Hi Phil,
Radio procedures here in Oz are a little different to what you may be used to. I learned to fly in the sunny skies of South Africa and we were, like you, taught to give regular position reports, call inbound, overhead, downwind base & final etc. Here they keep radio comms to a minimum which has it's merits but can also be a bit scary at times when you used to hearing & giving position reports. I fly out of YBAF and frequent the VFR routes up and down the east coast and in the early days when I started flying around the Gold Coast, during holidays and whale watching season it scared the bejeezuz out of me. I have got used to it now, it is after all VFR and "See & be Seen".