Reighnmaker, I use to own, breed and show Bull Mastiffs. They are like everything you said! (Mine lived outside though, maybe our climates are different, but a good doghouse seemed to be all mine needed. I did have 2 inside dogs, and they did great inside as well.)
But they are a very large dog. I think that the easy care of their coats and their loyalty makes up for their size.
For Aussies, We had an Aussie once that was such a sweet heart, though not very protective. Her bark was always a playful sound, nobody was ever afraid of her. She had a copperhead in her yard once and was whinning something aweful. I went out to check and she was staring at a hole she dug (she loved digging holes), this was her favorite as it was her "cool spot" she made. In that hole was the snake. Lily ran behind me, stayed crouched until I killed the snake, THEN she acted all big and bad! LOL She was always such a character!
The best dog I ever wned though was the odd mixture of a Pit Bull and Border Collie. Very smart, very protective, yet accepted anyone I accepted. She was a good judge of character and would follow certain people around in our house that we allowed in (like shady family), watching them. She never attacked anyone, but she would have if I gave word. I am sure it was more her disposition than the breed, I doubt there will ever be another like her.
Still, I think you have been given good advice about the breeds mentioned, and you can do searches in the AKC breeds to help you determine what you are lookig for.
I hope you come back and tell what you decide on, and show pictures of what you get!