Good Afternoon all,
Tremendous thanks to all of you for the replies and comments, they have helped put me a little more at ease. As per the numerous recommendations; I will be booking in to have a consultation with a registered agent this week which should be very helpful in helping with my decision.
As it stands I believe I will continue the route of the 189 VISA as I have endured arduous years of studying and completing Skills Assessments and the like, that I feel like it would be best to give it a shot under my own steam. I will do what I can to maximise my chances of an invitation being granted by completing an English IELTS test in the build up to my application and by being an upstanding citizen by continuing to eat a 7 Eleven sausage roll daily and of course supporting locally run bars on the weekend. Failing this I will likely apply for my third year Working Holiday VISA - upon completion of this I will then likely apply for a partnership VISA as by that time I will have been with my partner for 2 1/2 years, lived together for 2 years and likely also be married (no shotguns necessary).
I still would appreciate any further input or lines of questioning on this matter or my game plan - and again very much appreciate the help which everyone has offered!