"After a break and not selling on ebay for a few years I have started again

Having been selling on ebay for 18 years with around 1000 feedback and 100% buyer rating this stings"

Which makes absolutely no difference as transaction hold apply for ALL new or infrequent sellers and have done so for years.

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/selling/getting-paid/getting-paid-items-youve-sold/transaction-holds?id...

eBay do 'occasionally ' release a payment early when the buyer's left positive feedback but they're under no obligation to do so.

I'd advise you to NOT follow the advice of

"If the buyer pays for untracked and you send untracked ebay can go and bother Aus Post for confirmation, it's not your job to confirm anything"

Take a video of every delivery that falls into a post box. You will have recourse if anything goes wrong.

or

"Sellers are not postage services.

Your resposibility is to post the item, not deliver the item.

Their responsibility is to pay for an appropiate postal service, they pay for traking they get tracking, they pay for untracked they get untracked".

or  you may find your 'return to selling' short lived