadcast current weather warnings at 00:47, 02:48, 04:48, 06:48, 08:48, 10:48, 12:48, 14:48, 16:48, 18:48, 20:48 and 22:48 eastern standard time (EST) on VHF channel 67 following the initial broadcast until notice of the cancellation is received by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Bureau of Meteorology broadcasts weather forecasts to eastern Australia from Charleville Radio on:

8176 and 12365kHz – all hours, 4426 and 16546kHz – all day (7am-6pm) and 2201, HF 6507kHz – by night (6pm-7am)

Scheduled broadcast times for Victorian coastal waters are: 0130, 0530, 0930, 1330, 1730 and 2130 EST (add one hour for EDST).

Warnings are broadcast every hour starting 0000 EST.

Please refer to transportsafety.vic.gov.au/ msv/radio for more information on Marine Radio Victoria.