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I'm just out of Ballarat, so a roughly similar climate to you. I have stored my scopes in my observatory in the paddock which is a pretty rough timber construction which keeps the rain off but not the wind or critters out. Recently I noticed a spot of fungus beginning on my 100mm ed refractor - easily cleaned off but it was a timely warning. I still leave my 150mm F8 out in the observatory (ED's are now stored in the house) but I built a box for it which houses the scope and a a tub of 'damp rid' sitting next to it. The damp rid seems to be doing a good job of keeping everything dry throughout the winter and also serves to absorb any moisture after a viewing session if the scope is put away not quite dry. When it is a little damp, I have a piece of material that I use in place of the lens cap - moisture can still get out and be absorbed but the spiders can't get in. And I have had spiders get in through the ED's focusser in the past and make a web inside the tube. Rats and mice, spiders and damp - I've found this is what I have had to be most careful with outside over the last 20 years. So yep, thumbs up to the boxes!
Before I noticed the fungus on the lens, the ED 100 lived on the mount under a sheet and plastic bag as a cover - also a good place for a small bat to crawl into as it turned out.
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