I am in the same situation as you, Dave. It looks likely that I will be sent to Perth for a few weeks soon, and I have been wondering if I could take my Celestron 90mm refractor wobbletronic. I would put the OTA in its original cardboard box with lots of bubble pack. Everything else would go in suitcase - tripod, balance weights, eyepieces. I would not recommend having eyepieces or anything in hand luggage - these days the security cant be trusted not to impound them - may be an offensive weapon
just wrap them up in your clothes in the suitcase.
I think though, as, not like you, I will be staying in city centre (pollution) , I may just opt for the nokkies and a small tripod. The thought of anything happening to my scope is frightening - I can just picture the scene - there you are waiting to board and watching the loading operation through the windows. Suddenly, at the top of the conveyor, a long thin package falls to the ground oooh aaarghh
was that my scope
???