Capn Bloggs you also mention IFR pickup. This is actually not the same IFR Pickup that us used in the US. Over there, you can fly as a VFR aircraft until you want to "pick up" the IFR flightplan and receive that service. In Australia, you have to be processed as IFR first and then choose to go "IFR pickup" (ie VFR with IFR services apart from separation - you are still IFR), and only when you want to . It defeats the purpose of being able to, in VMC, depart WLM VFR, sort your own traffic out and climb through E up to FL180 and then, at some stage, requesting a pickup of IFR services.
IFR pickup in Australian airspace is completely different to the US (almost the opposite) and is workload intensive. It is available but is hardly used.