Quite a bit asked and most of your questions will generate some differing opinions, but here's mine.
Hour building. Head west/north and you'll get the challenge you want and see some spectacular scenery.
Now for some of your other questions...
Not sure what you've been told,
but pilots don't get paid much... especially low hour pilots, be they junior instructors or a single engine VFR charter pilot.
Skydiving is private ops so you won't get the aviation award and with some operators you'll be lucky to get paid.
If you're not willing to move from your mates and family then you'll be a very very lucky person to get any sort of consistent flying work without doing the above two (forgetting about the getting paid well bit!).
Skydiving and instructing will be your best bets, but to be honest if you're only instructing to stay close to mummy and daddy then you really shouldn't be instructing.
Don't get me wrong, there are quite a few people who've managed to stay in a capital city and get paid well but they are generally the exception, not the rule,
and more often than not have another skillset to offer the employer, or are well connected.
As a newly minted CPL, with or without a MECIR you're really next to useless. An operator needs to spend quite a bit of time to get you polished up. Simple things like being able to handle a fully loaded plane in a decent crosswind is something most new CPL's often struggle with as they simply haven't been shown how to do it properly and to be honest how many times do you take off at MTOW during your training?
If I were you I'd strongly reconsider the restriction of staying in VIC as you'll only be restricting yourself, you'll make life long mates and have experiences that will stay with you a lifetime.
