Welcome to 4WD'ing Allan
I've been 4-wheeling for around 35 years - and learned to drive the family Series-II Landrover on our property in Mudgee when I was 12. I've been the president of a 4WD club for a few years and am now fairly heavily involved in another large Sydney club.
I highly recommend going to the NSW/ACT association website:
http://www.4wdnsw-act.asn.au/
to look for clubs in your local area. Joining a club doesn't mean that you have to become involved in all the politics (like any club) unless you really want to. Use their expertise to give you an idea of what your vehicle is capable of - and yourself. Most clubs have a great driver training function, and even if they don't (smaller clubs) then they will still contain a wealth of information that you can learn from.
As Chris mentioned - try some of the Getabout/Widman type companies that offer both training and trips.
Have fun - it's a great hobby.
