https://lindenashcroft.com/2015/06/2...-in-melbourne/
That's a nice little run down. I was mistaken about the date without an official station, it was between 1851 and 1855, in 1855 it resumed recordings at the same site. It changed locations in 1857/58 which was my error in dates.
I very much doubt, somebody of the period able to afford a thermometer, would be placing it under a hot tin roof.
I completely agree with that, those involved with meteorological study were wealthy and very keen on the subject and generally were aware of the basics of use and where to take measurements. The measurements were not 100% accurate though but they would have been close to actuals so that you have an idea of what the climate was like. There is also a lot of written accounts from the gazettes and papers of the day, there's a link to a gazette describing the 1849 snowfall in Melbourne, that was obviously not a hot year, however the piece makes out it was a one off strange event in otherwise 'agreeable' weather.