I would move now.AA are changing their award system on 10/1.If you book before them you can get an award from SAN-SYD for the equivalenmt points of a direct flight if there was one.An award is often easier to get if going via Japan.So you would fly Eagle SAN-LAX.AA LAX-NRT and then either JAL or QF to SYD.It probably would need to be a one world award and would cost 100000 miles in economy,130000 miles in business.
AA always have a special out of Australia to the USA via NRT which is about $US1500 at the moment in economy-I dont know if you can get it ex-USA but worthwhile asking.So you could pay for the other 2 tickets and it would be cheaper than the fare on QF LAX-SYD.