When I lived at Steiglitz (60 miles west of Melbourne and approx the same distance south of Maldon) I found the only difference from Melbourne's weather was that I got it about 10 minutes earlier and, compared with Maldon, the cold fronts arrived about 2 minutes earlier.

It may well have snowed once or twice at Maldon in the last century but the only place I've ever been bothered with cold fingers while playing music was at the Yarralumla Woolshed when they had their last monthly dance for the season (before going to the Albert Hall for winter) in May.

It may be that 14 months at Mawson toughened my fingers up but I doubt anywhere in Oz is cold enough in October to even think about "cold" as a problem. "Rain", however, is a differnt matter and the locals may praise you if you bring on drought relief by tempting Hui.

Cheers, Rowan