I once drove 2 hours for a VERY rusty 26" girls 80's Japanese Raleigh, a freebie from a friend who knew I was into Raleigh's. Not one for me but didn't have the heart to say no, so I donated it to the local co-op.
If you want to restore a bike in Australia, the internet is your friend. Because of our relatively small population, parts locally are thin on the ground. So it's a waiting game to find the part you want, in the condition you want, at the price you want to pay. The time differences can work with you too when bidding.
The finishing touches for all my bikes have been from the US, Canada, Continental Europe and the UK.