Thanks for all of the advice that you people have given me!
I went to Foto Riesel in the city a while ago, as they were the only place I found that carried any Gitzo tripods at all. I played around with some Manfrottos, and also played with two Gitzos - a 2227, and a 2-series model which I forgot the exact code of.
The Manfrottos and the Gitzos at the shop were not tall enough for my liking, and the taller Manfrotto 475 was far too heavy - I underestimated the need for a light tripod.
I then did some further research about the Gitzos, and came to the conclusion that the 1327 would fit my needs best - lightweight, yet sturdy and tall enough to avoid ever needing a center column. Pity about the price, though...
I did eventually place my order for the Gitzo 1327, along with a Gitzo pan/tilt head, hotshoe bubble level and remote trigger. Apparently, Australia does not have any at all in the country, so I need to wait for another 6-8 weeks before it arrives.
I did borrow an old Manfrotto 055 from the shop for use over a weekend with an old Minolta SRT (the 350D has been playing up, not focusing, not responding, frezzing, buttons not working, et cetera, and I sent it to Canon for repairs).
The Manfrotto, about the same weight as the Gitzo, was a fair bit shorter - after levelling the tripod on very uneven ground, it was often too short for me. The tripod seemed fairly sturdy, but a little bit unstable occasionally - it has seen a lot of action, after all.
I'm now impatiently waiting for the Gitzo - although very expensive, I'm very sure that I won't need to upgrade this tripod ever in the future, and I'll be able to use it with practically any camera or lens that I get later. I'm quite happy about my choice, even though I haven't even touched the tripod yet.
Again, thank you all for your replies and your advice - it seems to have persuaded me to get the Gitzo, and spend twice as much money as I might have before (in my blissful ignorance).