Ok, firstly thanks for all the info!
I'm a little unclear about one thing.. If I decided to go for my PPL here in Australia, how do I go about converting it to a UK one on my return there? Is it simply a case of paying a fee and doing a little theory, or do I have to pay for more lessons in the UK?
Secondly, I don't want to live and work in Australia. My initial plan was to stay here for a maximum of 1 year and travel/work (in whatever industry), get my pilots licence (PPL now by the looks of it), then return to the UK and progress my career as a pilot.
Is it worth my while even getting the PPL in Australia and then paying for a conversion, or would I be cheaper to head off to Europe and do the whole shebang there? It would certainly save on the cost of conversions.
And finally... can anyone advise me on rough prices for PPL,CPL, and ATPL in Europe? And what is the cheapest country to do it in?
Thanks again for all your help!
Jimmy