Hi,
and welcome to IIS.
Firstly, many on this forum would advise beginners to avoid the Aust Geo and Department Stores as a source of purchasing. You can get great deals and a whole lot better after sales service from the various specialist stores that you've mentioned. As an example, I believe York Optical is currently offering IIS members 20% off their indicated price, which may mean some options look attractive to you.
But with regards to the scope you've mentioned, the tripod/mount looks like it might be a 'wobbletronic', and certainly would not be capable of even holding/driving, let alone steadily, the various pieces you'll need it to hold for astrophotography. For this reason, if AP is important to you down the track, I'd look for a better scope.
Unfortunately, if you want to get into AP, the costs will mount quite significantly as you go on. But I'm sure most here would agree that a great starting point just for the mount, would be an HEQ5 or EQ6 from the specialists you've mentioned. But you're already up to about $1500 to $1700 there without anything else.
For my money, and what I've done in fact, is commit to visual astronomy at first, and then if you're sure you like all the associated stuff that astronomy entails, like being out at night, going to dark sky sites etc etc, then you might want to consider AP and the extra cost.
For the money you seem to want to spend, you will not get a great scope. But you will get a very reasonable pair of giant binoculars from Andrews/Bintel/AOE etc. Why not consider this as an option. And also a stand, as you won't be able to hold them steady for more than a few seconds
That will set you back about $400, and you'll then own a very decent setup which will serve you well into the future.
Many of us here use binocs, which we probably bought first, as part of our ongoing ways of browsing the heavens.
Just my thoughts though, - wait a couple more hours and you'll have a chance to hear what others think.
Cheers
