Qantas is having a sale to South America, flying out from most major east coast airports for just over a grand.
Santiago, Chile is the destination - a hub for flights / bus rides around South America, including 20 hours north by bus to San Pedro de Atacama and the starting point for Salar de Uyuni tours, and 8 hours east to Mendoza, Argentina - wine country made famous for its Malbec.
Various dates throughout spring and summer, excluding it seems, the busy Christmas/New Year period.
SYD: http://www.flightscout.co/au/cheap-flights/sydney-australia-…
MEL: http://www.flightscout.co/au/cheap-flights/melbourne-austral…
BNE: http://www.flightscout.co/au/cheap-flights/sydney-australia-…
CBR: http://www.flightscout.co/au/cheap-flights/canberra-australi…
That’s cheap and with Qantas