"John T" writes:

Obviously I need higher skills to get something like a night rating,
and would (say) 50 hrs of weekend navs be advantageous?

Where are you flying?

Victoria, Australia. The environment here is a bit harder to fly in
than the rest of Australia, we don't get 15 hrs of sunshine a day, and
there are mountains all around...

To a VFR pilot there is about a 30% chance of being stuck on the
ground!

If by "weekend navs" you mean "cross country flights", then yes,
that's a good idea. You may also want to consider a tailwheel
endorsement and maybe take a couple hours of aerobatic instruction
(spins, etc.).

I hadn't thought of aerobatic instruction, that would help me out. I
guess I am thinking about what would make me a safe pilot if I am
flying only once or twice a month.

Cheers,
Richard.