There is a float operator in Broome who does only seasonal flying and isn't having any issues finding aussie pilots. He does pay well above award for these pilots.
I hope the irony is not lost on a certain operator who has a very lucrative business training up float pilots to operate seaplanes overseas yet only wants experienced drivers for themselves.
Flying floats in Canada is also very much seasonal. The norm in Canada to get into floats is
to spend 1 or 2 seasons working the ramp before moving into a seat. What's so wrong with doing this in oz? Yet some operators here will have someone work the ramp, maybe give them some ICUS and then send them off to work for another operator to get that experience. Again, rather ironic, yet typical of some operators.
In regards to living in the Whitsundays, to say that living costs vary significantly from those of Sydney (or Broome for that matter!) would be a gross understatement.
Flying seaplanes is a very specialised field and there are more than a few accidents caused by inexperience, with a good number locally and overseas being at the hands of pilots with many 1000's of hours on large aircraft, which unfortunately means buccas when flying floats.
The maldives, while nice, will not take ex-pat pilots with no experience.
To quote Richard Branson; Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to