Hi Emma,
Is there any way you could take a reccie trip out here so you could explore Brisbane and see if you like it?
Re your job, TBH I'd carry on as usual. My husband never told his employer until we'd got our visas. When he had to approach his boss for a reference he told him it was for an application to join the ACS (it also helped that he carefully chose which manager to ask and he chose his manager in Germany!!!).
I'm afraid you have to be a bit sneaky....
We've just celebrated our first year here and we haven't once looked back and regretted our decision.
Dolly