Hi,
Thought I would add my two cents worth as I fly Emirates a lot.
If I was you I would register an EK frequent flyer number on this trip. The biggest bang form your buck with Emirates is getting to Silver status as this gets you an extra 10kg baggage allowance, use of the business class check in as well as use of a lounge in Dubai. This is not the proper business class lounge but a secondary one slightly more remotely located. You can only this lounges in Dubai - no access anywhere else across their network. For that you need Gold status and above.
On a trip as long as this one you will likely get enough tier points using EK to make silver in one trip depending on the type of ticket you have. The key thing is whether you have a saver ticket or a flex ticket. Only flex tickets get tier and frequent flyer point at a basic 1:1 ratio. Saver tickets are at 0.5:1 so it takes a lot longer to build up status and miles to spend. Its also harder to retain status for a similar reason and this has to be maintained on a rolling 12 month period. They changed their award system a couple of years ago and it dose make life harder for the average traveller - saver economy earns very little, flex economy earns the same as saver business!! Its all down to the dollars you spend on the ticket now.
However, the rates of each award are actually higher for flights originating from Australia than from say Europe as a consequence of the link up with Qantas so that is on the up side of things. You need to decide if a flex ticket is worth buying.
In terms of redemptions I have not really had any problem with upgrading using points whereas I hear a lot of colleagues grumbling about Qantas. However it is important to realise that you can only upgrade at the time of booking if you buy a flex fare ie the more expensive option and this is another way that Emirates are squeezing things for their customers. Overall though I think that Skywards is an excellent programme to join.
You wont be able to access the lounge using your Qantas status if your ticket uses an EK FF, you would need to do this travelling on a QF flight number. This is another reason to bite the bullet and get some EK status.
Forget trying to buy an upgrade, only possible using points, and their computer system allocates upgrades so no chance as an EK Blue member. Never been able to charm my way into business or beyond. Once you get to Gold there is a reasonable chance of an upgrade and the lounge staff become very helpful. In Sydney at least this is where the 'power' lies, not at check in where things are very busy and the majority of the check in staff do not actually work for Emirates even though they wear the uniform of the company and you would have no idea that they didn't.
The Emirates Citibank card is fantastic - essential for those in the Skywards programme I would argue - lots of FF points (though again they have recently changed the way they allocate these with none for insurance products to name one notable class of purchase), but the free chauffeur pickups save a lot of cash and there is the dining programme with free bottles of wine in a lot of restaurants (at least here in Sydney and I would imagine in Perth as well). In short it will easily pay for itself in benefits over a year. I should point out that other cards like some AMEX ones can credit Skywards with points as well so the Citibank one is not the only way to increase your points balance.
The 777 remains the workhorse of their fleet, at least for now, and is generally comfortable. It is a 777-LR to Houston and I imagine a 777-ER to Dubai. No real difference between the two from the inside, try for an emergency aisle obviously, any seat there. The doors don't impact too much on your legs when in seat A or K, unlike in a 747 where you wish you were sitting somewhere else. Never take a seat on these aircraft with a bulkhead behind you as they don't recline to their full extent and sometimes have a reduced pitch as well. Seats with a bulkhead in front are generally OK on EK.
Hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Cheers
FlyingScot1