In relation to the Dandenongs, i really can't figure out why the AWS was moved from Mount Dandenong proper to Ferny Creek. It doesn't give a true temperature, rain nor wind measurement of what it's like at the top.
Hillybilly says it was 11 at his house today, which is true i don't doubt, but Ferny Creek had a max of almost 15, similar to some much lower suburbs. This is consistently the case and it's frustrating.
Telstra sold the land. It was a ~20 acre block which held multiple dishes and comms towers. They dismantled the dishes some time back (replaced by satellite) and then sold off the land in three blocks. I actually bought one
I think the temperature after 9am peaks around 12.5C at the AWS which is a degree above what I recorded so pretty consistent. My AWS location is very cool - top of the biggest hill in the area on a gentle south facing slope. The AWS is about 50m lower and on a north facing slope. Our rainfall is pretty similar - we often get more in NW'ly flow but, less when its from most other directions - the AWS is probably about 40mm wetter average acorss the year.
It's really hard to get representative winds and temperatures when the topography goes from 100m to 600m over 3km. Makes for some strange weather - I'm yet to record a subzero temperature at the top of our block, but the lower parts (just ~20m lower) can see frost that will last for days and freeze our pond to a cm or so.