Eight months is not 12 unfortunately despite your best intentions and Immigration regulations cannot really be bent so much but if you are planning to come to Australia once you have things sorted, you can still use that eight months plus another four in Australia to show that 12 in total together have occurred and having the gap in between can be used to advantage in a way of showing that you have the commitment to go to the extent of travelling.

Still make sure you can do all that is possible in respect to collecting documentation and have statements from family and friends etc., all as detailed in Booklet #1.
Re how the 12 months can be considered made up you'll see some Commonly Asked Questions examples in the 12 months relationship link you'll find in a visa eligibility section and for an onshore partner visa application it'll be Partner Visa: Onshore Temporary and Permanent (Subclasses 820 and 801) you need to use

If you're planning on coming out on a WHV for instance, all the better for you'll have at least a further 12 months to build up time and no need to rush, perhaps even a second stint of 12 months too if you do some regional work to become eligible for a second WHV - details in the Working Holiday Visa info.

Once here, if it's more permanent work that you can secure by having some particular skills, it's possible you may also find an employer prepared to sponsor you and so there may be several options open to you.