In Australia,what is the difference between a QC, silk, barrister, solicitor and a lawyer?

A solicitor can represent you in magistrates court but can only instruct a barrister in a superior court. A QC (queens counsel) is a senior barrister. A quick note on that, we no longer have QC's they are now senior counsels (SC). There are those who were appointed as QC some time ago, but the title QC is no longer confferd and has been replaced by SC