iogrsw
"Are you departing visual, VFR departure or downgrading to VFR"
Go and read the books mate, the tower did not say that to you!
There are a number of ways to dep BK they are all in AIP
IFR - on a Bankstown SID into Class "C"
- on a Visual DEP into Class"C"
- on a VFR DEP into Class"C"
- on a visual DEP OCTA
- on a VFR DEP OCTA
Use the correct phraseology to tell the tower what you want to do and you wont have any problems, if you dont use the correct phrase they will have to clarify what you want to do.