Wow. Ask a question and get some great answers, in this case including the actual person who was doing the flying! Thank you very much mase - certainly not long-winded. I'd say clear, concise and straight from the horses mouth! How much of this departure is "hand-flown", i.e at what height or how much time after take-off would you be engaging the auto pilot?
Thanks also to all the others who posted a reply - Hollywood, it's interesting to hear this happens in SFO and LAX. I will take it (as PW1830 mentioned) that it would be classed as "unorthodox" hence the reason it's the first time I've seen it in many years of watching aircraft in and out of Sydney.