The base is everything
Pavers are only ever as good as what they sit on, and this is where jobs succeed or fail. For most paths and patios the crew excavates, lays and compacts a road-base sub-layer, then a bedding layer that the pavers sit in. The whole build is set to falls so water runs away from the house rather than pooling, which matters a great deal on the low ground near the Ross River where drainage is already a challenge and a wet-season storm can dump a lot of water fast.
On reactive clay the base has to be prepared so the paving copes with ground that moves with the seasons, and edge restraints hold the whole area together so pavers do not creep and open up gaps over time. Skip the base prep and pavers rock, sink and lift within a year, no matter how good the pavers themselves are.