Billy,
It's pretty unpredictable country up there in the Vic highlands, mate. It's very much like the Tassie Highlands. Was there several years ago camping and biking and fishing solo. In the height of summer. Now, this being a chinaman from the equator, I was rather worried about a sudden snow storm, which does happen up there even in summer. Some nights it hovered around zero. In December. So thankfully I had come well prepared - like following.
In Oz highlands, no matter summer or not, I would bring at least 1 set of pp thermals - long top and bottom. You can get them at paddy pallins or mountain designs, etc. Next - a balaclava - no, not the edible ones from Coburg! Its the beany with a hole for the face. These 3 items weigh next to nothing and take up even less space. If they get wet, it'll still keep you warm after you shake out the excess water. With all three on, you'd just about cover 95% of potential heatloss zones on your body (100% if you bury your face in the sleeping bag). Combined with a 3 season sleeping bag (synthetic), ground mat (therma rest or nothing) and tent, you'd be snug as a bug. It's true - you can not avoid getting wet, but you can make sure you get a good rejuvinating night's sleep. Or else, you will catch pneumonia the first chance it gets ya. I have had mild hypothermia - you don't even know you have it until you are shaking uncontrollably.
About the tent - make sure it has at least 1 vestibule, designed big enough for your pack/boots/cooking. You can hunch in your tent opening and cook in the vestibule. Of course, you'd better be smart enough to place the tent right. Then, it should be ventilated without letting the storm in. If its all closed up, the condensation will pool at the bottom and wet you anyway.
If you want good comfort but expect monsoon type rain - the kind that flooded Melbourne 2 years ago(?), then you need a tarp. You put up the tarp first - something like 4x4m is a real luxury and enough for 3 pax. If solo just a light 2x2m if more than enough. You pitch your tent (you'd want a dome tent for this) under one side/edge of the tarp. Then you have dry access to the living/cooking area under the tarp to your tent. Bring a small trovel or foldable spade - digging a trench around your tent/camp site is age old wisdom still applicable today.
With all due respect to the survivalists' comments herein about primitive skills - I think the fundamental in your case is to get the best equipment for the job. And if you're backpacking, then synthetics would be the only way to go for the sake of weight against performance.
YOU WILL ALWAYS GET WET. Even wearing the best goretex you will be wet from your own sweat in cold weather, when labouring up a rise humping your pack. Cheers.
It's pretty unpredictable country up there in the Vic highlands, mate. It's very much like the Tassie Highlands. Was there several years ago camping and biking and fishing solo. In the height of summer. Now, this being a chinaman from the equator, I was rather worried about a sudden snow storm, which does happen up there even in summer. Some nights it hovered around zero. In December. So thankfully I had come well prepared - like following.
In Oz highlands, no matter summer or not, I would bring at least 1 set of pp thermals - long top and bottom. You can get them at paddy pallins or mountain designs, etc. Next - a balaclava - no, not the edible ones from Coburg! Its the beany with a hole for the face. These 3 items weigh next to nothing and take up even less space. If they get wet, it'll still keep you warm after you shake out the excess water. With all three on, you'd just about cover 95% of potential heatloss zones on your body (100% if you bury your face in the sleeping bag). Combined with a 3 season sleeping bag (synthetic), ground mat (therma rest or nothing) and tent, you'd be snug as a bug. It's true - you can not avoid getting wet, but you can make sure you get a good rejuvinating night's sleep. Or else, you will catch pneumonia the first chance it gets ya. I have had mild hypothermia - you don't even know you have it until you are shaking uncontrollably.
About the tent - make sure it has at least 1 vestibule, designed big enough for your pack/boots/cooking. You can hunch in your tent opening and cook in the vestibule. Of course, you'd better be smart enough to place the tent right. Then, it should be ventilated without letting the storm in. If its all closed up, the condensation will pool at the bottom and wet you anyway.
If you want good comfort but expect monsoon type rain - the kind that flooded Melbourne 2 years ago(?), then you need a tarp. You put up the tarp first - something like 4x4m is a real luxury and enough for 3 pax. If solo just a light 2x2m if more than enough. You pitch your tent (you'd want a dome tent for this) under one side/edge of the tarp. Then you have dry access to the living/cooking area under the tarp to your tent. Bring a small trovel or foldable spade - digging a trench around your tent/camp site is age old wisdom still applicable today.
With all due respect to the survivalists' comments herein about primitive skills - I think the fundamental in your case is to get the best equipment for the job. And if you're backpacking, then synthetics would be the only way to go for the sake of weight against performance.
YOU WILL ALWAYS GET WET. Even wearing the best goretex you will be wet from your own sweat in cold weather, when labouring up a rise humping your pack. Cheers.