Originally Posted by
jsloan
I'd expect that a Star Alliance RTW fare would only be bookable onto Star Alliance flights. I admit that I'm making an assumption there.
So, the embedded surface sector would be MEL-SYD, which would then be covered by a separately-fared (but jointly ticketed) one-way QF fare. You know how sometimes, when you put together a complicated itinerary into the ITA Matrix, it'll combine the legs in a non-obvious manner for faring? That's what I'd expect here.
Ah, I was confused since OP has suggested the embedded surface sector in point (2). I don't know offhand, but it would seem a little odd if the RTW ticket is restricted to *A just because of coverage gaps like precisely this, but you very well might be right.
By the time you're doing something like that however, transiting LAX seems like an easy winner.