As I recall those days Dick, wasn't it a 'Flight Notification' was required for flights over 50nm from the departure point?
i.e. A VFR flight could file a Plan nominating a ROUTE and a SARTIME, with no intermediate 'reporting points'?
If I remember correctly, this was 'in' in the early days - early 60's perhaps - then 'out' for a time (Progress...?), then 'in' again with the unfortunate demise of a VFR '310' ex Griffith for Bankstown, (mid to late 60's..?) and despite a huge search around the Blue Mountains area where the weather was 'bad', the wreckage was eventually located on the 'lee side' of a hill just 50 or so nm from Griffith, where it was also 'bad'.
At the time, we were told it was decided to re-introduce the 50nm 'limit', so as to reduce the search area and possibly still be able to provide assistance....
As I recall, the only 'mandatory' Full Reporting for VFR, was to transit CTA, and the 'Designated Remote Areas' published at the time, for those aircraft sans EPIRB (Called VSB at the time...)
A VFR with EPIRB could go on a SARTIME thru these 'Remote Areas' so designated.
(Areas around the Snowy Mts, The Kimberley North of Derby, and the track Darwin to Alice, except 'via the h'way.) ?
A VFR sans EPIRB had to go Full SAR, which usually meant the carriage of HF.
No 'Continuous VHF', or, No HF,..... NO GO! (Called pi55 poor planning at the time...)
Cheers
