If AsA is going to spend the money to install an approach radar control service at Coffs Harbour the allocated airspace would be class C.
However this would clearly be a gross mis allocation of finite safety resources.
Coffs should be D with E above as per the accepted NAS policy. Just like Karatha and Broome.
The pilot would have kept flying en route at 6500’ above the clouds and mountains. It was only a line and a letter C on a map that resulted in him being forced to descend by ATC into the bad wx and a mountain.
He must have had some form of a chart as he knew where to call for a clearance!