I would recommend cotton batting as opposed to polyester. Cotton breathes; polyester doesn't. Consider getting both white and black batting, if you know you are going to be working with darker fabrics. Also, you don't need to fuse batting pieces together if your machine has a zigzag stitch. Lay your batting pieces so that they overlap (wrong side on top of right side) by about 1", then trim about 1/2" from the edge. Remove the small trimmed pieces and the edges should butt together perfectly. Then zigzag together.
There are several sizes of cutting mats. I have a small (6x9") for trimming blocks, but use my 12x18" the most.
In one of the threads, someone posted a recipe for making washable glue, so you might want to check that out before purchasing and transporting it.
I second the suggestion to get the June Tailor Shape Cut. It is great for cutting strips and then cutting the strips into smaller units. It comes in two sizes 12" and 18". Get the bigger one, because you can make more cuts before you need to move it. I would recommend that you get at least a 12-1/2" square ruler, but I use my 6-1/2" square a lot. With the larger square, you can square up anything up to that size. I recommend the Olfa brand rulers, as opposed to the Omnigrid, because I don't like the yellow lines. You might want to get the Tri Recs rulers, which is great for the 54-40 or Fight blocks, and a 60 degree ruler, especially if you are going to be doing any type of hexagon quilt like a One Block Wonder. And I recommend the Eleanor Burns Quilt In a Day rulers for flying geese and half square triangles.
Superior Masterpiece threads are good for piecing and quilting. I like the Prescencia threads, too, which come in 50/3 and 60/3 weights. Though you may want to buy a variety of colors for quilting, I have found that white, beige, light gray and dark gray will work for most piecing. Buying thread in cones is more economical than buying by the spools. And you don't need to buy a thread stand. Just tape a large safety pin or diaper pin on the back of your machine right by the spool pin, set your cone of thread in a bowl or jar (so it doesn't "travel on your table"), then thread through the small hole at the end of the pin before threading your machine in the usual way. Also, stock up on Sharp, not Universal, machine needles. I like Schmetz, but I've been told that Organ needles are also good. 80/12 is a good size for most threads. Extra rotary cutter blades are a must. Also, instead of buying the new, expensive clips (If you were even thinking about it), check out the small and medium binder clips that you buy at the office supply store. They make them now in colors, but you can always find basic black.
You might try locating some quilting shops in Australia and New Zealand. I would think they would be closer and the shipping would be less than ordering from the US.
If you are in a rural area that is prone to power outages, consider getting a treadle machine. That way, you can still quilt, even without electricity. I have a 1939 Singer treadle that has seen me through several outages, including the aftermath of a hurricane about 5 years ago. Since that time, several of my quilting friends have gotten a treadle, a battery-operated fan and a battery-operated lamp.
