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Patrick
8" is great size for starting out. I used one for 6 months, knocked over most of the Messiers with it as well as lots of other targets, planets etc.
One thing you may find a bit odd if you aren't used to it is the fact that the view is reversed. As you move the scope the stars etc appear to move the wrong way. If your finder is a stright through one it will do the same thing. If your finder is a right angle finder, things will move the "right" way when looking through it.
As this does take a little while to get used to, its a good idea to practice a bit when you first get your scope. Pick out bright stars you can see naked eye, or bright planets, Jupiter is very obvious at the moment, and try to locate them using your finder then your scope. After a few goes, it will become much easier.
Once you have done that, pick some objects close to a bright star, the Jewell Box near Beta Crucis, M4 near Antares are two obvious ones, and then find the star and try navigating to the object.
One other thing, make sure your finder and the scope are aligned, do this in daylight (remembering DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN!!! even through the finder) lining up on a reasonably distant object such as a chimney, TV aerial etc. Find the object in the scope with your lowest power eyepiece (longest focal length ususally 25mm for most of these scopes) then adjust the knobs on the finder until it is in the crosshairs. This will save much fustration when you try to find things in the dark.
Good luck with it and remeber to keep asking questions, there is no such thing as a silly question only silly answers!
Oh, and get to a Star Party as soon as you can! There are plenty of opportunities where you are in Qld.
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