Advice needed - partner visa application

Hi all,

First, a bit of background.

My partner and I have been together since feb 2008. We met while I was working a contract in Sydney (I'm a UK citizen/resident).

We have spent some of that time apart due to life being what it is. The pattern being as follows;

met Feb 2008, I returned to the UK for one month, jetted back for two weeks in march/april 2008. She came over for three weeks in May/June 2008, I had four weeks in Aus Sept 2008. She came to the UK on a working holiday visa in Oct 2008. Bar a few weeks back in Aus in early 2009 when she went back to visit family we have lived together since then.

The intention now is to move to Aus permanently. She has gone ahead to be with family for Christmas and will be starting Uni after the summer break. For a number of reasons I have had to stay here in the UK to build up funds and close everything off here.

I don't think we'll have any problem at all with the partner visa as we have supporting proof of our relationship going back to Feb 2008.

My main question is this. Will there be any issue in applying for the visa while we're temporarily living apart?

I'd really like to start the application from here in the UK, firstly because it will save about A$1000 and secondly it will mean I can work as soon as I arrive rather than sitting around waiting for it to go through in Aus without an income. I work in IT and have a few contacts in Aus so I'm not too worried about finding work.

Any advice would be appreciated.