Visa application for an Australian citizen working in Jeddah to visit China for holiday

I am an Australian currently employed as a nurse in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the National Guard Hospital. I wish to visit China on a two week holiday in August, 2012. I would be flying to China from Australia while on my annual leave. I wish to know how to go about getting a valid visa to visit China as my passport is being held by my employer as per the usual status for this country. Can i do my visa application online, from Jeddah or from Australia.
thank you