Is it possible to get your visa extended from 30 days to 60 days on entering Thailand or must you do it before leaving Australia? If I take the other option of leaving Thailand, does the 30 day entry visa into Thailand start all over again or pick up from how many days you have already been there?
Thanks for any help simplifying this.

You have 2 options: either get a 60 day visa from back home, or enter Thailand without visa. In the latter case, provided you have a flight out of the country within 30 days (can be checked by the airline you're flying with into Thailand and very occassionaly immigration) you will get a visa exempt stamp in your passport. By leaving and entering Thailand again, you will get another stamp. You can enter Thailand this way upto 90 days within a 180 days period.