Radios are fun and it's amazing what you can do and how far you can reach with minimal equipment. There is a group of hams that take part in a contest called SOTA which is summits on the air. Carry your radio kit up a big hill or mountain, setup and see how many contacts you can make. It's truly amazing the distance some can reach with a small battery powered radio and a length of wire.
Oz is ok but not my first choice of places to live. Spent some time there with work but probably wouldn't live there. But, each to their own
