For a while I’ve been looking at the weather forecasts for the state of Victoria and I need some advice from Melbourne friends, or other weather boffins.

It seems to me that most high pressure systems pass to the south of Australia.  That means during a high, the predominant wind will be from the east.  Only a low pressure system would provide a westerly wind along the south coast of Australia.  Obviously if the high was further north then the south coast would get a westerly.

Why does this matter?  We will be biking from Cowes on Philip Island to Bairnsdale before heading up the Snowy River to Jindabyne.  If the predominant wind along the south coast is an easterly, we’ll be biking 450km into a headwind.

I’ve read that the predominant weather in Bass Straight is a westerly.  I’m confused.

So can any of you confirm the predominant wind in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsular, Gippsland or anywhere along the south coast?