Bbq'er from Aus here..

[Sydney Simon]

I'm from Sydney (name probably gives that away right). What made me laugh is I was down in the Mornington Peninsula last weekend, stayed in Rye and had dinner in Sorrento! Small world :-)

[Nate]

Welcome from Indiana..

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit ausbbq! Thanks for joining up with us. We've had quite the influx of new members from Australia lately, how cool is that! I well know I'm restating some of the great advice offered to you in this thread, but were I you, (and since you already have Meathead's book and a Pit membership) I'd buy:
1) Either a Maverick ET732 or ThermoWorks' "Smoke" (both are remote wireless leave-in thermometers);
2) Slow 'N Sear;
3) either a ThermoPop or Thermapen (both are very good instant reads, a mid-level and an upper level, respectively); and
4) a nice beer cooler if you don't already have one. These serve a dual purpose- they hold your beer during the cook for easy access while outside cooking, and later they serve as a faux Cambro to soften and delishify your meats after cooking is complete.

That should get you all you need to make pro-level BBQ the easiest and most reliable way for the least initial investment IMO.

[Danjohnston949]

ausbbq, If You go to the AmazingRibs.Com Homepage, Open the Equipment and Reviews Page and Scroll down to Weber Accessories You find the S 'n S and the ratings by Meathead and Max Good! You should also log on to AdrenalineBBQCo.com (abcbbqco.com) they manufacture the S 'n S and other items! You Definately want study the Weber Temp Vent Control in the Techniques and Recipe Section for the S 'n S! David Parrish (Dave) andHuskee (Aaron) and the good People at Adrenaline BBQ Co have provided a valuable Tutorial on Weber Temp Control!
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND USA, Dan

[LA Pork Butt]

Welcome to the Pit! You are getting great advice form these guys.

[Danjohnston949]

ausbbq, The Short Answer is Yes! Simply Pile your Lit Coals to one side retained by a charcoal rack or holder by Weber! A row of Firebrick on edge will help to divide the Grill into Direct and Indirect Sides! Smoke on the Indirect Side!
From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[ausbbq]

Funnily enough I am from Wagga Wagga which is right by Albury! About an hours drive.

I am a Parramatta Eels supporter but have a soft spot for Manly.

[smokinfatties]

so funny, most everyone loves to hate manly! I lived there when they won the GF in 2012. where in rural australia did you grow up? I have some friends in rural NSW (Trundle and Albury, if you consider Albury rural)

[ausbbq]

Thanks for this mate.

Without sound like a total idiot - is it possible to slow cook the meats without a SnS or is it mandatory? I don't mind purchasing it, I just had no idea it was even an option.

[ausbbq]

My family is born and bred Manly so I love that you said that.

I love California myself.

Yep - chimney is a tool I wish I had known about years ago.

Thanks for yoru recs kind sir.

[ausbbq]

I actually purchased that book yesterday!

[FireMan]

Welcome aboard ausbbq! Stay away from ALL BBQ accessories, because it is just a matter of time before MCS sets in & you will NEED everything that is practically made. You will be building sheds as big as barns & wanting to fill em with multiple cookers & those darn accessories. Glad to have you with us, enjoy the ride!

[fuzzydaddy]

Welcome to The Pit ausbbq. It's great to have you here. Thank you for your support!

Since this is your first post, please check out our homework assignment post for new members. It contains a few how-tos and please-dos. This will help you learn your way around so you can get the best experience from our forum.

Also, it's very important that you:

• Give us an email address you actually use. You can set or change your email on file with us by clicking your name in the upper-right, then User Settings, then the Account tab.
• Add the domain AmazingRibs.com to your email safe list. We never spam! This is important to receive notices about your account, such as if you’re up for renewal or are ever drawn as our monthly Gold Medal Giveaway winner (we’d hate to have to pick another person because you don’t answer us)!

Hope to see you around The Pit often!

[Steve R.]

In addition to the Slow 'n Sear and Thermapen, I recommend picking up a hinge for your kettle lid. I found this one on Amazon, and it has served me well. I now have both hands free when opening the lid, without needing a place to set it down.

[smokinfatties]

g'day mate! lived in sydney for two years, but my all time favorite place in oz is the mornington penninsula. lots of mates in sorrento and rye. living back home in California now, but OZ always holds a special place in my heart. I come back every couple years.

For that weber Kettle of yours, make sure you get the Thermapen and also a slow 'n sear. If you want to kick it up a notch, may as well get the grill grates and the new griddle pan. and the smoke thermometer. From there you basically have a kick ass grill for those eye fillets and an excellent smoker for those long haul meats.

Sounds basic, but the chimney is great for starting your charcoal! I also use a wagner heat tool to fire coals up. Super quick and easy. If you don't like that, you can also get a sterno lighter can (like the ones used to heat catering dishes) to put under the chimney to get the coals going. Newspaper always works, but then there's a ton of ash!

You're in good hands here mate! let us know how we can help, and always take lots of pictures when you cook.

Cheers! And go MANLY