Hi Callen,
Have you been to a star night to have a look through some telescopes? It's great way to get a good idea of what you're likely to see through different scopes. It's also a great way to learn a few constellations so that you'll be able to find your way around. I agree with Eric that deciding what you want is a good step before finding the shop.
The Astronomical Society of Victoria has links to local societies at
http://www.asv.org.au/index.php?opti...tpage&Itemid=1
What area do you live in?
I would also like to say that I have had no problems dealing with dealers in Victoria.