I tried the feedback option above using a modified question to the one I started the thread with, and got the following reply from BoM:
Thank you for your enquiry.
Looking at the locations you mentioned below, there is an Automatic Weather Station in Gosford. The Bureau also operates a number of non-automatic weather stations which are read manually by observers, or record some weather elements, but not all. You can find these weather stations via our Weather Station Directory here -
www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/stations/ The decision about the location of automatic weather stations is made on the basis of the meteorological risks that communities face and the requirements of the general community as well as specialised users, eg marine, aviation and the emergency services.
We work with local councils and communities regarding the installation of an AWS, so should you wish to pursue this your local council may be a good place to start. Please also be advised that the average cost of AWS installation is $200,000 which can be a limiting factor in terms of funding new AWS sites.
For more information about the Automatic weather stations, check out this page -
www.bom.gov.au/climate/cdo/about/sites.shtml And this page -
www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/stations/about-weather-station-data.shtml Alternatively, there are a number of more affordable Automatic weather stations available to purchase online if this is a better option for you. I hope this information helps you.
