Occasionally there are rod building days put on in Brisbane, but there hasn't been one for some time now.
There's a million videos on the web and there's Facebook group and things the the custom rod builders guild which can help.
I have a heap of books including Dale Clements "advanced custom rod building" which you can borrow if you like.
The mechanics don't change much whether you're doing a light spin or offshore rod.
When you start out its best to source your components from someone like Ross @ therodworks
That way when you choose a blank, he can ensure all the other bits like reel seat, winding checks etc are the right size.
Pedro can also help with bits locally, but he's away working at the moment.
You can find him on Facebook.
You don't need a lathe to start, but you'll quickly move to one if you keep at it.
You'll also find you won't save any money making your own rods.
What you will get is a rod that fits both you and the application perfectly (if you do it right)
You may find that people that do it for a living are less likely to offer more than general advice.
Unfortunately there's heaps of guys that milk them for info then call themselves a "custom rod builder" and start selling stuff at rates that amount to a couple of dollars per hour.
In my book, don't charge until you can do quality work and then charge a proper hourly rate.