Its still like that in australia, we use feet for altitude , but we
use meters for horizontal distance. OurVFR rules are to stay clear of
cloud by 1000 feet vertically and 1500 m horizontally.

Are obstruction elevations (towers, mountain tops) charted in feet or meters?
In France they were in meters, which I thought was pretty stupid given that
the altimeters were in feet. VFR cloud clearance requirements, both
horizontal and vertical, were stated in meters.