If you do get a scope from Australia, you might want to look at
https://www.bintelshop.com.au/ or
http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm
For $100 less than ozscopes Bintel have a Meade LT 8" ACF Telescope
https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=8984
That is over twice the light gathering ability of a 5" and still not a huge scope to lift onto it's tripod. These style of scopes are not really suitable for photography if that's what you would like to do later. Then you need to look at Meade's LX200 range for a whole lot more money or a newtonian on an equatorial motorized mount. Some like the view or the light weight of a refractor and choose those... You need to look through each to compare for yourself.
Have a read through
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=74670
Very interesting option of 8" or 10" dob. With a goto mount they are similar in light gathering ability to the cheaper range Meade or Celestron fork mount units but are cheaper than Meade or Celestrons of similar aperture. You then need to decide on which you will use most often and which is portable and manageable for you.
Mark.
ps Shame about Meade and Celestron. They are doing themselves out of sales with their pricing in Australia. I bought my LX200 10" directly from Meade, but that was about 15 years ago...
I still buy all my non Meade and Celestron accessories from overseas. As you know. Take a price and double it in Australia.