Bushwalk Australia

During two recent walks (last summer) in NSW (Wollemi and Berowra Creek), we had rather interesting encounters with melomys. First time, whilst sleeping in a cave, we were awoken by the gnawing sounds of a melomy, who was sitting on top of my back pack, just outside our tent. When I shone my headlight on him, the cute but brazen little creature just stared me down, it didn't even move. I had to throw my hat at him to send him running. The next morning I discovered some small gnawed holes in my ULA backpack. Clearly it was after the choc & nut bars in my pack.

Lesson learnt, we now pack ALL our food in these 5.5 litre boxes, that we hope are melomy proof. No food is left in our back packs or inside our tent. Better to leave it out in this secure container then to get more holes in equipment. Its's a bit like a Bear Canister!

The second time, a melomy actually jumped on top of my head, whilst I was sleeping in the tent. It must have been sitting on top of our melomy canisters, outside the tent but right by my head, when it jumped off, onto the mozzie netting, bounced on top of my head and ran off. Am I getting paranoid or are the melomys after me? Anybody else have similar experiences?

once upon a time when i had long locks i awoke to one playing, perhaps even eating my hair

Perhaps? It sounds like it ate your long locks! Man, these melomys are brazen! Anything that even smells like food they will gnaw at.