Aren't most of the guys running around in the Skydive Australia 208s first job newbies? If the option for work is available on the PAC, then definitely go down that route. In my opinion, I probably wouldn't get the XL rating, then hunt for work. There aren't that many of them around and as Evil Ducky mentioned, theres probably guys coming off 182s and 206s with more hours wanting those jobs.
Complex Turbine? Having a lever to add fuel and another to change the prop pitch seems a lot easier to me than worrying about all the things that go along with big turbo piston engines.