If you're at uni look at joining your uni flying/gliding club if one exists. For me it was a really fun and cheap way to learn how to fly and gain my licence. I also got involved in the running of the uni gliding club which is a fantastic thing to talk about at interviews with the flying schools.
If a club at your uni doesn't exist take a look at your local gliding club. Often you'll find the cost of the flying is a fraction of what you would pay for flying a single engine piston aircraft at a flying school. Plus you're lucky enough to live in Australia where the soaring conditions are some of the best on the planet!
look at:
http://juniorsoaring.com.au/
BVB