Bryant,
You're right, you can't afford to buy all those hours.
Have a look at the Dununda and Godzone forums. They target Australia and New Zealand.
If you want to fly, you don't have to do a full time integrated course, you can do stuff part time and pay as you earn.
Most people in Australia once they have their CPL and MECIR (multi engine command instrument rating) and ATPL subjects either get an instructor rating and or head to the out back/up north to get a single engine VFR charter job. Then you build up your hours and more importantly, experience and then apply to either bigger companies with twins and turbines or straight to the airlines like Qantas.
Note, Virgin Blue want a min 500 hours in command of a twin to be acceptable.
Good luck.