HSBC or CiTIbank allow you to have foreign currency accounts, i.e. US$ and if you have more than $50k the fees are low, otherwise its about US$200 a months and the interest is 0.1%. They also have very low loan rates, it was 1.5%, so refinancing your home loan is a good option too.
Then do as the STREWTH said, use you ATM card to withdraw funds back home.
Sure you are missing out on interest, but your also not paying any tax back here and that's the killer.
OZForex good for large transfers.