Are you planning to buy a new machine here to take with you to Australia? Or are you planning to buy in Australia? If you want to buy here and take it with you, my first question is -- does Australia use the same kind of electrical current as the U.S.?
I think a Janome 6600P or 6500 would be a really good machine that would last you for many years. It's more than a beginner's machine, but a beginner can actually use it. What is really helpful for quilting is the large harp size, which makes machine quilting a large quilt much easier.
The 6600 has the built-in even-feed foot (similar to what Pfaff patented years ago) that makes piecing accurately easier. If it's too expensive, the 6500 is a great machine; same as the 6600 but without the built-in even-feed foot. (A built-in even-feed foot is not a necessary for piecing. My wonderful vintage Bernina does not have it, and I can piece just fine on it. This is an "extra" that is nice to have. With my Bernina, I have a separate even-feed foot that I can attach when I need it, but it bulky and not as nice as having the option built-in.)
The only thing is that these machines do not have a "free arm". If you want to sew clothing, you are not able to put a cuff around the bed of the machine to sew in a circle. Most of us rarely use the free arm (there are other ways to do cuffs), so I do not see this as a major drawback.