<p>I know that lots of web hosting providers are offering FreeBSD, but how good is FreeBSD as a development platform?</p>

<p>Specifically, is Java 1.6 available in it? 
Is there somthing specific that it offers with regard to tools that is not available under Linux?</p>

Well, there's no Java 1.6 in the /usr/ports of the version I recently installed (latest version AFAIK).  The port of Netbeans is only up to 5.5 bundled.  At a minimum you'd have to go look around for more current versions.  Doesn't look promising as a fully kept up to date development platform.