I did the following and got these responses, so I would guess it is something in the way whois.ausregistry.net.au is set up. As you can see, that host does not respond, but by using the IP returned from the ping you see where the main subnet used is assigned.
$ whois surfthedream.com.au
[Querying whois.ausregistry.net.au]
[Unable to connect to remote host]
$ ping surfthedream.com.au
PING surfthedream.com.au (172.67.185.151) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 172.67.185.151 (172.67.185.151): icmp_seq=1 ttl=56 time=43.6 ms
64 bytes from 172.67.185.151 (172.67.185.151): icmp_seq=2 ttl=56 time=20.0 ms
64 bytes from 172.67.185.151 (172.67.185.151): icmp_seq=3 ttl=56 time=17.5 ms
64 bytes from 172.67.185.151 (172.67.185.151): icmp_seq=4 ttl=56 time=17.4 ms
64 bytes from 172.67.185.151 (172.67.185.151): icmp_seq=5 ttl=56 time=20.5 ms
^C
--- surfthedream.com.au ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 4006ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 17.421/23.812/43.634/9.992 ms
$ whois 172.67.185.151
[Querying whois.arin.net]
[whois.arin.net]
#
# ARIN WHOIS data and services are subject to the Terms of Use
# available at: https://www.arin.net/resources/registry/whois/tou/
#
# If you see inaccuracies in the results, please report at
# https://www.arin.net/resources/registry/whois/inaccuracy_reporting/
#
# Copyright 1997-2022, American Registry for Internet Numbers, Ltd.
#
NetRange: 172.64.0.0 - 172.71.255.255
CIDR: 172.64.0.0/13
NetName: CLOUDFLARENET
NetHandle: NET-172-64-0-0-1
Parent: NET172 (NET-172-0-0-0-0)
NetType: Direct Allocation
OriginAS: AS13335
Organization: Cloudflare, Inc. (CLOUD14)
RegDate: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2021-05-26
Comment: All Cloudflare abuse reporting can be done via https://www.cloudflare.com/abuse
Ref: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/ip/172.64.0.0
OrgName: Cloudflare, Inc.
OrgId: CLOUD14
Address: 101 Townsend Street
City: San Francisco
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 94107
Country: US
RegDate: 2010-07-09
Updated: 2021-07-01
Ref: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/CLOUD14
OrgTechHandle: ADMIN2521-ARIN
OrgTechName: Admin
OrgTechPhone: +1-650-319-8930
OrgTechEmail: rir@cloudflare.com
OrgTechRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/ADMIN2521-ARIN
OrgAbuseHandle: ABUSE2916-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Abuse
OrgAbusePhone: +1-650-319-8930
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@cloudflare.com
OrgAbuseRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/ABUSE2916-ARIN
OrgRoutingHandle: CLOUD146-ARIN
OrgRoutingName: Cloudflare-NOC
OrgRoutingPhone: +1-650-319-8930
OrgRoutingEmail: noc@cloudflare.com
OrgRoutingRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/CLOUD146-ARIN
OrgNOCHandle: CLOUD146-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Cloudflare-NOC
OrgNOCPhone: +1-650-319-8930
OrgNOCEmail: noc@cloudflare.com
OrgNOCRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/CLOUD146-ARIN
RTechHandle: ADMIN2521-ARIN
RTechName: Admin
RTechPhone: +1-650-319-8930
RTechEmail: rir@cloudflare.com
RTechRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/ADMIN2521-ARIN
RAbuseHandle: ABUSE2916-ARIN
RAbuseName: Abuse
RAbusePhone: +1-650-319-8930
RAbuseEmail: abuse@cloudflare.com
RAbuseRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/ABUSE2916-ARIN
RNOCHandle: NOC11962-ARIN
RNOCName: NOC
RNOCPhone: +1-650-319-8930
RNOCEmail: noc@cloudflare.com
RNOCRef: https://rdap.arin.net/registry/entity/NOC11962-ARIN
#
# ARIN WHOIS data and services are subject to the Terms of Use
# available at: https://www.arin.net/resources/registry/whois/tou/
#
# If you see inaccuracies in the results, please report at
# https://www.arin.net/resources/registry/whois/inaccuracy_reporting/
#
# Copyright 1997-2022, American Registry for Internet Numbers, Ltd.
#
Which whois package are you using, whois or jwhois? I can query that domain just fine with whois:
Domain Name: SURFTHEDREAM.COM.AU
Registry Domain ID: D407400000002128098-AU
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.auda.org.au
Registrar URL: https://www.godaddy.com/en-au/contact-us
Last Modified: 2022-01-08T22:17:02Z
Registrar Name: GoDaddy.com LLC trading as GoDaddy.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@godaddy.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.4426008800
Reseller Name:
Status: clientDeleteProhibited https://afilias.com.au/get-au/whois-status-codes#clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited https://afilias.com.au/get-au/whois-status-codes#clientUpdateProhibited
Status: serverRenewProhibited https://afilias.com.au/get-au/whois-status-codes#serverRenewProhibited
Status Reason: Not Currently Eligible For Renewal
Registrant Contact ID: CR157148051
Registrant Contact Name: AVERY, JUSTIN CHARLES
Tech Contact ID: CR157148054
Tech Contact Name: Justin Avery
Name Server: JILL.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
Name Server: DUKE.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
Registrant: AVERY, JUSTIN CHARLES
Registrant ID: ABN 30531978918
Eligibility Type: Sole Trader
>>> Last update of WHOIS database: 2022-04-01T20:34:22Z <<<
Afilias Australia Pty Ltd (Afilias), for itself and on behalf of .au Domain Administration Limited (auDA), makes the WHOIS registration data directory service (WHOIS Service) available solely for the purposes of:
(a) querying the availability of a domain name licence;
(b) identifying the holder of a domain name licence; and/or
(c) contacting the holder of a domain name licence in relation to that domain name and its use.
The WHOIS Service must not be used for any other purpose (even if that purpose is lawful), including:
(a) aggregating, collecting or compiling information from the WHOIS database, whether for personal or commercial purposes;
(b) enabling the sending of unsolicited electronic communications; and / or
(c) enabling high volume, automated, electronic processes that send queries or data to the systems of Afilias, any registrar, any domain name licence holder, or auDA.
The WHOIS Service is provided for information purposes only. By using the WHOIS Service, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. The WHOIS Service is operated in accordance with the auDA WHOIS Policy (available at https://www.auda.org.au/policies/index-of-published-policies/2014/2014-07/ ).
To figure out which package you use, run rpm -q --whatprovides whois.