Having said that i really dont know why people waste there time with ice climbing in Australia. You only have to drive from banff to jasper to realise what it is really about.
You get more ice in the carpark at the supermarket in Banff.
Even NZ is marginal. While the iceclimbing can be excellent the accessability is poor compared to CDA or europe.
By the time you have hired or bought gear, paid for the ski tube, oversnow and got out there to discover it is thin and wet you would be half way to Cda (other seasons of course).
PS. and no it isnt good practice for when you do get to CDA.