not sure what it is about the NE.
central coast 25 K
botany 25-30
syd harb 20-25
narrabeen/dee why/manly 13-15 K!!!!!!
or more specifically...
Long Reef beach - 10 knots
1km out to sea from Long Reef - 20 knots
As much as I love the place, that part of it p1ssed me off year after year.
9th season living in the Gong now. Problem solved. 
Long Reef used to be the most consistent nor-easter on the northern beaches. Just ask Qwerty 
That was a long time ago. Admittedly it always seems to have quite a bit of north in it and is windy quite offshore at the old spots.
However on Monday and Tuesday if you wanted strong then the sea breeze was funneling into "Brooky Bobs" on Narrabeen Lagoon.
Not the ocean but for B & J and some speed runs it was howling. Definite gusts to 30+. In the middle of the run there was 3 foot chop.
Most spots have changed over the years, dont know whether its the wind, global warming, whatever. Its frustrating but you adapt!!
Querty, I too remember the classic days at Long Reef, the 80's more specifically.
I'm really not sure of all the (lack of wind) reasons, obviously a number of factors. NNE seems to be a real issue as the proper NE is slightly off shore and comes nicely across the golf course as you know and can be great even when moderate.
No doubt the Botany/Kurnell area has geographic advantages.
At the end of last summer I swam in with my gear at 6.30-7pm (when the wind dropped) so that 1 hour swim at dusk was enough to scare/p!ss me off to reconsider the light NE. 1. Don't be shark bait - not always avoidable. Get a bigger board - done. 3. Go to Botany/Wanda/Illawarra when possible - hard with a job and 3 kids but always hopefull!
The breaks around Long Reef with the right wind and swell is as good as anywhere in the world. The only problem is you need to be able to drop everything (including work) when it's on.
As far as NE wind is concerned, I was wondering about that myself the other day when I saw a video and some photos of the comps there in the 80s. It sure looked windy in the photos.
I am putting it down to the concrete that went up all over the place.
I wonder if BOM have ever done an airstream and temperature survey for the Sydney CBD area. That would give a good indication why the sea breeze is better in some coastal areas and worse in others.
Place like Gerroa are easy to pick but it get's a bit more tricky around other areas that don't such obvious topography.
Yes, can't imagine that that there would be less heat coming off the land on the north shore and would create less suction for the wind from the sea.
Would the amount of trees be that important (less forest, more buildings) ?
I wonder how far the land heat / cloud effect would be effective here, the Blue Mtn range ?
I lived in Hobart and the effect of Mt Wellington was very obvious to the breeze on the river.
Ah! so it does look like the passage of southerlies is synchronised with daylight hours. After only 3 yrs on the coast I've finally caught on. Maybe the real big ones travel a bit quicker. Those early ones were before daylight saving i suppose. It's worth watching out for them.
From the BOM website
Big busters in history
The following Southerly Busters brought the strongest winds to Sydney.
1942 Two notable Southerly Busters were recorded in 1942. The first gusted to 104 km/h at 4.00 pm on 25 January 1942 and was followed by severe thunderstorms. The second recorded a gust of 109 km/h at 4.40 pm on 4 October.
1943 Significant Southerly Busters in 1943 struck on 23 March (gust of 95 km/h at 3.40 pm) and 28 March (gust of 108 km/h at 9.50 pm).
1945 On 9 November 1945, a Southerly Buster gust of 105 km/h occurred at 6.10 pm, accompanied by thunderstorms.
1946 The largest temperature drop associated with a Southerly Buster occurred on November 6, when the temperature changed from 39.1°C at 4.00 pm to 19°C at 5.00 pm. (This buster also brought a maximum wind gust of 91 km/h.)
1948 The strongest Southerly Buster on record at Sydney Airport hit at 6.40 pm on 18 December 1948 with a maximum wind gust of 113 km/h. The maximum temperature that day was 34.8°C.
1957 After a maximum temperature of 40.4°C on 2 December 1957, a squally Southerly Buster reached Sydney at 5.30 pm, with a peak gust of 104 km/h.
1958 Wind gusts in a Southerly Buster reached 100 km/h at 5.10 pm on 10 January 1958.
1973 Notable Southerly Busters in 1973 struck on 6 February (maximum gust 98 km/h) after a maximum temperature that day of 39.7°C, and on 20 November (gust of 96 km/h) after a maximum of 38.4°C.
1982 A Southerly Buster on 25 November 1982 was accompanied by dust storms and preceded by a record November temperature of 41.8°C in Sydney. The maximum wind gust at Sydney Airport was 89 km/h at 4.10 pm.
1994 A very late Southerly Buster arrived at 2.00 am on 29 December 1994, with a peak gust of 98 km/h at 3.09 am.
2001 On 15 January 2001, a Southerly Buster with a maximum gust of 100 km/h caused blackouts, property damage and uprooted trees. Temperatures reached 46°C at Penrith. This was the hottest day in Sydney's western suburbs since 1939.
2003 The second strongest Southerly Buster on record reached a maximum gust of 109 km/h at 5.22 pm on 8 January 2003. Thunderstorms with small hail followed the change and 70 suburbs lost power after lightning strikes.
2004 A Southerly Buster with a maximum gust of 91 km/h reached Sydney at 4.30 pm on 4 December 2004, after a maximum temperature of 41.8°C.
2006 On 1 January 2006, a Southerly Buster reached Sydney at 8.17 pm with a maximum gust of 95 km/h. The maximum temperature at Observatory Hill that day was 45.2°C, the second highest on record.
If there's a seabreeze is that enough to hold back a southerly for a while, say until just after sunset?
Was very tempted to go out (on lake illawarra probably) during the night with a headlight. It's so frustrating when it hits just too late in the evening, and then blows all night, and then just dies before sunrise :(
Todays NE'r in the Northern Beaches is probably one of the worst yet. Watching wavesailing at Wanda on Swellnet and Manly isn't even whitecapping!
SUP time.
^^^ Just in case you wanted to know...I was blown off the water on a 5.0 at Gerroa today.
...But it was a bit gusty and the waves were only up to waist high.....So don't think for a moment that we've got it good down here.
Had a good sail . Somewhere along 7 mile beach . Some decent waves coming through.. 4.5m plenty wind .!!
