Geoff, you can clear up your "mystery" by reading this. Clues within.
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/153446/...token=t5FQS21C
Flight Service did not disappear
AFIZs did. The bandaid replacement isn't a patch on what was provided beforehand.
Ballina was a recommendation by CASA OAR until they found that their recommendations were just being filed because they can only authorise airspace!
Yet CASA ordered ASA to put in an AFIS at YPPD, YBRM and YPKA and then a tower at YBRM and YPKA (as well as the CAGRO at YAYE).
UNICOMs in Australia were crippled by CASA and Airservices trying to operate them as a Government "service", instead of the US practice where they are operated by airport employees, or businesses. The trials were universally panned by everyone involved so CASA just dropped the idea.
You may think RPT jets should be getting critical met info from untrained, enthusiastic-amateur baggage chuckers, but a lot of us don't.