You seem to pay strong prices in Australia for tyres! Here in UK I would expect to get a top flight (Michelin /Continental etc) 205/55x16 tyre fitted & balanced for £80 - £90 each, maybe less if a promo on buying 4 etc. I always try to use my local ATS.
I have had Continentals on a couple of cars and been very impressed. Indeed they would be a tyre of choice for me. Its all personal preferences of course - I thought they did really well on greasy wet roads even at only 2mm's of tread remaining on my old Clio hack, although both my son's thought they were wanting.