Nice to see a fellow Aussie!! I am an hour out of Canberra and just got my chooks yesterday! Keeping the dogs out of the chook yard is a main worry for me as well.
I just got my first three chickens yesterday. They are young white Plymouths. I admit I really know very little about chickens and have a lot to learn. First being to make a more dog proof chook yard as my dogs have already tried to get into the portable one I have.