ICRAR looks promising for possible future SKA work. Until you realise there are only 7 people doing their masters there (and considering its a two year course), I guess they take 4 a year. Hmm. That's not a good sign.
FYI for anyone who stumbles across this thread or anyone who might be interested. Strangely the UWA Diploma in Science (Physics) covers all the prerequisite courses for their MSc Physics (Astronomy and Astrophysics) as long as you choose to study 'Quantum Mechanics 2 and Atomic Physics, rather than 'Astrophysics and Space Science' which strangely isn't a prerequisite for anything in the Masters course.
All things going well, one could do the diploma in 3 years (part time). And the Masters in 2 years full time.
Yup. I can see why people would burn out.
EDIT - Found a
link with subject enrollment numbers at UWA - Seems there were 70 students enrolled in each year doing BSc(Physics) specific courses, and at Masters level that seems to drop to 12 or thereabouts. With only a small number of those doing Astronomy/Astrophysics. Maybe I'm reading the numbers wrong. I probably shouldn't be working this out at 1.40am on a schoolnight.