The Culture of Australia
Australia is best known for its tropical beaches, marine parks, Aboriginal culture and cute koalas – yet also holds great strength in agriculture, mining and technology.
Australians are known for being friendly and laid-back people who cherish respect and humility regardless of social standing. When greeting someone new, it’s polite to start off the interaction by exchanging a friendly “g’day mate”.
Table of Contents
Geography
Australia, one of the smallest continents, features a diverse landscape and climate. Tree-lined mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range contrast starkly with the wide open plains covering much of Australia’s interior country.
Northern parts of the country feature tropical weather. From October to April, monsoon rains bring intense downpours with thunderstorms along the coasts.
Australia generally features steppe climates, which are dry but slightly more suitable for human habitation than deserts. Along Australia’s east coast however, sufficient rainfall ensures lush farmlands.
All Australia’s major cities are concentrated along its coasts, leading to an ocean-centric pattern of development where most population centers and wealth/power resides in two core regions while its periphery provides food and raw materials to those core regions.
Culture
Australia stands out as an extremely diverse culture despite being isolated for so long from other parts of the world. This national culture has been formed through Australia’s unique geography, history of immigration and ethnic diversity.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures form an essential component of Australian society. Indigenous populations have lived on Australia for an estimated 60,000 years. Their cultures are distinguished by a strong sense of community and belief in spirit-world spirits.
Arrival of European immigrants introduced many new customs and practices into Australia, such as food, language and music. Pizza and pasta have become immensely popular dishes here while there is also a vibrant jazz and folk scene.
Beach culture has also played an essential role in Australia’s national identity. Aussies love spending their free time at the beach – whether that means surfing, fishing, kayaking or just playing beach cricket – which gives their national psyche a strong sense of independence and strength. World War I saw the term “Aussie” being coined to describe an upbeat character who can withstand hardship; with time this term has taken on more meaning giving Australia worldwide recognition of independence and strength.
Languages
Due to its long history of colonization and cultural syncretism, Australia is an extremely diverse nation in terms of language usage. English is the most prevalent spoken language (72% of Australians speak it) followed by Mandarin Chinese (600K speakers) and Vietnamese (350,000 people).
Country has many indigenous languages, including Warlpiri in the Northern Territory and Kala Lagaw Ya in the Western Desert. While these indigenous tongues may be endangered, their communities maintain them through educational programs and media in their language.
Australian languages are distinctive for lacking consonant cluster rules and voicing contrast in stops; short vowels dominate, and fricatives such as [s] are almost nonexistent; furthermore, most have complex sound correspondences between words used for different registers (e.g. addressing in-laws or colleagues). Many linguists believe these languages may have genetic links with Proto-Indo-European though this remains unverified.
Customs
Australia’s remoteness has had a profound effect on its culture. Over time, its citizens have adjusted to their environment by adapting an egalitarian society known for casual manners and laid-back attitude. A handshake greeting with “g’day mate” is common; attempts at appearing superior are discouraged as are displays of wealth or knowledge.
Australians may appear laid-back, but they are determined business people with an entrepreneurial spirit and keen willingness to negotiate. Australians value loyalty among their colleagues, turning to their “mates” when needed.
Importing household goods into Australia? The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service will inspect them to assess duty and taxes. For information on what items are permitted or prohibited, visit their website. Additionally, all food products, plants and animal products must be declared upon arrival and taken directly to an inspection point for clearance through customs.
