The cheapest award flight will be via SYD, BNE or MEL. Other OW options are BA via LHR, CX via HKG or JL via NRT. All these will cost more points than the QF flights. You can do your research via the QF web site on whether you have enough points to cover your flights.

Award seats on QF trans Pacific seem relatively plentiful in whY. It is only the very desirable Biz or F seats that are in short supply. IMHO, you shouldn't have too much trouble in getting your lot to LAX if you can travel down the back of the plane .

I think it is not a pipe dream - but doable. Now, the only issue is mid December 2012. This is getting to peak season and you might be wise to target dates that are before the school holidays start. Then you have the drama of seeing flights open up (35x days prior and not knowling whether to get them or wait another day for the flight you really want).