My friend has an ABN and wants to sponser me on a work VISA

Your friend will have to make a formal job offer to you. Then he will have to apply to immigration for a work visa for you.
He will have to prove that he has tried to fill the position locally with no luck and so has approached you.
Just having an ABN does not mean he can get you the visa.

There is a list of preferred skills that the Govt is seeking, so if the job falls in one of those categories it will make the process easier.
You will have to have qualifications and relevant experience and the qualifications will be checked for acceptability. If not accepted, no visa.
The process will take a a long time even if everything is okay.
The visa, if okayed, will only be for 1 year.

If you have dependents, then it will make things a lot harder too. You would have to have full medical insurance cover for a start.

Depending on your age, you may be able to apply for a working holiday visa which is good for a year, but there are conditions attached to these visas as to where you can work. Again, dependents will mean no working holiday visa.

TYSM Stumpy   I have a new born.  I am 38.  How exactly can I get to AU then?  I have no family there, he is the only soul I know there and offered to work sponser me but it doesnt sound like I can be approved   Isnt there a way to visit, then just stay there?

No way to visit and just stay as this will get you and baby deported.

Have you looked at a simple tourist visas with your friend going guarantor to cover all costs during your stay. Your friend may have to put up a bond in a Govt escrow account to ensure you leave on the due date. The money would be returned to his account a day or so after you leave.

There are partner visas which your friend could apply for. Check this website for details www.homeaffairs.gov.au

You would have to prove that it is a genuine relationship. The authorities would require photos of all of you together, phone, text calls. monies sent. Length of time in relationship.

There is a long stay tourist visa. e600 visitor visa long stay. (type e600 visa australia into your search engine). It allows stays of up to 12 months and American passport holders are eligible.  This can be applied for online. You would have to get passport for baby. You would need travel medical insurance to cover you and baby.

Thats great info stumpy, thank you.  We will consider that.  Ive never traveled outside USA but seen tons of immigrants and thought they all just come and stay here.  My hometown is basically all immigrants and illegals, so I am shocked VISAs are actually seemingly hard for an average person to get. 

We've been reading tons online.  Since he is rural and with a new, up and coming business, we are now looking at RSMS (subclass 187) VISA.  We seem to fall into that category of VISA.  Your thoughts?  So, there is no VISA for good & honest person huh?  Guess bad people ruined that VISA....?

And about insurance, where do I get this?

Hate to be negative, only trying to be practical, but there is a high refusal rate for the RSMS visa over the ENS (Employer Nominated Scheme)

Have you considered contacting an immigration agent for advice and getting the paperwork done for you. As your friend is working, trying to run a business it is easy to miss a vital piece of information that is required and may mean a refusal of visa.

Insurance can be found online. Your friend could check up on this for you and perhaps cover the cost through his business if you get to work for him. Initially get travel insurance cover for you and baby until you get over to Oz and settled in.

And yes, bad people have made things a lot harder for those of us who are honest, hard working and trying to get by. Have seen it all in my 47+ years of travel and work around the world.